If you’re happily married or have seen people in a happy marital relationship reflect on that relationship.  How did the relationship start?  How did it develop and blossom into a marriage?  Now, after the marriage was that the end?

As I reflect on my relationship with my wife I think of how it started as friendship and blossomed from there.  The more we became acquainted the more we grew to like and love each other. The more sacrifices we made for each other the more we grew to love each other.  We could have chosen to go on that way forever and even “play house” by moving in with each other like many do today.  After all, we were in love with each other.  Why do we need to get married?  It’s just a piece of paper anyways right?

Such is the rationale of many today, however, we decided we would show our commitment to each other by binding it through a marriage and we did it before God and others to see.  My wife showed her love and commitment to the relationship by taking on my name and I do my best to honor that name.  I wouldn’t have had it any other way and to do it another way would have been compromising and unfair to my wife and to myself and the children we bring into the world. 

Now that we’re married is all over?  No!  At marriage our journey had just begun and we continue to learn and grow together with the help of God.  Is it easy all of the time?  No.  But it’s surely worth it.  We try to have our eyes focused outside of ourselves and towards each other and with the help of God and also striving on our part I’m confident we’ll continue to do well.

Now compare this to the scriptures in 2 Nephi 31 and 32 .  In this scripture, Nephi discusses the purpose of baptism and how it pertains to our salvation.

If you read these chapters carefully, Nephi shows our journey to salvation as a relationship with Jesus similar to that of what I described in a marital relationship.  We study, learn about Him, pray, develop a love and relationship and at some point reach a decision of if we want to seal that relationship or not.  As described in the scripture, confessing Jesus as our Savior and baptism isn’t the end of the journey, but the gate into the kingdom of God…similar to the marriage that I previously described.  We commit ourselves to Jesus and enter into His kingdom through the gate of baptism by openly showing our commitment and dedication to Him publically.  We then take on a new name…Jesus Christs’ name and accept him as our Lord and Savior. 

After we confess Jesus as our Savior, enter through the gate to His kingdom through baptism and commit to a relationship with Him is it over?  No!  We have a whole life to live as a new born-again believer in Jesus.  We then receive the “baptism of fire” through the gift of the Holy Ghost and commence our journey.  As long as we rely on Jesus and continue to develop our relationship with Him we’re being true to our baptismal commitment.  We stay true and develop our personal relationship with Jesus through prayer, scripture study, service to others, repentance, learning in groups such as church, bible study, etc. 

Some may say that attending church or study groups  isn’t necessary after we’ve shown our commitment to Jesus.  Others may say we don’t really even need to be baptized to show our commitment to Jesus and merely confess His name. 

What are your thoughts?

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