I haven't forgotten about the long series of Noah-related posts. Eight posts in, I decided I needed to learn more about what the scriptures teach us regarding sanctification and justification prior to concluding that series. While that work continues, let me share an intriguing detail that I've learned along the way.
We'll start with a passage that fascinates me:59 That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;
60 For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified; (Moses 6:59-60)
This passage teaches that there are three components to our physical birth: water, blood, and spirit. I take this to mean that the spirit within us which existed in the pre-mortal realm began the process of taking on a mortal body in the womb of our mother (water), developed a body (blood), then took its first breath as it was born (spirit).
Then in the second half of verse 59, we learn what is needed to:
- "be sanctified from all sin, and
- enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and
- eternal life in the world to come, even
- immortal glory;"
"...ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten..."
For years I've felt a little like Nicodemus trying to match up what I know about the Gospel with this threefold rebirth process. Verse 60 spells it out more clearly:
"For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;"
"Water" rebirth comes through obedience (baptism). "Spirit" rebirth brings justification (confirmation). That leaves the rebirth of "the blood of [God's] Only Begotten" to bring about sanctification. The ordinances of the temple, both ancient and modern, fit the symbolism perfectly.
This gets a little confusing, because the Holy Ghost plays a role in both justification and sanctification, a principle which is clarified more in the Doctrine & Covenants than in the Book of Mormon.
Once we see this three-step pattern clearly, we can find intriguing connections to other passages. I'll close this post with one such example, but I'll offer more (and link back to this post) in the coming weeks as I close out the Noah series. In the passage below, Alma-2 teaches about the Holy Order of God. Notice how he begins with the language of faith and repentance and progresses to "the blood of the Lamb" and then shifts immediately into an invitation to other to walk the covenant path:
10 Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this high priesthood, there were many who were ordained and became high priests of God; and it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish;
11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the blood of the Lamb.
12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God, could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered into the rest of the Lord their God.
13 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that ye may also enter into that rest. (Alma 13)
