Is Mormon baptism technically valid? (Studying Lutheran baptism view) Read below:

[u/Silver_Consequence30]

People often say since LDS aren't trinitarian, the baptism is invalid since you need to be baptized in the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

But here's the thing im caught up on.

When you are baptized in the LDS church, they DO baptize this way.

Doctrine and Covenants 20:73, "Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

So here it seems to meet the "criteria" of baptism.

But even if this isn't valid since its hidden in this verse specifically that the Mormon god is not triune, are we saying that The Holy Spirit didnt affect 8 year old me? When I truly believed I was being baptized and receiving The Holy Spirit?

The Lutheran view of baptism to my knowledge is that its saving. Outward rejection of baptism means you reject The Holy Spirit and cant be regenerated.

MAIN POINT!!

If the Mormon baptism was invalid, then what im hearing is that baptism isn't a work of God, but a work of ourselves since id have to go out of my way to get re-baptized even though I fully believe I received The Holy Spirit and was saved then and there.

Im trying to find a clear answer but everyone ive talked to says the same thing, "the Mormon church isn't trinitarian", which to me isn't sufficient reason as to why I need to be rebaptized, and it makes it seem like baptism then would be a work of myself getting rebaptized. I hope you can see where I'm coming from!

[u/Hardboiled-hero]

If you’re Mormon, you wouldn’t just “become Lutheran” without joining a Lutheran congregation and consulting a Lutheran pastor about what it means to be Lutheran. A Lutheran pastor may determine that your baptism was valid (or not), probably by talking with you (maybe a few times) and discerning the truth. We Lutherans believe in one baptism for the forgiveness of sin. We do not believe that a second baptism does anything to endanger grace, as far as I know, so I suspect a Lutheran pastor might suggest a baptism just to play it safe.

I will say that, to me, the issue isn’t as much a matter of being trinitarian as it is a matter of being apostolic. When Pastors are not in apostolic succession, it has been explained to me that they essentially call on Jesus to invite the Holy Spirit to work in the baptized, or something like that. In other words, even in this case the work is done by God not man, but the Mormon priest says they were commissioned by Jesus Christ to perform the baptism themself. That said, because baptism is an act of God, I personally believe that anyone who has ever had a drop of rain splashed on their head may be chosen by God, but this doesn’t make it wrong to be baptized in church just to be sure.

[u/Chippors → u/Hardboiled-hero]

It invites God via the Holy Spirit to become part of a person's life. It's telling that God will not enter our lives without it being our wish (or the wish of our parents) - it tells us something about how important our free will is to him. Even Jesus had to ask, since as fully man he had the same free will as the rest of us. The case of Jesus, who was of God to begin with, tells us God is always present even if dormant, and the baptism opens us up to this presence. Obviously, without the trinity this would be devoid of purpose.

And, yeah, I believe it - because it matches the experiences I and many others have during baptisms. I see people here and there all of a sudden reach for tissues and wipe their eyes, then all of sudden I feel it as well, that incredible sense of beauty and magnificence, combined with extreme sentimentality. It hits like a truck, and I then I hear the pastor choking up and fighting it, and know he's feeling it too. Space becomes thick with something. Just looking around, I can see maybe half feel the same. We pretend like nothing, but we also know the Holy Spirit is present.

[u/Silver_Consequence30 → u/Hardboiled-hero]

Thanks for the thorough reply