Eight is Great--part 2

Libby turned 8 back in July, and I wrote about her birthday fun in Eight is Great. There's a big reason why eight is great, and I'm going to tell you why. Some of you already know this, but others probably don't, so I will explain.

Mormons believe that little children (under age 8) do not need baptism because they are not capable of real sin. The reason for this makes plenty of sense to me. Have you ever held a newborn baby and just marveled at how tiny, beautiful, and perfect they are? It's true. They are perfect. They are not capable of understanding right from wrong until they are older and have been taught. How could a newborn baby or an infant or a little toddler possibly go to hell if they die, just because they haven't been baptized? They haven't sinned, and have no need of baptism.

You might ask then why was Jesus baptized? Simple. His mission was to be the supreme example for the rest of us. He was baptized to show us the way, not because he had sinned. Baptism is the way we enter in to the strait and narrow way, and how could we follow Jesus into the way if he were not baptized himself?

We believe that once children reach 8, they are beginning to have a good grasp of right and wrong and are accountable for their sins, so it is a good time for them to be baptized and continue in the right way.

So eight is great because Libby got to be baptized, and as you can see, she was very excited about it. Happy Baptism, Libby!