The ordinance of baptism is the sacred ceremonial declaration that one is willing to take upon himself or herself the name of Christ and live by solemn covenant in accordance with His laws. Such an ordinance, being of the nature of renewal, rebirth, cleansing, liberation, and spiritual adoption into the family of Christ, is a thing of transcendent beauty and all-encompassing joy. Concerning the sacred nature of the baptismal covenant, President Joseph Fielding Smith has stated:
Every person baptized into this Church has made a covenant with the Lord to keep his commandments. We are to serve the Lord with all the heart, and all the mind, and all the strength that we have, and that too in the name of Jesus Christ. Everything that we do should be done in the name of Jesus Christ.
In the waters of baptism, we covenanted that we would keep these commandments; that we would serve the Lord; that we would keep this first and greatest of all commandments, and love the Lord our God; that we would keep the next great commandment, we would love our neighbor as ourselves; and with all the might that we have, with all the strength, with all our hearts, we would prove to him that we would “live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God”; that we would be obedient and humble, diligent in his service, willing to obey, to hearken to the counsels of those who preside over us and do all things with an eye single to the glory of God.
We should not forget these things, for this commandment is binding upon us as members of the Church. (Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols., ed. Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954–1956], 2:328)