Proper Authority

In Acts 19:1-12 and 20:7-12 Paul performed five priesthood ordinances. They were:

•  Baptism
• Giving the gift of the Holy Ghost
• Healing
•  Casting out evil spirits
•  Raising the dead

In Acts 19:3-5 Paul finds out that the Corinthian saints have not been baptized under the right authority so he re-baptizes them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Side note, I was looking for a picture of Paul baptizing the Saints, but all I could find were pictures of him sprinkling them. I personally think that Paul would baptize by immersion, in the same way that John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ. So I posted a picture of Jesus’ baptism.)

Some people who are investigating the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints wonder why they would need to be baptized to join our church when they have already been baptized. This question is answered in these verses. The answer is, they were not baptized under the correct authority. After the saints were baptized Paul laid his hands upon their heads and gave them the gift of the Holy Ghost.

In the LDS church members are baptized at the age of 8. They are baptized by immersion and are given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands afterwards.

On the first day of the week Paul met with the saints to break bread, or have the sacrament with them. This would be Sunday. In John 20:1 we find that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week which became the new Sabbath. Jesus also appeared to His disciples on this new Sabbath day.