The prophet Nephi received a vision (sometime around 600 B.C.) of the future baptism of Christ and teaches about its significance.
“…If the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfill all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water! And now, I would ask of you my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water? Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. (2 Nephi 31:5-7)
And again, it showeth unto the children of men the straitness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them. And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father? And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in the name of my Beloved Son. (2 Nephi 31:9-11)
Questions:
-If Christ was compliant with God’s commandment to be baptized, how important is it for all others who have lived on the earth to be baptized as well?
-Is a baptism valid in God’s eyes if the person doing the baptism does not have the proper priesthood authority?
-Who has the authority to baptize?
-What will happen to all those who never had a chance to be baptized during their lifetime?
-Would a just God deny them the blessings of being baptized if they never had the chance to do so?
–How can all those who died without baptism receive it according to the Father’s commandment?
Messages of the Book of Mormon 