Baptism for the Dead
Can we contribute to the change of status for those who have died by being baptized for them?
The Mormon faith teaches that when someone died, they can either go to a “spirit prison” or a “spirit paradise.” Those who have been faithful in the afterlife can preach to those in “spirit prison” and if they accept Mormonism, they can be set free from “spirit prison.” That is IF someone who is still alive is baptized on their behalf in the Mormon temple.
A good and faithful Mormon will be baptized for dead people to help them as well as to increase their own righteousness. It is said that this is taught in the Bible. So let’s look at this verse:
What is the Context? As the context is key.
Paul says one of the most important truths is that Jesus rose from the dead. As such those in Christ will also rise from the dead.
There are some teaching that there is no resurrection. That this life is all there is. Therefore, they sin freely.
Paul says there is a resurrection. Otherwise why would they suffer so much if they didn’t believe this? So come to your sense and stop sinning as those people are ignorant of God.
This is the verse in the middle of this conversation (1 Cor 15:29):
29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
Notice the language here. He is not talking about himself or the followers of Jesus. He is talking about others as noted by the word “they” (2x) and not “we” or “us.” He is talking about the people that say that there is no resurrection from the dead:
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
There were some preaching that there was no resurrection from the dead, and no life after death. We came from dust and to dust we will return. Because this this, they felt free to sin as this life was all there was to be had. Their behavior was affecting the Corinthian Christians.
34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Yet at the same time as they were declaring there is no resurrection, this life is all there is, and sinning freely, they were practicing baptism for the dead.
Here is a snapshot of the problem:
- There were some people teaching that there was not resurrection from the dead (v. 12)
- Because they didn’t believe there was a resurrection from the dead, they sinned freely (v. 34)
- Their sinful ways were affecting the Christians (v. 34)
- Yet these people that were teaching there was no resurrection from the dead were performing baptisms for the dead (v. 29)
Paul is asking, if they didn’t believe there was life after death, why are they practicing baptisms for the dead? By their very own actions, they are showing that they too know that there is a resurrection from the dead, a life after death. The truth is they just wanted an excuse to sin.
We have further proof that this is the case as nowhere in all the rest of the Bible does it teach that the people of God did baptisms for the dead. Not in the temples, not from Jesus, not from the apostles or anywhere else.
Clearly Paul was talking about other people, not the Christians but the false teachers, who were engaging in this pagan practice. Mystics. And he was pointing out the fallacy of their beliefs that did not reconcile with their behaviors.
