Baptized For the Dead

by John Waddey⁽⁴³⁾
firstcenturychristian

One of the most difficult and misunderstood passages of Scripture is found in I Corinthians15:29. There Paul asks, " Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead? " While most stumble over or skip this mysterious verse, the Mormons have built a major doctrine upon it:

Mormon Charles Penrose states, " The living may be baptized for the dead. One who has received the ordinances of the Gospel can stand proxy for departed ancestors who will receive the benefit of the earthly ordinances on obedience to the Gospel in spirit. " (What the " Mormons " Believe, p. 8).

No verse can be correctly understood in isolation, the context must always be considered.

I. The problem Paul was confronting. In 15:12 the apostles raise the question in dispute; " How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? " To refute this false teaching Paul gave us the argumentation of the 15th chapter.

II. Paul's method of refutation is to establish the credibility of the resurrection of Christ as the absolute and unchanging foundation of their faith and then show that our resurrection is a direct consequence of Christ's resurrection. He reminds them that the gospel he had first preached to them and which they had received was centered around the facts that Christ had died, was buried and raised according to the Scriptures (I Cor. 15:1-3). " So in Christ all shall be made alive….Christ the first-fruits; then they that are Christ's at his coming " (15:20). Thus, as Christ was raised, so will we be.

He then proved that the validity of Christ's resurrection is indisputable in (15:4-11). Numerous eye witnesses had seen Christ alive after his death on the cross. " He appeared to Cephas (Peter) then to the twelve (Apostles). Then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now. (They could be personally consulted. jhw)…..then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all….he appeared unto me (Paul) also. " So many varied witnesses having seen him alive over many days and in different circumstances provided overwhelming proof that Jesus had literally, actually, been raised from the dead on the third day. Since many were yet alive, one need not take Paul's word alone, it could be substantiated by other witnesses.

III. Paul then proceeds to demonstrate the consequences of denying the resurrection of the dead in 15:13-19.

A. " If Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching in vain " (vs. 14).

B. " Your faith is also in vain, " i.e., useless and worthless (vs. 14b).

C. If Christ was not raised then, the apostles are " false witnesses of God " because they taught that God had raised up Christ (15:15).

D. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then " neither hath Christ been raised " (15:13).

E. If Christ were yet dead, they were still condemned in their sins, since a dead Christ could save no one (15:17).

F. If Jesus had not been raised, then their loved ones and fellow Christians who had already died had simply perished in the same way as beasts who died (15:18).

G. If one's faith is only a vague, unproven, false hope, we are of all men most pitiable; the victims of a cruel hoax (15:19).

IV. The apostle then reaffirms his belief in out resurrection as logical consequences of Christ's resurrection. " Christ (hath) been raised from the dead, the first fruits of them that are asleep " (15:20). " As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive " (vs. 23). He stresses that all things must follow their proper order. " Christ the first fruits then they that are Christ's at his coming (vs. 23). The resurrection will occur when this earthly order has reached its end (vs. 28).

V. His final, clinching arguments for our resurrection are recorded in (15:25-32).

A. The practice of the false teachers themselves disproved their contention of no resurrection. They practiced baptizing the living for the dead Notice the pronouns Paul uses. In verse 1 he speaks of himself. " I made known. " In verses 1 and 2 he speaks of the Corinthians as you and ye. In verse 15 he speaks of we apostles. But in verse 20) he asks, " What shall they do that are baptized for the dead? " Why are they baptized for them? " Who does the pronoun they refer to. Not Paul or the Corinthian brethren (first and second person pronouns) but they, a third party who did inconsistent things:

1. They denied the resurrection of the body, but,

2. They then taught and practiced the baptizing of living people on behalf of those already physically dead. If there is no future life, why worry about the state or condition of the dead?. The fact that these teachers were baptizing for the dead proved they really did believe in some form of life beyond the grave. Thus by use of the argumentum ad-hominem he refutes their doctrine.

B. Paul's personal practice and experiences demonstrated his belief is a resurrection and future life. If there is no resurrection and life beyond the grave, " Why do we also stand in jeopardy every hour? " " If after the manner of men I fought with beasts at Ephesus, " what doth it profit me if this life is all there is (15:32a)? Such sacrificial suffering would be meaningless without a future life to enjoy. If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die " (15:32b).

He then warns the brethren to beware lest those evil companions who denied the cardinal truth of the resurrection corrupt their faith, morals and lives (15:33).

Rather than teach what a Mormons say, this passage condemns the practice as inconsistent and self-contradictory on the part of false teachers. Paul in no way teaches us to baptize for the dead, nor did the faithful disciples ever do so. " Now is the day of salvation " (II Cor. 6:2). A second chance after death is a vain and futile dream. (Luke 16:26).

Article submitted Wednesday, August 19, 2009 & read 151 times.

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