Baptism for the dead

Baptism for the Dead

Baptism for the dead is a very old idea that is still practiced by some groups in our era in which we live today.
Mormons usually think that this idea is unique to their religion however this is not entirely true as you can see in the quote from
the Encyclopaedia Britannica below.

New Apostolic Church: church organized in Germany in 1863 as the Universal Catholic Church, by members of the Catholic
Apostolic Church who believed that new apostles must be appointed to replace deceased apostles and rule the church until the
Second Coming of Christ. The present name was adopted in 1906. Its doctrines are similar to the parent church, but the new
church was influenced by continental Protestantism, and over time its worship services and tendencies became less Catholic
and more Protestant.

The church emphasizes the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which include prophecy, speaking in tongues, and miraculous healing.
Sacraments are baptism, Holy Communion, and holy sealing (the "dispensing and reception of the Holy Spirit"). Sealing can
only be conferred by the laying on of hands on the head of a member by an apostle, and it assures the member of participation
in Christ's rule on Earth for 1,000 years after he returns. Like the Latter-day Saints, the New Apostolic Church teaches
that the sacraments can be received by a living member for a dead person.
Copyright 1994-1998 Encyclopaedia Britannica

Since baptism for the dead is far more associated with Mormonism the rest of this study will deal with their view and what the
bible says. So what does baptism for the dead mean to the Mormon? The best way to answer that is to quote from Mormon
authorities.

Smith, Joseph Fielding. Doctrines of Salvation. Compiled by Bruce R. McConkie. 3 vols. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft,
1954-56. (Vol.2, Chapter9, pg.161-162)
BAPTISM FOR DEAD
NO SALVATION WITHOUT BAPTISM. One of the most emphatic and positive statements of our Savior was his saying to
Nicodemus: Verily, verily, I say unto thee. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God." That to be born of water means to be baptized is so clear it will not admit of successful dispute. To be born of the
Spirit is just as positive a statement in relation to the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is received by the laying on of hands.
Nor did the Savior limit his remark by any qualifying clause to refer only to men who are living and with the opportunity of
hearing the gospel, or to eliminate from his command those who have passed beyond. The statement is dogmatic, positive,
and without qualification: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God!"
PERFORMANCE OF VICARIOUS ORDINANCES. Baptism is an ordinance belonging to this life, as also are confirmation and
ordination to the priesthood, and the man who does not receive these blessings here cannot receive them in the spirit world.
There he may repent and believe and accept the truth, but he cannot be baptized, confirmed, or ordained, or endowed, for
these ordinances belong here. What is to be done in the matter? We are going to take substitutes who will act vicariously,
which means one acting for another, and in the temples they will stand for those who are dead and there, in the behalf of the
dead, receive all these blessings for them. When they do this, if the dead accept the labor performed, it is accounted unto them
the same as if they had acted for themselves. The Lord did a great vicarious work for all men, and he has delegated power to
us in a lesser degree to perform a vicarious work for the dead. So we, too, may become saviors to our fellow men in this
manner, performing work for them that they cannot perform for themselves."

McConkie, Bruce R. Mormon Doctrine. 2d ed. Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, 1966. page 72-73,
Baptism For the Dead
"Based on the eternal principle of vicarious service, the Lord has ordained baptism for the dead as the means whereby
all his worthy children of all ages can become heirs of salvation in his kingdom. Baptism is the gate to the celestial
kingdom, and except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit he cannot gain an inheritance in that heavenly world.
(John 3:3-5.) Obviously, during the frequent periods of apostate darkness when the gospel light does not shine, and also in
those geographical areas where legal administrators are not found, hosts of people live and die without ever entering in at the
gate of baptism so as to be on the path leading to eternal life. For them a just God has ordained baptism for the dead, a
vicarious-proxy labor. (D. & C. 124:28-36; 127; 128; 1 Cor. 15:29.)"

Mormon Doctrine, by Bruce McConkie,
Second Chance Theory, page 685-687
"There is no such thing as a second chance to gain salvation by accepting the gospel in the spirit world after
spurning, declining, or refusing to accept it in this life. It is true that there may be a second chance to hear and accept the
gospel, but those who have thus procrastinated their acceptance of the saving truths will not gain salvation in the celestial
kingdom of God. Salvation for the dead is the system by means of which those who "die without a knowledge of the
gospel" (D. & C. 128:5) may gain such knowledge in the spirit world and then, following the vicarious performance of the
necessary ordinances, become heirs of salvation on the same basis as though the gospel truths had been obeyed in mortality.
Salvation for the dead is limited expressly to those who do not have opportunity in this life to accept the gospel but
who would have taken the opportunity had it come to them.......................
Thus the false and heretical doctrine that people who fail to live the law in this life (having had an opportunity so to do) will have
a further chance of salvation in the life to come is a soul-destroying doctrine, a doctrine that lulls its adherents into carnal
security and thereby denies them a hope of eternal salvation. (Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2, pp. 181-196.)"

To sum it up the Mormons believe that one cannot be saved or in other words enter into the kingdom of God or what is known
as the celestial kingdom unless they are baptized. (Note sometimes L.D.S also define saved as being resurrected, Mormon
Doctrine, pg. 671) People that do not have the opportunity to hear the gospel according to Mormonism can hear and accept it
in the life to come. When a person in the L.D.S church is baptized in their behalf the deceased can then accept the Mormon
gospel and enter into the celestial kingdom. This is the reason why the Mormon Church is heavily involved in genealogical
research. In the quotes from the Mormon authorities we are given two bible references. One reference mentions baptism for
the dead and one that does not mention baptism at all. (1 Cor.15: 29 & John 3:3-5) It is not wise to build a doctrine on one
obscure verse in the bible especially if it is in conflict with scripture that is clear and comprehensible. We should use the clear
passages to help us understand those passages that are harder to understand.

The following truths are in conflict with this Mormon doctrine:
1. One can be saved without being baptized.
2. Salvation comes through faith; it is a matter of the heart.
3. There is no biblical reference instructing or suggesting that one does genealogical research. (A necessary step preceding
baptism for the dead)
4. Born of water does not mean baptized.
5. There is no second chance even for those who have not heard the gospel.
6. The context of 1 Corinthians chapter 15 is about the resurrection, not baptism.

1. One can be saved apart from being baptized.
If a person had to be baptized to be saved, you would think that we would find people like Jesus and the Apostle Paul baptizing
converts on a regular basis. Furthermore if baptism for the dead were true it would certainly be an important practice. However
Paul was thankful that he did not baptize very many people. Also Jesus did not baptize anyone that we know of. This would
make no sense if either of these concepts were true.

1 Cor 1:14-17 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, that no man should say you were
baptized in my name. Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any
other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of
Christ should not be made void.

John 4:1-2 When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples
than John (although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were)

Take another look at 1 Cor 1:17. Paul said "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel". Paul here
separates baptism from the gospel. In other words he did not include baptism as part of the gospel. Yet we are saved by the
gospel in the following verse.

1 Cor 15:1-2 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also
you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

Following are two examples of someone who was saved apart from baptism.
In Luke 23:39-43 we read of a thief who was crucified with Jesus. This man rebukes the other thief for mocking Jesus then we
read: Luke 23:42-43 And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom! "And He said to him, "Truly
I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise." This thief obviously was not taken down from the cross and baptized! Yet
this thief was saved that is he is now in the presence of God.

I should mention that there is a difference of opinion about where Paradise was. Some would argue that Paradise was not
heaven, but rather Abraham's bosom. Three days after being crucified and buried Jesus said Mary "Stop clinging to Me, for I
have not yet ascended to the Father "John 20:17. Yet Jesus told the thief that "today you shall be with Me in Paradise." Some
believe Abraham's bosom was a holding place for the righteous dead separate from Hades. This was before Jesus atoned for
our sins. This is derived from Luke 16:19-31. Some believe they could not be in the presence of the Father yet because Jesus
had not yet paid the price for their sins.

Others would argue that Jesus did indeed go directly into the presence of the Father. Right after Jesus told the thief he would
be with him in Paradise Jesus said "Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit." The spirit of Jesus went directly into the
presence of the Father, but his body went to the grave. When 3 days after Jesus' crucifixion he said "Stop clinging to Me, for
I have not yet ascended to the Father "John 20:17 Jesus was referring to his physical body. Furthermore Paradise was the 3rd
heaven according to 2 Cor.12: 2-4.
The 3 heavens are
(a) the sky where the eagles fly
(b) the stars in outer space
(c) the dwelling place of God.

The Old Testament saints also went directly into the presence of the Father. Examples of this would be Enoch Gen.5: 24,
Heb.11: 5, also Elijah 2 Kings 2:1-11
Paul also indicated that now if we die as a Christian we go directly into the presence of the Lord 2 Cor.5: 8, Phil.1: 23.
Whichever view one takes we still have the thief in the presence of the Father without being baptized.

The second example can be found in the text below.
Acts 10:44-47 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the
message. And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had
been poured out upon the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter
answered, "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did,
can he?"

These Gentiles in this text were baptized, but this was after they had received the Holy Spirit. Even those that say you must be
baptized to be saved recognize that un-saved people do not have the Holy Spirit. These people were saved first and even
speaking in tongues which is a gift of the Holy Spirit before they were baptized. They were saved first and then baptized 2nd.
Therefore baptism in itself is not what saved them.