Baptism for the dead.

[B-A-C]

The first time I read this verse it didn't really make sense to me.

1 Cor 15:29; Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?

I've heard a couple of different explanations.
1. Mormons and Roman Catholics believe you pray someone who wasn't saved when they died into heaven. You can also get baptized for them. If you are Roman Catholic you can give the church
money and they will forgive them. (I guess the church says who gets forgiven or not, not Jesus?)
2. This could possibly be talking about believers that never got a chance to be baptized before they died. (The thief on the cross for example)

3. This weekend a new possibility came to me. A small girl (I would guess to be about 10 years old) was telling her mother she wanted to get saved and get baptized, so she could go be with her deceased grandmother
when she died. Could it be possible this verse isn't talking about getting baptized for someone elses salvation, but rather your own salvation so you can go be where they are when you die.

 

[jean]

I don't believe we can be baptised for the dead, every person on earth must seek the Lord for themselves, the church has made mistakes in its history, taking money for 'favours' is just one of them! Hopefully the 'modern' church has learned from this and is not so mercenary!

The thief on the cross wasn't baptised and its my belief that baptism although good and right for those whom it is available, is not an absolute necessity for salvation, belief in Jesus atonement and his saving grace is all that is necessary for salvation. 'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved'. Acts 16 v 31 Romans 10 v 9. Many find saving grace in prison and in other awful circumstances, they have no time or way of being baptised does this mean God will not accept them? I think not.

 

[james1523]

The first time I read this verse it didn't really make sense to me.

1 Cor 15:29; Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?

I've heard a couple of different explanations.
1. Mormons and Roman Catholics believe you pray someone who wasn't saved when they died into heaven. You can also get baptized for them. If you are Roman Catholic you can give the church
money and they will forgive them. (I guess the church says who gets forgiven or not, not Jesus?)
2. This could possibly be talking about believers that never got a chance to be baptized before they died. (The thief on the cross for example)

3. This weekend a new possibility came to me. A small girl (I would guess to be about 10 years old) was telling her mother she wanted to get saved and get baptized, so she could go be with her deceased grandmother
when she died. Could it be possible this verse isn't talking about getting baptized for someone elses salvation, but rather your own salvation so you can go be where they are when you die.

It means exactly what it plainly says, a person can be baptized on behalf of a dead person.
But this does not mean it is right or approved by scripture. Looking closer:
The context: Paul is refuting the view that there is no resurrection.
In the early church, some were being baptized on behalf of loved ones in the hope that they would be resurrected at Christ's return.
The apostle Paul was using this example as an evidence of why we should believe in resurrection, but did not sanction the practice at all.
I can paraphrase it like this "If there is no resurrection, then why do some people baptize for the dead, in the hope that they will be resurrected?"
But there is no evidence that this practice was approved by Paul, or sanctioned by the early church, he is merely using it as an example to support his argument.
Somewhere in history, this practice became sanctioned by the Roman Catholic church, and even worse, became a way for the church to make money.
But the practice is completely unfounded in scripture and the fact that some in the early church did it, or that Paul used it to support his argument, does not mean it is right.

 

[Davy]

Hi B-A-C. This is a very interesting scripture, which has been misunderstood by many and misused by some for money for many years.

According to the NASB 1 Corinthians 15:29, states: "Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?"

The context shows Paul is writing about those anointed Christians who will go to heaven, to join Jesus Christ to judge the world during the 1000 millennial rule. (Revelation 5:10; 20:4) It may seem to indicate that Paul is suggesting that living people be baptized on behalf of those who died in an unbaptized state. However, a closer examination of other scriptures used by Paul suggests another conclusion. Paul meant that anointed first century Christians are baptized or immersed, into a course of life that will lead to a death of integrity like that of Jesus Christ. Afterward, they would be raised to heaven like he was.

This conclusion is supported by Paul's comments found in Romans 6:3, (NASB). Here Paul writes: "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?" It is also supported by his comments in Philippians 3:10, 11, (NASB): "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." Paul is pointing out that the life of an anointed Christian during the first century involved a course of integrity-keeping under test, a daily facing of death, and finally a death of integrity, followed by a heavenly resurrection. It is noteworthy that these and other scriptures that directly mention death in connection with baptized ones refer to living individuals who had been baptized and not to those who had died. Paul also told fellow anointed Christians in the first century: "Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead." (Colossians 2:12, NASB)

 

[Brighthouse]

Hi Bac! Wow Never thought I would see this interesting topic.When I was little, my family belonged to a Lutheran church, where there was one secret they performed,and this was it. A small child of four had just passed away,and the parents asked our pastor to preform this act according to the scripture you just gave.1 Cor 15:29 he preformed this act,but after Jesus found me in later years,ah much later years lol I found out something I never thought of in doing this act. The belief by the Church was this.If a child should happen to die before baptism, a baptism may be preformed, if that child is deceased, by this work, notice the word work here,the church stands in the gap for the child as Moses stood for the children of Israel allowing, notice that word to brothers and sisters, allowing the child to be assured of making it to heaven.

A work we can preform brothers and sisters??? This act was done in my full view as a young boy about 12,and several years later in 1964 this act was abolished. The secret got out you see,and many were upset at the fact that the church itself could save anyone! Which of course it cannot. The reason they did this was to of course comfort the family in there minds,but the way they did this was of course very wrong! The correct wording should have been this. ( rev 14:13 to the family!) I cannot tell you if some churches still practice such acts for there members,i have not seen this myself,but can fathom some churches still preform this act. But as my good brother Bac has pointed out,salvation can only come from Jesus himself, not from any of his children in any kind of action THEY preform! I hope this helps some of you who may never have heard of this before. Blessing all!

 

[spirit1st]

Listen, Paul was telling them that. Not because baptizing the dead was right, because it not. But that they were doing one thing wrong , because they did not understand the other .

baptizing the dead is of no value.

1Co 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?

He saying if you do not believe in the resurrection, why are you baptizing the dead ?

Meaning they were foolish . Listen ? the only baptizing that is up most in salvation [eternal life is the one done by the HOLY GHOST . Not the carnal one.
But I believe we should do both if we truly CAN ? and LOVE the Lord . We Follow Him the best we can? Some cannot do everything He wants us too?