April 13 – 1 Cor. 15:16, 29; “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 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?”
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A cult has qualified itself as such when they base an entire doctrine on one or two verses. It always leaves an open door for errors on translation and/or to take it out of context. Paul asked the Corinthians why they were baptizing their dead when they didn’t believe in the resurrection to begin with. Most of chapter 15 was the argument of Paul in defense of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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“Point 16. The true church must practice baptism for the dead. 1 Cor. 15:16 and 29.”
You can also look back (in context) at verse 14 and come to the conclusion that not only is their faith in vain, but the act of baptism is in vain.
14. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
All of Christianity stands on the risen Christ. As Paul describes baptism in Romans chapter 6:4… We are buried with Him by baptism into death (we are immersed under the water symbolizing our burial) then raised up to new life as Christ was raised up by the glory of the Father (we come up out of the water as if out of the grave).
The first part of Cor. 15:29 seems that Paul is not asking the Corinthians, “why are you baptizing each other for your dead relatives or friends” but appears to me that he is asking, “Why are you even getting baptized if you don’t believe that the dead will rise?” (The “dead” is in reference to Christ who the Corinthians didn’t believe had risen if you start in verse 12) Your act of baptizing is in vain (just as is your faith and our preaching is from verse 14) if you don’t believe that Christ has risen from the dead. We are baptized into his death so couldn’t it be said that we are baptized for Christ (It is because of Christ that I got baptized, not that we are being baptized in His place), in the same way one says I am a soldier for Christ or I am a bondservant for Christ or I am an ambassador for Christ, a preacher for Christ, or a minister for Christ.
It’s hard to put into words what I am getting at but in the first part of verse 29 Paul asks, Else what shall they do “Who are “they”? The Corinthians being baptized for dead relatives (according to the LDS church) Why would Paul ask about them? Wouldn’t he have comforted those Corinthians with words of encouragement for their dead relatives? “Be of good cheer brothers, those relatives of yours will be fine, as long as you baptize them by proxy”.
Another view is this;
“For” (Greek huper) can mean “of the impelling or moving cause; on account of, for the sake of any person or thing” – Grimm-Wilke-Thayer. Cf. Rom. 15:9; Eph. 5:20; Phil. 1:29; 1 Cor. 15:3; 2 Thess. 1:5; 2 Cor. 1:6; Eph. 3:1,13. We glorify God “for” His mercies and give thanks “for” His blessings. Likewise, one can be “imprisoned for a crime” or “punished for disobedience.” The significance is not that one substitutes for something else, but rather that one thing is the cause that motivates the other conduct.
In what sense could the “dead” be the cause that motivates people to be baptized?
The example and teaching of faithful people, now dead, may motivate us to be baptized and live for God even as they were baptized and lived for God – Heb. 10:39-12:4; 13:7; 6:11,12; James 5:10f. If they served God faithfully, then we should try to be like them, so we can be rewarded as they will. This fits the context of 1 Cor. 15: If there is no resurrection of the dead, these dead people will not be rewarded, so where is the motivation to us to be baptized and serve as they did?
The example of unfaithful people, now dead, should also motivate us to be baptized and live for God so we do not endure the punishment they will face – 1 Cor. 10:1-11; Heb. 3:7-14. But if there is no resurrection, they will not be punished after this life, so where is the motivating cause to lead us to be baptized?
So, “baptism for the dead” may simply mean that dead people become an impelling or moving cause who help motivate us to be baptized. People who are now dead may have, during their lifetime, set an example of faithfulness to God, including being baptized. Their example and teaching may serve to motivate or move us to be baptized. If so, we are “baptized for the dead” – we are impelled or motivated by their example and teaching.
…and also;
It has been held by some that by “the dead” here is meant the Messiah who was put to death, the plural being used for the singular, meaning “the dead one.”
That the word “baptized” here is taken in the sense of washing, cleansing, purifying, as in Matthew 8:4; Hebrews 9:10; and that the sense is, that the dead were carefully washed and purified when buried, with the hope of the resurrection, and, as it were, preparatory to that.
That to be “baptized for the dead” means to be baptized as dead, being baptized into Christ, and buried with him in baptism, and that by their immersion they were regarded as dead.
That the apostle refers to a custom of vicarious baptism, or being baptized for those who were dead, referring to the practice of having some person baptized in the place of one who had died without baptism. This was the opinion of Grotius, Michaelis, Tertullian, and Ambrose. Such was the estimate which was formed, it is supposed, of the importance of baptism, that when one had died without being baptized, some other person was baptized over his dead body in his place. That this custom prevailed in the church after the time of Paul, has been abundantly proved by Grotius, and is generally admitted. But the objections to this interpretation are obvious and are as follows:
(a) There is no evidence that such a custom prevailed in the time of Paul.
(b) It cannot be believed that Paul would give countenance to a custom so senseless and so contrary to the Scripture, or that he would make it the foundation of a solemn argument.
(c) It does not accord with the strain and purpose of his argument. If this custom had been referred to, his design would have led him to say, “What will become of them for whom others have been baptized? Are we to believe that they have perished?”
Wow – that’s quite a mouthful! 😉 From my understanding of what I’ve studied Paul is asking the Christian Corinthians why the other Corinthians were being baptized for those who had already died when some of them didn’t believe Jesus had been resurrected. Remember there was quite a division in the Corinthian church. There was infighting which is never godly so Paul was there to set things right. So if some of them didn’t believe Jesus had been resurrected why were they participating in something signifying their belief in the resurrection?
My two cents as a Bible teacher – Paul is referring to “believer’s baptism” (water baptism) which is only for those who are “born again,” or Holy Spirit baptized.
Water baptizing those who are not truly reborn – is essentially baptizing those who are spiritually dead!
Sage –
I have a question for you! 🙂 Are you stating that the Corinthians weren’t necessarily performing proxy baptisms for those who were literally dead?
I’m just curious that’s all!
I can see persuasive arguments in defense for both sides. 😉
Michelle