One of the fundamental beliefs of the Mormon Church is the doctrine of baptism for the dead, vicarious baptisms. The following are statements of belief by members of the LDS church, taken from H. David Burton.
‘Baptism for the dead is the proxy performance of the ordinance of baptism for one deceased’. Joseph Smith taught, ‘If we can baptize a man in the name of the Father [and] of the Son and of the Holy Ghost for the remission of sins it is just as much our privilege to act as an agent and be baptized for the remission of sins for and in behalf of our dead kindred who have not heard the gospel or fullness of it’.
The first public affirmation of the ordinance of baptism for the dead in the Church was Joseph Smith’s funeral sermon for Seymour Brunson in Nauvoo in August 1840. Addressing a widow who had lost a son who had not been baptised, he called the principle ‘glad tidings of great joy,’ in contrast to the prevailing tradition that all unbaptized are damned.
The first baptisms for the dead in modern times were done in the Mississippi River near Nauvoo. Revelations clarifying the doctrine and practice have been given from time to time. This was a New Testament practice, 1 Corinthians 15:29.
In an article by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, we further see their beliefs.
‘There is no death, and there are no dead, unto the Lord — all are alive unto him. ‘God is not the God of the dead, but of the living’, Matthew 22:32, our Lord said with reference to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who had long before died as men count death, but who were alive as the Lord views things in his eternal perspective. Since the Lord views man’s progress from the pre-existent state to an eventual inheritance in one of the degrees of glory as one continuing course, it is not material, from the eternal perspective, whether the opportunity to accept the gospel of salvation comes in this mortal sphere or in the spirit world hereafter. Sometime after birth into this life and before the resurrection and judgment, every living soul will hear the gospel message and be judged by his reaction thereto. The millions who pass to the spirit world without receiving an opportunity during mortality to hear the truths of salvation will receive their chance subsequent to what men call death. The great principles and procedures whereby the saving truths of the gospel are offered to, accepted by, and made binding upon the departed dead, comprise the doctrine of salvation for the dead. Pursuant to this doctrine, the principles of salvation are taught in the spirit world, leaving the ordinances thereof to be performed in this life on a vicarious-proxy basis. By accepting the gospel in the spirit world, and because the ordinances of salvation and exaltation are performed vicariously in this world, the worthy dead can become heirs of the fullness of the Father’s kingdom. Salvation for the dead is the system where under those who would have accepted the gospel in this life, had they been permitted to hear it, will have the chance to accept it in the spirit world, and will then be entitled to all the blessings which passed them by in mortality’. Doctrines of Salvation, vol. 2, pp. 100-196.
Let us consider these things in light of 1 Corinthians 15:29, which states, ‘Else what shall they do that are baptised for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptised for them?’ The first rule in the proper exegesis of Scripture is to follow context. What is the context surrounding 1 Corinthians 15:29?
1. Christ is the first fruits of all the resurrected dead.
2. All rule and authority will be put under Christ, even death.
3. The only one not subjected to Christ is God.
4. All those who have died will also be raised when Christ comes again.
5. The context is one of order!
6. If this order is false, then why be baptised is what Paul is saying.
The word ‘else’, if all that is stated in the preceding is not a fact. ‘What shall they do that are baptised for the dead’, ‘hoi baptizomenoi huper ton nekron.’ The Greek phrase is literally translated as ‘what will they do the ones being baptised on behalf of the dead? If dead persons are not raised.’
The keyword is ‘for’, ‘huper’, as in behalf of, for the sake of a person or thing. If we are baptised for the sake of or on behalf of dead people being raised from the dead, and the dead are not really raised, then the question is, ‘Why be baptized’ at all? Paul is simply writing in a rhetorical form, as he is known for. The thought is, why even be baptised if the resurrection is not true? Will you be baptised to be numbered among the dead who will never rise?
The Greek reads a bit different as to how we express ideas in the English but suffice it to say that Paul can certainly not be speaking of a ‘vicarious baptism’ on the part of one Christian for another due to the fact that he had also said at Romans 14:12, ‘So then each one of us shall give an account of himself to God.’
A ‘vicarious baptism’ takes away personal responsibility, a thought that is foreign to the New Testament Scriptures, Revelation 20:12. The point is further carried out in 1 Corinthians 15:30-32. If the dead will not raise why risk our lives preaching the message of resurrection? If the dead are not raised, why not just eat, drink and live it up, because when we die, that is all there is to existence!
However, because of the reality of the resurrection of the dead, Paul preached in hazardous situations and daily risked his own life to preach to others. Paul even fought with a beast at Ephesus because of his teaching of the resurrection of the dead. It may be that this was a literal beast, such as one being thrown to the lions as was Daniel, 2 Timothy 4:17.
Secondly, it may be that Paul was delivered from beastly men such as Demetrius in Ephesus, Acts 19:23-31. Why go through such heartaches and pain in life if there is no such thing as the resurrection of the body?
Paul knew there was more to life than mere death and thereby states, ‘be not deceived.’ To be ‘deceived’, ‘planao’, is to lead astray, mislead, deceived. The context demands that Paul’s admonitions are pointed at the brethren being deceived and led astray by false teachers who were teaching that there is no resurrection of the dead.
Here, it is clear that the false teacher is doing the deceptive work of Satan, though he would never admit to doing such work. Don’t make companions of false teachers who believe and teach doctrines that are opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These people have the ability to lead people astray.
‘Soberness’, ‘eknepho’, to return to one’s self from drunkenness, become sober. This passage clearly teaches the intoxicating effects of false teaching. Paul desired that the Corinthians would sober up from the intoxicating effects of the false teaching regarding the resurrection of the dead.
Those who had taken the erring doctrine regarding there being no resurrection were in sin. These sinners were to feel the sting of shame for their departure from truth and return to their original hope.
1 Corinthians 15:29 has many extravagant interpretations, including that which allows Mormons to be baptised for their relatives who have died not having adopted the Mormon beliefs. I used to think the verse can’t be referring to Christ because the word ‘dead’ is in plural, but the context is speaking about confidence in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, Romans 1:4 / Acts 26:23.
So, when Paul uses the word ‘dead’ here, he’s speaking about Jesus because the context is about Jesus, resurrection is assured because Jesus did it first, and resurrection is such a plural thing because everybody is going to share in it.
So, the context of 1 Corinthians is speaking about Jesus’ death and resurrection, we ought to be baptised because although Jesus died, He lives, and because He lives, we can be confident of our baptism, our burial, and identifying with His death.
Some of the Corinthians were denying the resurrection of the dead. Paul shows them the inevitable consequences of such a doctrine. It meant the denial of the resurrection of Christ. The word for ‘Huper’, translated as concerning, on account of, with a view toward. The main possible views of this verse are as follows.
1. It could refer to those who, considering the teaching and pleading of departed friends or loved ones, are baptised into Christ.
2. It could refer to those who are being baptised with a view to the resurrection of the dead body.
There is no proxy baptism, as there is no proxy faith; each will give an account of themselves to God. Romans 14:12.
In Mormon doctrine, it’s taught that baptism is essential for salvation.
Notice how it’s stressed in the Book of Mormon that the individual must prepare in this life for the life to come. All these statements flatly contradict their teaching on baptism for the dead.