In !st Corinthians 15:29,35 it talks about a baptism for the dead. wat is it?

Question

Does any church believe in a baptism for the dead as it says in the New Testament and or practices it. Wat is the reason for Baptism for the Dead?

Answer 1

Paul is referring to something others were doing. He issues no command that “we” should do this, but he notes that “they” are doing it.

Many customs were being practiced in the first century that people tried to bring into Christianity from other religions. Note, all of the Christians were converts from other religions. Since Christianity was new, there were no people that “grew up in the church” or grew up in a family of generations of faithful Christians. This being the case, some tried to hold onto old customs. Baptism for the dead may have been one of these.

I don’t know exactly what baptism for the dead was, but I do know some things it was not!

It was not the baptism of the Great Commission! Jesus taught, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved". (Mark 16:16) Notice, "He... shall be saved"; Not he is baptized and someone else shall be saved.

Baptism for the dead is not the baptism “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). The Bible teaches that we will each be judged based on what we have done! (2 Corinthians 5:10) Again, it does not teach we will be judged according to what someone else (other than Jesus) has done.

The baptism for the dead does not allow one person to mediate on behalf of another! The Bible says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)

Baptism for the dead does not save our dead relatives. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.” (Ezekiel 18:20)

Baptism for the dead is never commanded in the Bible.

The mention in the verse you referenced simply is using it as an example to make a point, but notice closely, Paul did not condone this practice here or anywhere else.

Similar to this, in Acts 17, Paul noticed altars to various pagan gods, including one “To the Unknown God”. He mentioned these various altars to make the point that they were very religious, but he did not condone the building of these altars. He did not even condone worshiping the true God in this way.

Likewise, baptism for the dead is mentioned to make a point, but if one is to condone it, he must go beyond that which is written in these verses.

Answer 2

Verse 29:
"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?"

The plain meaning of verse 29 is that some people were being baptized on behalf of those who have died. Paul’s point is “If there is no resurrection, why are they doing this? What is the point if there is no life after death?”

ii. Significantly, Paul does not say, “we baptize for the dead,” but asks what will they do who are baptized for the dead, and Why then are they baptized for the dead?"

Here Paul is referring to a pagan custom of vicarious baptism for the dead. Paul simply mentions the superstitious custom without approving it and uses it to fortify his argument that there is a resurrection from the dead.”

iii. Paul certainly does not approve of the practice; he merely says that if there is no resurrection, why would the custom take place? The Mormon practice of baptism for the dead is neither Scriptural nor sensible.

iv. Paul’s point is plain: “The pagans even believe in the resurrection because they baptize for the dead. The pagans have the sense to believe in resurrection, but some of you Corinthian Christians do not!”



Verse 35:
"But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?”

a. Someone will say: Paul presents what may either be an honest question, or a foolish question, depending on how it is asked.

b. How are the dead raised up? This is a question Paul doesn’t really answer in the following verses, because the answer is obvious. God raises the dead. As Paul said to Agrippa in Acts 26:8, Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

c. And with what body do they come? This may be a foolish question (Foolish one, 1 Corinthians 15:36), but it is a question Paul will answer.

Answer 3

in a nut shell-
paul is talking to the church in corinth who have allowed all kinds of wierd stuff in the church and refers to thier practices of baptism for the dead . cuz baptism is a choice a man makes to identify with CHRIST . and dead people can't make choices. this is simular to the mormans baptism of the dead.
thinking the works of man will save a dead persons soul.
read the chapter in it's context u'll understand it.

member the church in corinth were what some would call carnal christians

Answer 4

You are misinterpreting this verse. In 29 Paul makes a question about faith by saying that "If the dead are not to be raised up at all, why are they also being baptized for the purpose of such?"
The Corinthians were a little hard to convince about the ressurection, and Paul firmly told them that part of the point of being baptized is to be marked as a Christian and 'raised up'.

Answer 5

Hello and being baptized for the dead was a practice Paul here was addressing He was not saying it was okay if you will take the other verses around what you are reading you will have the context much clearer then if you just take one verse alone, God bless. Free bible lessons www.amazingfacts.org

Answer 6

The LDS church does...the baptism for the dead is when someone can be "baptised" for someone else who has not heard the gospel and has not been baptised(when they were alive) and was not saved.

Basically if my great great grandmother(who was a Cherokee) did not hear the gospel of Jesus, I could go to the temple(if I were mormon) and be baptised for her....

Not sure what it accomplishes, but that's what it is.

Answer 7

I'm not sure who practices it but it is if someone dies before they are baptized. if your not baptized u have original sin and therefore will not go to heaven. baptism for the dead gets rid of the original sin getting the person into heaven.

Answer 8

These are the verses you refer to, and they do not speak about "baptizing the dead":

1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
1Co 15:29 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?
1Co 15:30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Co 15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
1Co 15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
1Co 15:36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
1Co 15:37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
1Co 15:38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
1Co 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
1Co 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
1Co 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

The reason it makes no sense to you is that it refers not to baptizing those that are dead, but refers to those whom were baptized and die in Christ. It is talking about the first death, that of the body, and our ressurection into a spiritual body at the return of Christ.

1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Baptism is for the living, as it is our acceptance of the grace of God, the sacrifice of his son as a covering for sin. It cannot be given to those whom do not want it, as God wants loving, obedient children, not unwilling slaves. Baptizing the dead would mean just that, as the person did not choose to follow Christ: Christ would have been forced upon them against their will.

I had heard such a doctrine existed, but this is the first time I have personally encountered it.

Paul