The Mormons And I Corinthians 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."
This is the passage cited by Mormon folks as the "proof-text" for their practice of baptism by proxy in behalf of departed relatives and friends. Mormons refer to 1 Corinthians 15:29 as though it read plainly: "Ye shall be immersed in water in behalf of your departed relatives and friends who had no opportunity that they may enter into glory." But just a casual glance at the passage will show that their application of it is far different from its actual reading.
That this is one of the most obscure and difficult passages in the New Testament, only the ignorant would deny. Because of its obscurity, students of the Bible hold many different views as to its precise meaning. It has been accurately estimated that there are some 32 different views held on this particular passage. Yet, the Mormons, with the most shallow study of it, pronounce with confidence that their application is unquestionably the right one.
It is not our purpose to go out on a limb and dogmatically state a position on this verse. We do, however, wish to show that the Mormon opinion as to its meaning arises out of unwarranted assumptions, and places them in contradiction with not only the Bible but also with their own standard works.
To demonstrate the unproven Mormon assumption on the passage, we raise these questions for your consideration: What is the "baptism" here spoken of? Is this baptism in water, or is this the baptism of suffering as in Matt. 20:22 and Luke 12:50? How can we tell for sure from what the verse says?
To whom does "the dead" refer? To the sinful dead? To the righteous dead? To the dead Christ now resurrected? How can we know for sure from what it says?
To whom do "they" refer? Read verses 29 and 30 together and observe the rather obvious change in pronouns THEY and WE. "Else what shall THEY do....", "and why stand WE...." "They" must then refer to a group distinguished by this practice from the apostles. But what group? Faithful Christians in Corinth? An apostate group? Jewish Sadducees who were influencing the Corinthians to deny the resurrection (read the context)? How can we know to whom the passage refers for sure by the way it reads?
What does the word "for" mean? It comes from the Greek word HUPER which is translated sixteen different ways in the King James Version. What is the precise meaning here? With reference to? On behalf of? Toward? How can this be determined? Certainly not in any dogmatic fashion, even upon appealing to the original Greek.
So, as you can see, there are many factors which must be considered In arriving at the meaning of this difficult passage. None of these factors are given so much as a cursory glance by Mormon expositors!
But, even in the absence of proof, if we were to grant that there were some in Corinth who were being baptized in behalf of departed souls that they might be saved, this is far from proving the Mormon contention that such was well-pleasing to God. Jesus argued In Matt 12:27 that if he were casting out devils by the power of Beelzebub, then by whom were the children of the Jews casting them out? No one would suppose for a moment that Jesus was here affirming that the Jews actually had this power. But he proved his own position by addressing the argument to their prejudices; what we call the argumentum ad hominem. If Jesus could use this logical process to refute the contention of the Jews, could not Paul use the same type of argument to refute the argument of those in Corinth who were denying the resurrection? And could he not thus refer to this practice of "baptizing for the dead" without admitting the validity of the practice?
We should be able to see how absurd is the Mormon claim that this passage "proves" their practice.
As previously suggested, this practice is in direct conflict with other passages in the New Testament. Read the following scriptures:
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Cor. 5:10) Notice, please, that the judgment is going to be on the basis of what man has done of himself "in the body." Paul related no exceptions as would have been necessary to sustain the Mormon position. Man is not going to be saved on the basis of someone else believing in his behalf, as practiced by the pseudo-baptist; neither will he be saved on the basis of some Mormon being baptized in his behalf.
The New Testament further teaches that God will bless only those who "die in the Lord" (Rev. 14:13) Further, we as Christians may have hope only for those "which sleep in Jesus." For those who die outside of Christ we may have "no hope" (1 Thess. 4:13, 14)
In Ephesians 4:4-5, Paul wrote, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of Your calling; one Lord, one faith, ONE BAPTISM...." The New Testament church had only one baptism. But the L. D. S. Church has two baptisms — one baptism in behalf of themselves another in behalf of the dead. This is in plain violation of the above passage.
But not only does this peculiar Mormon doctrine contradict the Bible, it also contradicts the Book of Mormon! Turn in the Book of Mormon to Alma 34:32-35:
Vs. 35: "For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance, even until death, behold, ye have become subject to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked."
In the same book, chapter 40:14, read again:
"Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked; yea, in darkness, and a state of awful, fearful, looking for the fiery indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time of their resurrection."
Once more, read 2 Nephi 9:38:
"And, in fine, woe unto all those who die in their sins; for they return to God, and behold his face, and remain in their sins."
A more glaring contradiction than this is seldom found in the writings of false religions. On the one hand Mormons teach that they can be baptized in behalf of the disobedient dead and that will save them. On the other hand, the Book of Mormon teaches that once people "die in their sins," they are "in Satan's power," remain in his grasp, and "this is the final state of the wicked."
Sometimes an attempt to evade the force of this contradiction is made by Mormon teachers, who assert that only those who have had an opportunity to know the truth and rejected it are under consideration in the passages quoted. Read 2 Nephi 9:38 again and notice that "ALL THOSE WHO DIE IN THEIR SINS....REMAIN IN THEIR SINS." The contradiction is there, in spite of the fact that prejudice will not allow many Mormons to recognize it.
But to complicate this matter further for the L. D. S. teachers, we remember how the Book of Mormon teaches in 1 Nephi 13:26-29 that the Bible is supposed to have been corrupted by having "many plain and precious things" removed from it. As a result of this supposed corruption we are told at verse 29 that, "because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceeding great many do stumble, yea insomuch that Satan hath great power over them." In other words, anyone who attempts to just accept the Bible and the Bible alone will stumble and fall into Satan's power. But in the other Book of Mormon verses we read, remember, one who falls into Satan's power and dies in that condition is "sealed" by Satan "and this is their final state."
We must conclude then, that all those millions of people who lived before the year 1830 when the Book of Mormon was published, who attempted to please the Lord merely by following the Bible's teachings, must have stumbled, fell into Satan's power and that is their FINAL state. In spite of this teaching of the Book of Mormon (not to speak of the teaching of the Bible), Mormons continue to practice baptism by proxy, for those who died in Satan's power (according to their doctrine). How inconsistent can a religion be?
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