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If baptism is required to enter God’s kingdom, what about the billions of people who died without ever hearing of Jesus Christ? Latter-day Saints believe a loving God has provided a way. In temples, members are baptized on behalf of their ancestors who have died. Those who have passed on are then free to accept or reject this gift in the spirit world. Nobody is made a member against their will. The Apostle Paul mentioned this practice in the Bible.
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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?
“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?” Paul uses the practice as evidence of the resurrection.
18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
Christ, after His death, “went and preached unto the spirits in prison” who had been disobedient in the days of Noah.
For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
“For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh.”
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Because Jesus made baptism required, a just God provides it for everyone.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
“The dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.”
39And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Our ancestors cannot “be made perfect” without us.
5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
The hearts of the children turn to their fathers.
And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.
“Saviours shall come up on mount Zion.”
6I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.
The Lord’s servant will “bring out the prisoners from the prison.”
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
He was sent “to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”
For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
Christ is “Lord both of the dead and living.”
3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
God “will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
Bible scholars have suggested dozens of explanations for 1 Corinthians 15:29. Many believe Paul was mentioning a practice of some people in Corinth without approving of it. Almost no other Christian church practices baptism for the dead today, and most believe a person’s eternal destiny is settled at death.
Includes the key verses above, the Church's Topical Guide, and every King James verse that uses these words: baptized for the dead, preached to the dead. Key verses are highlighted. Tap a book to open it.