Baptism for the Dead
Have you ever heard that Mormons baptize dead people? What’s the deal?
The first part of the answer has to do with baptism in general. When Jesus was on the earth, he led by example and was baptized by John the Baptist. He also taught that a man must be baptized (”born of water”) in order to enter the kindgom of God when asked in John 3.
So what about all the people who never even had the chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lifetimes? And what about the others, who may have been baptized but not by the proper authority?
Mormons believe that because God is our Heavenly Father, he would not condemn those who never had the opportunity to be baptized or understand the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, He prepared a way by which these people could receive the necessary ordinance of baptism to return to live with Him again. A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often a descendant of the person, is baptized on behalf of the individual in a Mormon temple. In other words, the baptism if performed by proxy with a living person standing in for the deceased individual.
Well, what if that person doesn’t want to be baptized a Mormon? Mormons believe that the central part of God’s plan is free agency, or the right to choose. Each person will have the opportunity to accept or reject the baptism done on their behalf.
Many other Christians say that this just isn’t Biblical! In fact, the apostle Paul wrote about this practice in 1 Corinthians 15:29. These same Christians often say that those who never even heard about Jesus during their lifetime, at no fault of their own, are therefore damned.
When you really think about it, what’s a crazier belief? 1) That a loving God would damn people who never had the chance to accept Jesus in this lifetime or 2) That a loving God prepared a way for every one of His children to have an equal chance to hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ and receive the necessary ordinances to return to His kingdom?
You be the judge.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
COMMENTS: