Baptism's for the Dead....

[JivanaKrishnaDasa]

I was born and raised LDS (but no longer active) and when I was young, went on several field trips to the SLC Temple where we did Baptism's for the Dead. This is one thing that I had never really bought into or felt right about was the fact that Mormon's believed that we in a sense would become the "Saviour's" of these people we baptized for. This just plain never felt or seemed right. Who am I to be a Saviour of anyone?

Though it has been quite some time, I remember being taught that people who werent baptized in the Mormon church but led a decent life were in a sense, sitting in a waiting room in limbo, waiting for the opportunity to go to heaven. So then the Mormons hard at work here on earth, would research Geneology and such and go and get baptized in the name of these people waiting in limbo. Then after baptized in thier name, open the pearly gates... I never bought this.... I dont know how anyone ever could.... Anyone else care to share insight on this?

 

[Linus]

I never thought it was a legitemate claim. It is something that the Bible never commands, gives example of, or even implies as necessary. Maybe the book of mormon does, but I haven't read enough of it to know.

 

[JivanaKrishnaDasa]

I guess I should clarify a little more. Even though I dont necessarily agree or believe in Baptism's for the Dead, I guess we should look at the sincerity behind it, the motivation. It seems that the motivation is to save souls and do good for all. I think that we have to respect that. I have many disagreements with the LDS faith, but in the end, they are still trying to do good.

 

[Linus]

I agree completely. And I want to save souls, too. But The Bible doesn't teach any kind of doctrine or philosophy that you can be saved after you die. It's kinda the point of life. You only get one. One chance, one try to get it right. If you don't do it, then that's it, buddy. You lost it. That's why Christians believe that you need to spread the gospel now, so we can save the lost while we still have the chance.

 

[JivanaKrishnaDasa]

I also agree that we all need to do what we can to save our souls as well as others. The only thing I think we differ on is that we have only one chance to get it right. I believe in reincarnation, and that we have infinite chances to get it right. But thats another story.... : )

 

[DeepShadow]

I'm not sure what the question is in JKD's original post, so I'll just post a little bit of our beliefs on the subject, along with scriptural references.

Linus makes an excellent point that people only get one chance; this is our motive to do missionary work, but there were people in China who were born the same year as Christ, and who would have perished long before the first missionaries ever reached them. What about them? What about the many who perished in these areas before Christ was born? Peter explains that these souls waited for the gospel in the spirit world:

1 Peter 3:18-20
18 For 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:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which 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.

Jesus Christ suggests the same to Mary Magdalene, when he says "I have not yet ascended to my Father," (John 20:17). So where was he during the days in the tomb, if not in the company of his Father? According to Peter, he was preaching to the spirits in prison, especially those who died in the flood. Peter explains further:

Peter 4:6
6 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.

So the idea was that even without hearing the gospel, they would be judged by their goodness (or lack of it) in life. This does not constitute a second chance! If somone heard and rejected the gospel in life, that rejection stands.

Christ, speaking to Nicodemus, spoke about the necessity of baptism by water:
John 3:5
5 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.

So these folks need to be baptized in order to enter into the kingdom of God. But they are dead, right? Here Christ allows us to take a small part in his work, as proxies for those who have passed on--thus we are called "saviors on Mount Zion" (note the small "s"). The Apostle Paul, in explaining the reality of a physical resurrection, suggests this practice was alive in New Testament times:

1 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?