Redeeming the dead is one of the central missions of the LDS Church. Latter-day Saints believe they help accomplish this by being baptized on behalf of the deceased, a practice they support in part by their interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:29 (Gospel Topics: “Baptism for the Dead”).
According to LDS teaching, spirits who accept Mormonism in the spirit world cannot progress until they receive baptism. Because they no longer have physical bodies, baptism must be performed vicariously by a living person in an LDS temple. Faithful members participate in this temple work both to bless the dead and to further their own spiritual progression.
Biblical Christianity acknowledges that 1 Corinthians 15:29 is a challenging verse, but it rejects the Mormon interpretation. Paul does not say he baptized for the dead; in fact, he distinguishes between the “they” in verse 29 and the “we” in verse 30. The Bible also teaches that a person’s eternal destiny is fixed at death, leaving no opportunity for repentance or salvation afterward (Hebrews 9:27; Proverbs 11:7).
To read more about the correct interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:29, click here.
