There are people going about teaching that a living person may be baptized for the dead, even though they (the dead) be unbelievers; and they quote 1 Corinthians 15:29 as their authority. For the benefit of a few readers who are troubled, I shall be glad if you will explain this verse in the Corner as soon as you can.
You doubtless mean that the dead for whom some are baptized are unbelievers; for dead people can be neither believers nor unbelievers, since "the dead know not anything." (Ecclesiastes 9:5)
But this is only incidental to our subject.
The teaching to which you refer is no new thing; there are many who have supposed that they could be baptized for dead friends who had died in unbelief, and that their baptism would be counted by the Lord the same as though the dead friends had been baptized. Some have therefore been baptized many times, according to the number of friends they wish to save by proxy.
It is easy to see that if this notion were correct there need not be a soul lost, no matter how little belief there might be in the world, if there were only a few willing to undergo baptism an indefinite number of times. It will also be perceived that this teaching is simply the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory under another form. The teaching in question is wholly fanciful, having no shadow of a warrant in Scripture, will also be apparent to anybody who gives it any real thought.
Our only course is to study the text in its connection. The 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians is wholly devoted to the resurrection. The Apostle is combating the idea, advanced by some, that there is no resurrection, and he shows that there is, by the fact that Christ is risen from the dead, and "become the first-fruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)
Then he proceeds to tell that Christ must reign until all His enemies are put under His feet, when all things will be subject to God the Father; and then comes the question, "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" (1 Corinthians 15:29)
A short study of baptism will make this perfectly plain. One or two texts will be sufficient. Read: "Know you not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection." (Romans 6:3-4)
Baptism has reference solely to Christ in the person baptized. Only those who believe are to be baptized, and nobody can believe for another. It is evident from the text just quoted that "the dead" for whom we are baptized is Jesus Christ; and the virtue of being baptized in His name, and even into Him, is that He is not dead, but risen from the dead. And here we have the identical argument set forth in 1 Corinthians 15:28. We are "baptized for the dead,"--Christ,--because: "He ever lives," (Hebrews 7:25) and, "If we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Romans 6:5-6)
If Christ were not risen, baptism would be a farce, and Christianity a sham, and there would be no salvation from sin; but His life is proof against sin, and victorious over the grave, and therefore it is sure salvation from sin and death to all who are hidden in it. When one has once died with Christ, and has risen with Him from the dead, he need no longer fear death; he is "immune;" and having passed through death, and been saved from it, he is also free from sin, its cause.
It will readily be seen that the whole virtue of baptism lies in the self-existent power of Christ,--that He could lay down His life, and take it up again. No person who did not possess this power could impart the slightest virtue to any who might be baptized in his name; neither could any living mortal impart any virtue to any other man, living or dead, by being baptized; since no one has any life to spare. Indeed no man possesses any life of his own, but all that he has is only lent to him.
But Christ has enough life to supply the universe, and still have as much left; therefore "whosoever will" (Revelation 22:17) may be buried in His life, and find eternity of life in righteousness.--Present Truth, November 28, 1901.