Baptism For The Dead

Jason was explaining why we do genealogy to his Uncle Carl. He said it was talked about in the Old Testament. I wanted to correct him, that no it was in the New Testament. But we are both right.

1 Corinthians 15:29 Else what shall they do which are ^abaptized ^bfor the dead, if the dead ^crise not at all? why are they then baptized for the ^ddead?

The key to understanding this verse is to remember verse 22 in the same chapter: For as in ^aAdam all ^bdie, even so in ^cChrist shall all be made ^dalive. The point being that all the dead will rise and all need to be baptized as taught in John 3: 1-10.

The Book of Mormon teaches this:

1. 2 Ne. 31: 5, 7
   5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being ^aholy, should have need to be ^bbaptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be ^cbaptized, yea, even by water!
   • • •
   7 Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be ^aobedient unto him in keeping his commandments.

All of God's Children need baptism to enter into his presence. Becuase there are so many people past, present and future who have not heard of Jesus, it would seem that God will damn them to hell for being born at the wrong time and the wrong place. The is a plan of damnation, not a plan of salvation. Baptisms for the dead, make God a merciful God.

While the Old Testament never mentions the speaks of Baptism for the Dead specifically, it goes speak of this:

Malachi 4: 5 ¶ Behold, I will ^asend you ^bElijah the prophet ^cbefore the coming of the ^dgreat and dreadful ^eday of the Lord:

6 And he shall ^aturn the ^bheart of the ^cfathers to the ^dchildren, and the heart of the ^echildren to their fathers, lest I come and ^fsmite the ^gearth with a ^hcurse.

Also Luke 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of ^aElias, to turn the hearts of the ^bfathers to the children, and the ^cdisobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people ^dprepared for the Lord.

While Luke is specifically about John the baptist, it is also in alignment with the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You see, the hearts of the children being turned to their fathers is genealogy work. Unless the whole earth is connected together with a welding link- a sealing, which begins with a baptism the earth will be wasted. When Moroni came to Joseph Smith he quoted Malachi! The purpose of the restoration is to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers and vis-a versa.

How is it that the hearts of the Fathers will turn to their children? I believe that is explained in Luke 16: 19-31. It is the story Christ tells of the rich man and Lazarus the beggar. The rich man does not find himself in heaven, as Lazarus does. He begs for Lazarus to bring him water to quench his tongue. He is not allowed as there is a "gulf" that separates them. The rich man learning that he is stuck where he is, wants to tell his family still down on earth to save them from his fate. He is told, that he has Moses and the Prophets. The rich man knowing that he did not believe Moses and the Prophets, says that will not work, but if you send someone back from the dead they will believe. Abraham tells of of course this is not true.

The message is clear. The dead are aware of their family on earth and their hearts are turned towards them.

But what about this gulf? Verse 26: ... between us and you there is a great ^agulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

That can be explained by 1 Peter 3: 18-20 and 1 Peter 4: 6

18 For Christ also hath once ^asuffered for sins, the just for the ^bunjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to ^cdeath in the flesh, but quickened by the ^dSpirit:

19 By which also he went and ^apreached unto the ^bspirits in ^cprison;

20 ^aWhich sometime were ^bdisobedient, when once the ^clongsuffering of God waited in the days of ^dNoah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were ^esaved by ^fwater.

v.6 For for this cause was the ^bgospel ^cpreached also to them that are ^ddead, that they might be ^ejudged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

The dead shall hear the voice of the Lord(John 5:25-29). There are dead spirits preaching to those in spirit prison, like those who died in the flood, who did not except the gospel. But we with out bodies are able to do a vicarious work for them by being baptized in their stead, as the savior stood in our place to take upon him our sins.

definition of vicarious:

performed, exercised, received, or suffered in place of another: vicarious punishment. taking the place of another person or thing; acting or serving as a substitute.

One can see by this illustration the place of spirits after death- either paradise or prison. There was a gulf that separated the 2 places, until Christ came during those 3 days before he was resurrected.

Elijah has returned and the work of turning hearts is taking place. This happened after the dedication of the Kirkland Temple in Ohio, the first temple in this dispensation. From Doctrine and Covenants 110: 13-15

13. After this vision had closed, another great and glorious ^avision burst upon us; for ^bElijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said:

14 Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come—

15 To ^aturn the ^bhearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse—

16 Therefore, the ^akeys of this ^bdispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful ^cday of the Lord is near, even at the doors.

For further explanations of this vicarious work of turning hearts, baptisms for the dead and sealing families together in an unbroken chain, " lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse", please see D&C 138.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, does this sacred work in Holy Temples. We have over 130 around the world and we are researching our family lines and connecting the whole of the family of Adam together. A daunting task? Yes, but we are doing it and it will continue to be done and when the Millennium comes we will have further help.

From Gordon B. Hinckley:
How thankful I am for the wonders of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It is indeed a marvelous work and a wonder, which has been brought to pass by the power of Almighty in behalf of His sons and daughters. we of this season in His work can serve in a work of salvation in behlaf of the whole human family., including all the generations of the sons and daughters of God who have lived upon the earth in past centuries. The work is true. (Teaching of Gordon B. Hinckley, 1997, 242)

For other scriptures concerning this matter:
D&C 2:2, 124:29, 127:5, 128:1

It is my testimony that this is a true work, that is a part of the Fathers merciful Plan of Salvation.