An Important Question

Admittedly, the expression "baptism for the Dead" sounds strange, but if it conjures up ideas of zombies, you’ve got the wrong idea. Baptism for the Dead is a ministry of mercy to people who have died. It was an important aspect of Church practice at the time of the Apostles.

If a man's resurrection must be predicated by his baptism, and he won’t get eternal life without baptism, then what of those who die before they have the opportunity to be baptized? Are they eternally lost? For those who ask this question, there is an answer. There is a solution!

The Early Church had to deal with this question often. Many new believers died before reaching the waters of baptism. Violence against Christians was rampant in the Roman Empire and new believers were the hottest targets of such violence, being martyred on a large scale in the arenas. Many were thrown to the lions.

The Early Church dealt with the problem of repentant believers who had no time for baptism through the rite of baptism for the Dead. Paul spoke of it here:

… if there is no Resurrection of the Dead… what will those do who are baptized for the Dead? If the Dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? (1 Corinthians 15:13, 29; NASB)

The Ancient Perspective

Around 200 AD the Church Father Tertullian, known as "the father of Latin Christianity" and "the founder of Western theology" wrote a treatise called On Baptism. In it, he wrote that "without baptism, salvation is attainable by none" (Chapter XII, paragraph 1). That was the standard position of Christians in Tertullian’s day. It remained standard up until the 19th century.

But let’s go further back than Tertullian. Let's go to Paul. Paul dedicated all of 1 Corinthians 15 to the Resurrection. He affirmed with many proofs that the Resurrection is certain, and one proof he offered was the common Church practice of baptism for the Dead. Paul’s argument was: If there is no Resurrection, then the considerable number of church members who were being baptized for the Dead were wasting their time.

This is a very curious statement for modern ears. Could proof of a Resurrection be the devotion Christians had to being baptized for those who didn't have time to enter the waters of baptism? Very few Christians today have the bandwidth to comprehend such an argument.

A Lost Tradition

What is baptism for the Dead? What exactly was going on in the Early Church? Quite simply, a proxy gets baptized for a deceased new believer--but that deceased person must be someone who otherwise would have been baptized. They were not able to bet baptized because of sudden death.

Through this proxy baptism, the Church was acting in love towards those martyrs who didn't get baptized before their death. Concerned church members put it "on record" before God that the deceased had trusted in Christ. They established that person’s salvation on Earth so that God would affirm that salvation in Heaven. The Church gave a testimony and they trusted that God would affirm that testimony.

Baptism has been practiced differently throughout the centuries. For example, mass baptisms of complete tribes used to be common. That's how the Celts were converted by Patric around 400 AD. And below is an image of baptisms taking place among the Rus people near modern day Kiev around 900 AD.

In today’s World, aspiring converts who die before they get baptized still exist. In countries where persecution is strongest like China, North Korea, Vietnam, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and India (we're writing in 2024)—newly professing believers in Christ are still being martyred. How many of them are killed before they get a chance to be baptized? God knows.

In the West, although persecution does not normally lead to death, many bedridden sick and elderly people are not physically able to access water for baptism. If there is a witness to the sincerity of their repentance and faith in Jesus, and the repentant sinner dies, a Christian might give a moving testimony of how that person had a “deathbed conversion.” Have you ever heard one?

The Christian will tell the congregation a moving story of the tears, confession, and prayers people said before they died. They’ll conclude with “… and they received Jesus in their heart.” But, are we supposed to consider that a job well done? Is such a deathbed conversion an enduring accomplishment? Or is the Church allowing itself to be convinced of a salvation story that doesn't meet the Biblical standard of evangelism?

Here's what needs to be done for real evangelism: That same witness should act as a proxy for the deathbed convert and be baptized for him. That witness (if he's from the modern Church), will likely resist this recommendation because he does not believe that baptism is necessary for salvation. He might argue that "faith is enough," but what Bible verse does he have to prove his position?

Before you offer support to a Christian friend who is going to minister to someone in the throes of death, let him know that a person’s salvation is not complete until they are baptized. If he argues that the other person cannot be baptized, or that they already died, explain to him that if he witnessed a conversion, he should get baptized for the bed-ridden or deceased convert.

Today’s Church should continue the Early Church tradition. What does it cost us? A minor effort with a major effect—a soul will be snatched from Hell. Baptism for the Dead was part of the Church’s evangelistic ministry when the apostles led the Church. We need to bring it back.

Binding and Loosening

As the Bride of Christ, we have the authority to bind and loosen things on Earth. Does your congregation use that authority? Whether we bind or loosen, God will affirm our decisions in Heaven, and that’s the ultimate goal—God’s affirmation.

Speaking on the authority of the Church, Jesus said:

Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven; and whatever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven (Matthew 18:18; NASB).

Deciding who should be baptized remains one of the Church’s greatest tasks. Jesus charged the Church with the responsibility of deciding who receives remission of sins, and that means that the Church must administer baptism judiciously. Baptism is, after all, effective for the remission of sins!

If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained (John 20:23; NASB).

Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins… (Acts 2:38)

Get up, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name (Acts 22:16; LEB).

Just like John the Baptist, we have to demand that repentant sinners demonstrate the fruit of repentance, and only then baptize them. They have to demonstrate that they have turned from their sins if they will be forgiven and freed from the condemnation their sins incur.

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance’ (Luke 3:7-8; Matthew 3:7-8).

Youth from Christian Homes

The Church must judge the appropriate time for youth from Christian families to be baptized. We are responsible for deciding whether a young person is acting under the influence of their parents, or whether they are under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It’s around age 12 when a youth has developed his own free will and has the intellectual capacity to comprehend the Law of God, but the Church decides when those graces are strong enough for baptism. They may only be strong enough when the youth is 13 or 14 years old. The Church determines the age of accountability.

For gross sinners such as drunkards, thieves, adulterers, or atheists, the Church also must examine the fruit of repentance, but it will look much different from a 12-year old who was raised in a Christian family. Did the person who was once an adulterer truly turn to purity and faithfulness? Did the one who was a thief return what was stolen and start to work to provide for the needs of others?

The fruit of repentance will be different for every person. For youth raised in a Christian home it will not be easy to spot. It will be more subtle to discern the fruit of repentance if someone was raised in a Christian family, but the parents will be the best judges.

Who Can Forgive Sins?

Many Christians will disagree that the Church has so a big role in a person’s salvation, and they'll challenge this idea with the famous line “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” (Luke 5:21b). But that is not a Christian question--it’s a Pharisaic question. The Pharisees considered it blasphemy to say that humans can forgive sins. Were they right? No.

Some men came to Jesus with a paralyzed friend. They put him on a mat and couldn't make it through the door of the house where Jesus was ministering. With no other options, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus, and in full view of the Pharisees.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’ The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on Earth to forgive sins.”

So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God (Luke 5:18-25).

Jesus destroyed the argument of the Pharisees not only by forgiving the paralytic (something invisible), but by doing the visible wonder of healing him. Jesus proved that he has authority to forgive sins. Few Christians question that authority, but what church teaches that Jesus shares that authority with us? Where do you see this ministry in practice? What churches are exercising this authority to forgive?

Authority on Earth

When Jesus healed a paralytic in front of many watching eyes, he did it ‘… in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on Earth to forgive sins’ (v. 24). Jesus destroyed the argument against human beings' ability to forgive sins by using the term Son of Man--the term puts emphasis on Jesus as a man. Jesus was emphasizing his humanity so that we might draw the conclusion that if one man can forgive sins, all men have that same authority.

The issue raised by the Pharisees is whether God alone can forgive sins or whether man can also forgive sins. Jesus’ response is that man can. But (did you notice?) he added that man has authority specifically on Earth to forgive. On Earth? Why did Jesus specifically name that the forgiveness he managed was on Earth?

Jesus used the expression on Earth to juxtapose his ministry, this Church ministry, with the ministry God manages in Heaven. That is, Jesus was drawing a comparison between the authority of God to forgive from Heaven and the authority of the Church to forgive from Earth.

We Ask God to Give Life

During this mortal life, we as Christians can ask God to forgive people their sins. We can intercede as priests in Jesus' name, and God will hear in Heaven. In the case of a brother or sister in the Faith, we can pray for them and God will give them life. Observe how John describes this ministry here:

… if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of him.

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and he will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death.

There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that (1 John 5:15-16; NKJV).

Our authority to forgive is so powerful that the Apostle John advises us to use such authority sparingly. There are certain sins for which we should not request forgiveness. There is a certain kind of sin, and that's where you draw the line. You should pray for people to a point, and then take them out of your prayers.

If they have committed a sin leading to death, God would rather have them die than the Church waste its time praying for them.

... I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.

What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. Expel the wicked person from among you (1 Corinthians 5:11-1).

A certain kind of sin shouldn’t be the object of our prayers for forgiveness—the Bible calls it the sin leading to death. Ananias and Saphira committed that sin. The man who slept with his father’s wife in the Corinthian church committed that sin. People who receive the number of the Beast have also crossed the line. Don’t pray for them. You’ll get frustrated if you do, and God doesn't want you frustrated with prayer.

As God’s people, we’re supposed to have the discernment to know when to intercede and when not to intercede. We need to know when to bind and when to loosen. We must know how to evangelize, and when evangelism is complete.

In the same way that a wife makes household decisions in the absence of her husband, so the Church decides who receives forgiveness while Jesus is in Heaven. A faithful wife administers punishments to the children while her husband is gone. Likewise, the Church decides which members get discipline, which get prayer, and which should be expelled.

Jesus will come back and executes perfect justice, but in the meantime, the Church must enforce discipline on its members. Part of that enforcement is to not pray for certain people. We have "bound" their sins. We then wait for God to take action because our job is done once someone's sins are "bound."

The Degree of Forgiveness We Dispense

Let's not forget what Jesus told the Church:

Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven; and whatever you loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven (Matthew 18:18; NASB).

Among the sins the Church must busily be "loosening" are those which new converts who die would have had counted against them in judgment. Seekers who demonstrated repentance from sin, but who either died or were killed before they could be baptized, need our support.

If they intended to be baptized, it's our duty to obtain the benefits of baptism for them. Why? Because we, as the Church, are the dispensers of forgiveness.

Here's the million-dollar question: 'Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant just as God had on you?' You'll see how Jesus frames that question in the parable of the unmerciful slave.

… the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart (Matthew 18:23-35).

All Christians are under compulsion to forgive others, but some Christians are much better at forgiving. The degree of mercy we give should correspond to the mercy we have received—which is a great amount for all of us, but some Christians have a bad memory.

As Jesus said ‘whoever has been forgiven little loves little’ (Luke 7:47). That's the reality we live in. Not a lot of people are concerned about ministering forgiveness, even in churches! Some people simply can’t remember how much mercy God has given them. Remembering their baptism will help. If they do, maybe they'll see the need others have of baptism.

A Ministry of Mercy

Regardless of how we feel, the Church has a ministry of mercy to administer. How should this ministry of mercy be managed in a congregation? First of all, someone with the gift of mercy should lead it! And yes, mercy is a gift of the Holy Spirit! Whoever has it should use it cheerfully.

… just as in one body we have many members... having different gifts according to the grace given to us... one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:4-8; LEB).

A ministry of mercy should include baptism for the Dead. Who has a greater need than someone who died without having been baptized? They're not in a good place.

Baptism for the Dead is not something to discuss as an academic debate. Baptism for the Dead is something for us to put into practice in the Church. It's not a matter of opinions or traditions. It's a ministry of mercy to those who desperately need it. We need to loosen them from their sins. We need to 'have mercy on our fellow servant just as God had mercy on us.'