Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints often cite 1 Corinthians 15:29 to justify the practice of baptism for the dead, believing it allows them to redeem relatives who died without the opportunity to accept Mormon ordinances. In Mormon teaching, this ritual supposedly gives deceased ancestors a chance to accept the gospel after death, enabling them to reach higher levels of heaven.
However, a careful examination of Scripture shows that this practice is inconsistent with the Bible’s teaching. The context of 1 Corinthians 15 is about the resurrection of the body and the victory of Christ over death, not about proxy baptisms: “Otherwise, 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 15:29). Paul is emphasizing the reality of resurrection, not instituting a new ordinance for the dead.
Moreover, the Bible is clear that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). Salvation cannot be achieved by rituals performed by the living on behalf of the dead, because each person must personally repent and trust in Jesus: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
Mormon texts, such as Alma 34 in the Book of Mormon, similarly attempt to support proxy ordinances, but they rely on extra-biblical revelations rather than God’s Word. In this video, we examine these claims in light of the context of Scripture, showing why the Bible alone provides the complete and authoritative path to salvation through Christ.
