Certainly not. Our free booklet, “Baptism–A Requirement for Salvation,”
explains in detail that only adult LIVING persons are to be baptized,
after they repent of their sins and believe in the Sacrifice of Jesus
Christ. A person who has died, cannot repent and believe in anything,
as long as he is dead. The reason is that a dead person knows nothing
(Ecclesiastes 9:5). Our free booklet, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?,”
explains that a person who dies is without consciousness–he or his
soul does not go to heaven or hell, because he–the person–IS the
soul. As long as he is alive, he is a living soul, and when he dies, he
has become a dead soul.

As Romans 6:3-4 explains, baptism–the
total immersion of the person under water–points at the figurative
death of the person. He “dies,” spiritually speaking, in the watery
grave. His old man dies (verse 6), and a new man arises out of the
watery grave (Colossians 3:9-10). In a sense, the new man is
“resurrected,” figuratively speaking, from the spiritual dead.

With
this background, let us review Paul’s saying in 1 Corinthians 15:29,
which reads: “Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the
dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for
the dead?”

Paul was contending with those in Corinth who claimed
that there was no resurrection from the dead. He asked in verse 12:
“Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how
do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” He
continues to explain that there is indeed a resurrection from the
dead–in fact, there is more than just one resurrection. Paul states
that every human being will be resurrected, but in a particular order
or time sequence (verses 20-24). In Revelation 20:5, the “first
resurrection” of the saints is mentioned. The same passage explains
that some will be resurrected at Christ’s coming, and many will be
resurrected 1,000 years later. For more information on this vital
subject, please read our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days.”

As
an additional argument for the resurrection FROM the dead, Paul
mentioned the resurrection FOR the dead (verse 29). Several attempts
have been advanced to explain what Paul might have meant with his
statement.

One major modern denomination preaches and practices
“baptism for the dead”–by baptizing people for their dead relatives.
This practice is not based on God’s Holy Word. Baptism only makes
sense when and so long as the person to be baptized is ALIVE. Baptism
for a dead person, that is, vicariously, derivatively or by proxy,
accomplishes nothing. God does not want us to become baptized “for” or
on behalf of somebody else. Baptism is an individual personal decision
and an individual act–our righteousness in baptism cannot be
transferred to another person. Christ never sinned–still, He was
baptized by John the Baptist to “fulfill all righteousness”
(Matthew 3:15). He gave us an example to follow His footsteps. Christ
did not get baptized FOR others–and so, He expects each and every one
of His disciples to get baptized him- or herself. After all, each and
every one of us will have to give account, individually, for what he or
she has done (Romans 14:12).

However, some commentaries advance
the idea that a few within the Corinthian Church might have been
involved in the practice of getting baptized for a dead relative.

For
instance, the Nelson Study Bible writes: “It may be that some of the
Corinthians had for some reason been baptized for others who had died
without baptism. Paul… used ‘they’ rather than ‘we’ when speaking of
it… To deny the resurrection, as the Corinthians did, and yet be
involved in such baptism activities made no sense.”

It is
important to note that Paul spoke of “them,” who were involved in the
practice. When speaking of true Christians, including those in the
Corinthian Church, he used the words “you,” “we,” “our” and “us”
(verses 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 30, 34). This seems to indicate that the
practice, which Paul was addressing, without approving of it, was done
OUTSIDE of the Church, even though the Corinthians were familiar with
it.

The Commentary of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown points at the
same distinction, explaining that Paul talked about those who engaged
in the practice in the “third person; a class distinct from that in
which the apostle places himself, ‘we’ (v. 30), first person.” The
commentary continues to stress that some “Marcionites adopted the
practice at a later period, probably from taking [and misapplying] this
passage…, but, generally, it was unknown in the Church.”

Even
without focusing on the use of different pronouns (like “them” and
“we”), the New Bible Commentary: Revised adds another possibility as to
how to understand this passage:

“… The Greek can also mean
‘baptized because of the dead,’ i.e. the reference is to the baptism of
those influenced by the testimony of a Christian who had recently died,
and in the hope of being re-united with him at the resurrection.”

In
the entire fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul spoke about the
hope of the resurrection. It is interesting that in the phrase in verse
29 (“baptized for the dead”), the word “for” is “huper” in the original
Greek. This word can also mean, “for the hope of” or “for the
realization of” (compare, The Analytical Greek Lexicon). For instance,
in Philippians 2:13, we read: “…for it is God who works in you both
to will and to do FOR [Greek: huper] His good pleasure.” The intended
meaning is: “for the realization of His good pleasure.”

In the
same way, 1 Corinthians 15:29 can be translated: “Otherwise, what will
they do who are baptized for [the realization of, or the hope of] the
dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for
[the realization of, or the hope of] the dead?”

When people were
baptized, they were not dead, but still alive. At the time of their
baptism, they were looking forward to their resurrection. Baptism was
the first necessary step toward the realization of their goal–the
resurrection of the dead. Without that hope, there would not have been
a reason to be baptized in the first place. Subsequently those who were
baptized died, sleeping in their graves and awaiting, in hope, so to
speak, their resurrection from the dead.

Whatever Paul had in
mind, when referring to the “resurrection for the dead,” it is clear
from the rest of the Bible, that God’s Church is not to engage in the
practice of actually conducting baptisms “by proxy”– of baptizing one
person on behalf of or instead of another dead relative. God does not
accept such “derivative” or “vicarious” baptisms.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Notice what exactly John said in Matthew 3:11: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me … will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”

As a part of his ministry, John was baptizing “with water unto repentance” (verse 11). He required that we must “bear fruits worthy of repentance” (verse 8). In comparison, Christ would be coming to also baptize, not just unto repentance, but also, with the Holy Spirit and with fire!

We, of course, are all very familiar with the first part of that statement John had made, in reference to the baptism Christ would bring. One receives the Holy Spirit after repentance, the belief in Christ’s sacrifice, and being baptized with water. In the process of baptism, prior to being submerged under water, one pronounces his or her repentance of past sins, and one’s belief in Christ’s sacrifice and one’s acceptance of Christ as his or her personal Savior. Following the actual submersion under water and being brought out of that grave of water, which event pictures the washing away of all our past sins, the ministers of God lay hands upon the person being baptized and he or she receives God’s Holy Spirit.

But what was John saying when he stated that Christ would also be baptizing with fire?

The fire John was speaking of is perhaps noted in verse 12 of Matthew, chapter 3, when John speaks of an “unquenchable fire.” With this fire, John says that Christ will “burn up the chaff.” What is this “unquenchable fire” and is it something to be desired?

Malachi 4:1-3 also describes this fire and its result. Malachi speaks of this event in verse 1: ‘For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘That will leave them neither root nor branch.'” In verse 3, Malachi continues to quote the Lord, where He is quoted as saying “‘You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this…'” Christ is speaking of the same event in Revelation 20:14-15, which describes the second death of all who do not enter the Kingdom of God!

There is, however, a second possibility which John might have intended, when speaking of the “baptism with fire.”

Some ministers in the Church have referred to this Scripture from time to time in describing the TRIALS true Christians suffer through, during this lifetime, as they seek to live according to the Way to which they have been called.

Christ makes an interesting statement in Mark 9:49. In the previous verses of this chapter Christ was speaking of how one must live to be able to enter the Kingdom of God, rather than suffering the pain of hell fire, ”(verse 48)… ‘where… the fire is not quenched.’ (verse 49) ‘For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.'”

The fire Christ speaks of in this verse is the fire of all the trials one goes through as he or she continually seeks to live God’s Way of life. Of course, our lives are to become living sacrifices in this Way of our calling. If one does not eventually become seasoned with God’s Way of life, he or she will be seasoned with the fire of Gehenna.

Salt, of course, has a preserving quality about it. We are to develop this preserving quality within our lives, whereby we will be an influence for peace and for good while living in this world.

Paul says to the Church in Romans 12:1-2: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Christ Himself had to go through serious “fiery” trials — including His suffering and death on the cross. Christ said that He came to bring fire or division on the earth (Luke 12:49, 51-53). He continued that He Himself had to be baptized with a baptism, and that He was distressed until it was accomplished (compare Luke 12:50; Mark 10:38). He referred to His fiery trial as a “baptism,” which His disciples had to also experience (Mark 10: 39).

Some outside the Church claim that the “baptism with fire” must accompany the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and that the Holy Spirit is not given, unless supernatural events accompany the baptism. They refer, as proof, to the events described in Acts 2, when “divided tongues, as of fire, sat upon” the disciples (verse 3). However, Acts 2 describes a very unique circumstance, which was never repeated in the recorded history of the Church (with the possible, but not very likely exception of the baptism of Cornelius and other Gentiles, as recorded in Acts 10; compare Acts 11:15). NONE of the other recorded baptisms with the Holy Spirit were accompanied by supernatural flames of fire being placed on the disciples’ heads. John the Baptist was certainly NOT talking about these unique events, as described in Acts 2 (and possibly in Acts 10), when speaking of the “baptism with fire.”

In conclusion, the baptism with fire, mentioned by John, might very well refer to the second and final death in Gehenna fire. It might also include fiery trials which we must go through in this life, to AVOID that second and final death.