Are Christians called to pray for the dead? Can our prayers now be a means of ensuring that those who have already passed can go to heaven? What does Paul mean about be "baptized for the dead? (1 Cor 15:29)"

There have been a variety of explanations for what Paul means about being "baptized for the dead" in 1 Corinthians 15:29. One of the reasons for such a variety is because it is a difficult verse to translation and interpret. Mormons, for example, believe that you can go to a temple and through baptism "represent" someone who has died and be baptized for the individual who has passed away. [It should be pointed out here that Mormons also believe that water baptism saves so therefore being baptized, an act of salvation, for someone else can be the means of another’s salvation.]

This is hardly Paul’s meaning in 1 Corinthians 15 because it in no way takes the context into consideration (a great danger in any interpretation). Paul, in the first 19 verses of chapter 15, has discusses the resurrection of Christ. Then in verses 20-23 he speaks of the order of the resurrection [Christ first and then those who are united with Him will be resurrected when He returns]. Then Paul deals with the reign of Christ and the final destruction of death. Paul questions, "what will those do who are not baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?"

Paul is writing here to a church in Corinth. Corinth was surrounded by a pagan religion that believed that baptism in the sea guaranteed a good afterlife (see Homer in "Hymn to Demeter" pg 478-79). Paul recognizes that these practices were going on so he uses this as a part of his overall argument, namely that "the resurrection is a reality." His entire point is that "if there is no resurrection, we are dead in our sin and our preaching is in vain (12-13)."

So Paul uses the example of these pagans (those who were trying to be baptized for the dead) as an example to show than even the pagans see the importance of the resurrection otherwise they would not practice "baptism for the dead." One of the key phrases in the text is "otherwise what do people". Therefore, Paul is NOT encouraging the practice and the Corinthians are NOT practicing such a ritual. Rather, Paul is trying to show believers the importance of the resurrection by showing them that if the pagans around them place such a great importance on the resurrection, how much more those who put their faith in the resurrected Christ. [Paul often uses the culture of the day as a means of communicating the gospel…see Acts 17 when Paul quotes their own philosophers as a means of leading them to Christ.]

Now some will respond that the above is not correct because the word "they" is not in the Greek text, namely "they are baptized on their behalf" rather than "you (the Corinthians) are baptized on their behalf." However, the Greek word "baptizontia" is a present, passive, indicative, in the 3rd person plural, meaning that "they" (the pagans not the Corinthians) are "being baptized. 

Therefore, Paul is using an example, practiced by the pagans, to illustrate the importance of the resurrection.  If the resurrection is that important to the pagans, how much more for those of us who find our identity in the true resurrection...Jesus of Nazareth, the ONLY ONE who was baptized (the cross) on behalf of others!!!

Pastor Wes