Category Archives: Mormonism

Let’s Solve Baptism for the Dead

Let's Solve Baptism for the Dead. Drawing of a Mormon baptism ceremony, circa the 1850s. Line drawing showing 19th century-garbed people at the edge of a pool and two robed figures in the pool.
Drawing of a Mormon baptism ceremony, circa the 1850s. Mormons believe that their church members can be baptized as proxies for people who have died unbaptized. But is this what 1 Corinthians 15:29 really teaches? Frederick Hawkins Piercy (1830-1891), a Mormon artist., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Public Domain

What did Paul mean when he referred to those “who are baptized for the dead?” (1 Corinthians 15:29). This mystery has puzzled Christians for centuries. Scholars have suggested dozens of interpretations. But I know of only one answer that is totally in line with Christian doctrine, is totally in line with the context of the surrounding text, is totally in line with the Greek, and makes total sense. So, let’s solve baptism for the dead.

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Mormons Are Not Christians

I want to make clear that there is no political agenda behind this article. I started planning this article because of a media blitz undertaken by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (commonly called Mormons) in the United States to try to convince people that Mormons are Christians. Then, before I had even started the article, the news was filled with headlines that Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain took a back-handed swipe at Republican rival Mitt Romney by saying in essence that Romney would not be able to win the southern states because Romney is a Mormon (the implication being that Mormons are not Christians). Then, just as Cain seemed to be backing away from his statements, Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas, and a known supporter of Texas Governor Rick Perry, who is also a Republican presidential candidate, made similar headlines. His statements were more direct. He said that Mitt Romney is not a Christian and that Mormonism is a cult. He also said that God will judge America if it elects a Mormon president. Perry then distanced himself from Jeffress and indicated in vague statements that he believed that if Romney says he is a Christian, then he is.

Thus, even before I began writing this article, the question of whether Mormonism is Christian became a political issue. But my intention in writing this article is not to deal with a political issue. I am not trying to influence your votes. My concern is not with a presidential election. My concern is that some Christians actually believe that Mormons are fellow Christians. I did not write the title of this article as a question, "Are Mormons Christians?" because I want no misunderstandings. I want to show you statements from websites run by the Mormons and their Brigham Young University (BYU) that, when compared to the Bible, should make a Christian instantly know that Mormons are not Christians.

Suppose John says he is an evolutionist. Rick, who is an evolutionist, says, “Cool, I’ll look into what John says about evolution.” But as Rick looks into the things John has written about his beliefs, he finds that John believes in a literal six-day creation by the God of the Bible, except that John calls this six-day creation, “evolution.” Not only that, but John labels as “false evolutionists” those who believe the commonly accepted understanding of evolution and says they are using “corrupted information.” Rick says, “Hey John, you’re not an evolutionist. You’re a creationist.” John says, “No, I’m an evolutionist.” Rick says, “But you believe in a literal six-day creation.” John says, “No. I call it evolution. So, I’m an evolutionist.” This is a situation similar to what we find in the question of whether Mormons are Christians.

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