Category Archives: Resurrection

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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Lazarus, Come Forth!

Most of you are familiar with the account in John 11 of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus to life. It was an inspiring demonstration of Jesus’ power over life and death, proving that He worked His miracles by the power and authority of God. But if we focus only on the physical circumstances of Lazarus’ resurrection itself—seeing it as an isolated miracle—without also understanding what it pictures and without considering the events that led up to it, we are missing some important lessons. Lazarus comes from the Hebrew name Eleazar and means “whom God helps.” As we will see, Lazarus is typical of those whom God helps, the elect whom He loves. In this article, I want to cover twelve lessons we can learn from the account of Lazarus from the time of his illness to the time after his resurrection.

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