You may have wondered about the Mormon practice called baptism
for the dead, something that may be new to some of you.
So what is baptism for the dead?
Where is it done, and why is it important to Mormons?
First, let's talk a little bit about baptism for the living.
2,000 years ago, Jesus went to the Jordan River,
where He was baptized by immersion,
lowered fully under the water by John the Baptist.
By doing this, Jesus showed us two things:
one, that everyone needs to be baptized, even He, being
perfect; and two, a baptism must be performed by someone
with authority from God.
The Bible refers to this as priesthood.
Why did Jesus go to John to be baptized?
Because John had this priesthood.
Jesus set the example for all of us.
But here's the problem.
What about those millions of people who died without baptism
or were baptized, but without proper authority?
How is that problem solved?
God has a way to provide an opportunity for all
His children to accept the gospel.
This is where Mormon temples and the practice of baptism
for the dead come in.
Mormons don't baptize dead people.
They use proxies, living stand-ins,
to represent those who have passed away
without proper baptism.
Let's explain proxy a bit.
Your math teacher couldn't make it to class
because she was out sick, so she arranged for a substitute,
a proxy, to fill in for her.
And you'll remember from the Bible
that Jesus suffered for our sins.
He also acted as a proxy.
In the same way, male and female Mormons in good standing,
age 12 and up, act as proxies.
They stand in for their deceased relatives
and are baptized in their behalf.
A baptism for the living can take place in a river, a pond,
or really any place large enough for a person to become
completely immersed--even in the font found in many Mormon
chapels.
But a baptism for the dead can only
take place in Mormon temples, which they consider sacred.
Like baptisms for the living, these proxy baptisms
are also by immersion and with priesthood authority.
And each one is witnessed and recorded.
And that's why Mormons are so interested in finding
their ancestors--so they can do a proxy baptism for them.
You may be asking yourself, isn't it a little presumptuous
for Mormons to perform a baptism for the dead, who may not even
want it?
Well, the Bible teaches us that individuals
have the right to choose.
Mormons believe that right continues after death
and that spirits of the dead can be taught
the gospel of Jesus Christ.
They can then choose to accept or reject
it and the corresponding proxy baptism.
And to be clear, deceased individuals
for whom a baptism for the dead is performed
are not counted on the membership rolls of the Mormon
church.
Baptism for the living and for the dead
is another important way God shows
His love for His children.
So when you hear the term "baptism for the dead,"
remember, it refers to Mormons using proxies, living
stand-ins, to provide baptism by immersion with proper authority
for those who have died without that opportunity.
Now you know.