Jesus Himself, though without sin, was baptized to fulfill all righteousness and to show the way for all mankind (see Matthew 3:13-17; 2 Nephi 31:5-12). Thus, baptism is essential for salvation in the kingdom of God. We learn in the New Testament that baptisms for the dead were done during the Apostle Paul’s time (see 1 Corinthians 15:29). This practice has been restored with the establishment of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Prophet Joseph Smith first taught about the ordinance of baptism for the dead during a funeral sermon in August 1840. He read much of 1 Corinthians 15, including verse 29, and announced that the Lord would permit Church members to be baptized in behalf of their friends and relatives who had departed this life. He told them “the plan of salvation was calculated to save all who were willing to obey the requirements of the law of God” (Journal History of the Church, 15 Aug. 1840).
Because all who have lived on the earth have not had the opportunity to be baptized by proper authority during life on earth, baptisms may be performed by proxy, meaning a living person may be baptized in behalf of a deceased person. Baptisms for the dead are performed by Church members in temples throughout the world. People have occasionally wondered if the mortal remains of the deceased are somehow disturbed in this process; they are not. The person acting as a proxy uses only the name of the deceased. To prevent duplication the Church keeps a record of the deceased persons who have been baptized. Some have misunderstood that when baptisms for the dead are performed the names of deceased persons are being added to the membership records of the Church. This is not the case.
As a temple ordinance worker for the Mesa Temple for the past 5 years, I have grown in appreciation for the temple and the ordinances that are preformed. I believe that those who have passed-on are given the opportunity to accept the work that is performed in their behalf as if they were here - physically. The initial ordinance of accepting Jesus Christ is baptism. The ordinance of baptism is performed as it was originally by John the Baptist for Jesus in the temple by emersion. The temple gives those that have passed-on the opportunity to accept the mission of Jesus Christ and all the ordinances that he performed.
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We believe that baptism is essential for salvation. It is a covenant with God to obey his commandments. Christ taught that we all must be baptized. Some people die without being baptized or knowing about the Church of Jesus Christ. They must also have an opportunity for salvation. Those who have died are taught the gospel in the world of the spirits. But, baptism is an earthly ordinance. So we can perform that ordinance for them by being baptized for them, just as Christ died for us as a proxy for us, we can be baptized for others. This is authorized by Christ in his church to be performed in the temples. The person who died can either receive this gift or reject it. They still have their agency.
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It is important to me especially since I have family members who aren't members, or those who have passed on without being able to accept the gospel. We do baptisms for the dead to give those who have passed on an option of accepting the gospel in the next life. It is still their choice whether they want to or not, we simply do baptisms by proxy so that they can have the opportunity to follow in Christ's footsteps.
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Baptism is essential for our salvation in the kingdom of God. Since our God is just and fair, He gives those who have passed on an opportunity to receive this ordinance through us worthy members. As worthy members, we are able to act as a proxy, meaning that we do the ordinance on behalf of those who have passed on, so they can have the same opportunities as those still alive on this earth. No one is forced into the church or into making this ordinance, God still honors agency in the here-after. We are simply giving them a chance to accept it.
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well according to Jesus Christ except a man be born of water and of the spirit he CANNOT enter into the kingdom of God so what about all those people in the congo and in the amazon who never even had a chance to hear about Jesus Christ are they just left without any chance. That doesn't seem very fair to me. baptism is a physical ordinance and so standing in proxy for those who have passed on we are baptized for and in behalf of them. The doctrine of standing in proxy must be accepted by all Christians because That is what Christ did for us he suffered in behalf or in proxy for all of our sins trials hardships and everything we would ever go trough in this life
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Our Father in heaven wants all his children to return to him. Through the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ we know that all must be baptized to return to God. This must be by the the Authority of God given to man called the Priesthood. With the Priesthood restored to the earth we have the authority to seal on earth as in heaven. This means that as Baptisms are done for those who are dead using that authority, that they can return to live with our Father in Heaven.
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We believe that everyone will have the chance to hear the full gospel of Jesus Christ. Not everyone has that chance while they are on Earth. Many people have lived and died without knowing of Jesus Christ. They will have the opportunity to be taught the gospel and accept it in the Spirit world after they die. We must all be baptized but it wouldn't be fair to those who haven't had the opportunity. So we are baptized in their name vicariously for them since they no longer are able to physically be baptized themselves thus fulfilling the commandment for the dead person that we all be baptized.
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Baptisms for the dead may seem a little odd but this action demonstrates the perfection of the plan that Heavenly Father has for all of his children and his desire for all of us to return to him. The basic doctrine of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that we must be baptized in order to return to the presence of God and be saved. What about those who never had the opportunity to be baptized by someone with the correct authority? Obviously, Heavenly Father planned for this which is why we, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ, stand as proxy, for those who did not have the opportunity to be baptized in this life, making the plan perfectly fair.
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This may seem like a strange doctrine at first, but may I first invite you to think about the idea of vicarious work--something done by someone else in behalf of another. The great Atonement of Jesus Christ, His sufferings on the cross and in the garden of Gethsemane, and His resurrection, was something He did for all mankind of every age, era and nationality. He did something in behalf of billions of yet unborn children of God. This is the same with baptisms for the dead, the idea that those of us here on the earth who are worthy to enter the temple can be baptize in behalf of our kindred dead. We read that in the first book of Peter he states that "the gospel was preached to them that are dead," and Paul asked in Corinthians, "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" There are billions who have lived on the earth and have not had the chance to hear the gospel of salvation or receive its ordinances. Since the apostles had been killed, these ordinances and the authority to do them were lost. Through the prophet Joseph Smith they were restored. Now we have the chance to give those billions of people a chance to have the ordinances of baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and even the marriage ordinance eternal marriage, so that we can be with them in heaven. However, the choice in the end is up to the individual for whom the work is done.
God wants all of His children to have the gospel and be saved. Baptism for the dead is another means of helping that come to pass. It is a manifestation of God's great love for all of His children throughout all the ages of the earth.
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We perform such proxy baptisms to provide those who have passed from this life an opportunity to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many people have lived on the earth who never received this opportunity during their lifetime. Scripture tells us in the New Testament that early church members practiced baptisms for their kindred dead to provide them with this opportunity. We follow the same practice as outlined in the scriptures in our temples today.
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