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The LDS Daily WOOL© Archive - 1 Cor. 15:29

11/7/04
"The ministry of Christ was not confined to the few who lived on the earth in the meridian of time, and it is not confined only to those living now. The apostle Peter made it clear that those who do not have the opportunity to hear the gospel on this earth will have such an opportunity in the spirit world (see 1 Pet. 3:18-20; 1 Pet. 4:6). And the apostle Paul in writing to the Corinthians asked, '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?' (1 Cor. 15:29)." - Franklin D. Richards, "Happiness and Joy in Temple Work," Ensign, November 1986, p. 71

11/8/04
"How could anyone claim that we are not Christian people if they had even a minimal understanding of the original Church as described in the New Testament, with baptism for the dead (see 1 Cor. 15:29), the Melchizedek Priesthood (see Heb. 5:6, 10), Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and teachers. (see Eph. 4:11.)" - Hugh W. Pinnock, "Learning Our Father's Will," Ensign, November 1984, p. 74

11/9/04
"We now know what Jesus meant when he said, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live" (John 5:25), and the true meaning of his statement to the thief on the cross: "To day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). We can now understand Peter's statements about our Lord's ministry in the spirit world, where he preached the gospel while his body lay in the Arimathean's tomb. (1 Pet. 3:18-20, 1 Pet. 4:6.) Paul's statement about baptism for the dead now makes sense (1 Cor. 15:29), as do Isaiah's and Zechariah's statements about freeing the prisoners in the pit (Isa. 42:7, Isa. 49:9, Isa. 61:1, Zech. 9:11) and Obadiah's prophecy about saviors who "shall come up on mount Zion" (Obad. 1:21). Even Malachi's enigmatic promise that Elijah would come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord to "turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers," lest the Lord come "and smite the earth with a curse" (Mal. 4:5-6)-even this takes on sense and meaning because the doctrine of salvation for the dead has been set out for us in plainness in latter-day revelation." - Bruce R. McConkie, "A New Commandment: Save Thyself and Thy Kindred!" Ensign, August 1976, p. 8

11/10/04
"Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, the only means by which man can accept the gospel, as an earthly ordinance, and so in the Plan of Salvation, our Father, with equal consideration for all his children, has provided a way for all members of his Church and Kingdom on the earth to be 'saviors on Mt. Zion' by performing a vicarious work in behalf of those in the world of spirits, 'the prison house,' that they could not perform for themselves. This work for the dead performed in holy temples by members of the Church does in reality make of them who do this work 'saviors' to those who have died without a knowledge of the gospel, for thereby they may claim the complete gift of the Savior promised to all mankind through his atonement. Reference to that service that may be rendered for those in the spirit world, as it was undoubtedly being performed by the saints in the days of the Apostle Paul and which we can now perform for our own dead, was given by him as an argument in proof of the resurrection. Said he: "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?" (I Corinthians 15:29.) Temples in this day have been built in which this work so essential to the work of salvation might again be performed." - Harold B. Lee, "Decisions for Successful Living" [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1973], p. 118-119

 
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R. Scott Birk
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