Why do Mormons baptise for the dead?

[Caitlyn]

Why do you think they will automatically accept baptism?

Presumably after death, they will know the truth about the afterlife and such.

[Spartan117]

Presumably after death, they will know the truth about the afterlife and such.

True, but at the end of the Millennium after satan is loosed, there will be people living with Christ during His millennial reign who will reject Him. D&C 101:32 says "when the Lord shall come, He shall reveal all things" and people will still choose to reject Him. They will be living in His presence and have all things revealed and still choose to rebel. Even in the preexistence The Savior and the plan of salvation was rejected. The anti-Mormon community is filled with people who have been to the temple and made covenants but ultimately rejected The Savior in this life. I have to think that if there are some who will openly rebel in the presence of Deity, there will be some who will rebel after their mortal probation?

[Blackmarch]

True, but at the end of the Millennium after satan is loosed, there will be people living with Christ during His millennial reign who will reject Him. D&C 101:32 says "when the Lord shall come, He shall reveal all things" and people will still choose to reject Him. They will be living in His presence and have all things revealed and still choose to rebel. Even in the preexistence The Savior and the plan of salvation was rejected. The anti-Mormon community is filled with people who have been to the temple and made covenants but ultimately rejected The Savior in this life. I have to think that if there are some who will openly rebel in the presence of Deity, there will be some who will rebel after their mortal probation?

Absolutely, revelations shows this. one sec let me find it.

k in revelations 20:10-15

this part talks about how the first hell (which we know as spirit prison) gives up those that are in it to be judged and then is destroyed.

continue on to the next chapter, verses 1- 7 is what will happen around the final judgement but the interesting verse is verse 8.

Verse 8 says who is going to recieve the second death, keep in mind this is after everybody is taken from the first hell and it is destroyed (they've gotten to suffer hell to some degree by this point).

And apparently that won't be enough to convince some to change their ways as there will still be those who choose "..the fearful, and aunbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars..." who are then cast out.

Edited November 21, 2011 by Blackmarch

[skalenfehl]

Everyone will have a chance to accept or reject the gospel, in this life or in the spirit world. Those who have departed into the spirit world without having heard the gospel will have baptism performed in their behalf, and they can accept or reject the work done for them. Everyone will resurrect before the final judgment, having been baptized or having accepted/rejected baptism by proxy.

1 Corinthians 15:29

29 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?

[Madriglace]

Surely though after death, these people will have discovered that Mormon beliefs are true (for the sake of this discussion, let's assume this), so none of them will reject baptism. Whereas those still alive don't know this, so have an unfair disadvantage.

We don't change after we leave the earth ... we take with us our knowledge, attitudes, prejudices etc. Even on the other side for some accepting the gospel is goning to be a journey.

[Vort]

Presumably after death, they will know the truth about the afterlife and such.

Why do you presume that? Obviously, after death people will realize that there is an afterlife of some sort. But it does not follow that they therefore will immediately recognize Mormonism as the kingdom of God on earth, or that they will desire to follow God -- or for that matter, that they will even accept that there is a God.