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® SCRIPTURE PROBLEMS SOLVED . ..
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Baptized for the Dead
What vs meant by “baptized for the dead’?
J. WW. Al.
Your question mvolves an understand-
ing of 1 Corinthians 15:29. In 1 Corin-
thians 15: 12 we read: “Now if Christ be
preached that He rose from the dead, how
say some among you that there 1s no resur-
rection of the dead?” The burning ques-
tion in the church at that time was whether
or not Christ was risen. These people who
denied the truth of the resurrection doubt-
less carried their former disbelief in death
and resurrection into the Christian church,
vet they had submitted to baptism. Paul,
therefore, asked the question: “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?” Verse 29.
By reading this entire chapter you will
see that the great point at issue was
whether there was a resurrection of the
dead. Paul raised the question as to why
they were baptized if they did not believe
im the resurrection, since baptism com-
memorates the death, burial, and resur-
rection of Jesus Christ. In his letter to
the Romans he clearly indicated that bap-
tism was an evidence of their faith in the
resurrection: “Therciore we are buried
with Him by baptism into death: that like
as Christ was raised up from the dead by
the glory of the I‘ather, even so we also
should walk in newness of life. or if we
have been planted together in the likeness
of His death, we shall be also in the like-
ness of His resurrection.” Romans 6:4, 5.
Therefore it was perfectly logical for him
to write to the Colossian brethren: ©“ Buried
with Him in baptisin, wherein also ye are
risen with Him through the faith of the
operation of God, who hath raised Him
from the dead.” Colossians 2:12. These
texts make it quite evident that baptism
represents a death to sin, as the death of
Christ was a death for the sin of the world.
Arising to “walk in newness of life” is to
simulate His resurrection and freedom
from the pangs of death. Thus it will be
seen that when properly understood, this
question of baptism for the dead presents
no difficulties and offers no reason or proof
for the position taken by some churches.
When Was the Spirit Given?
I wish an understanding of Christ's
statement to Huis apostles: “Ii 1s expedient
for you that I go away: for if [ go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you, but 1f
I depart, T will send Him unto you." John
16:7. J WL.
This text should not be construed to
teach that the Holy Spirit was not present
until after Pentecost; for it wus present
during Old Testament times. The Psalm-
1st David prayed: “Take not Thy Holy
Spirit from me.” Psalm 51:11. The prophet
Isaiah gives proof that the Spirit was
present in his day: “Then he remembered
the days of old. Moses, and his people,
saying, Where 1s He that brought them up
out of the sea with the shepherd of his
Hock? Where 1s He that put His Holy
Spirit within him?’ Isaiah 63:11.
It is definitely stated that all the proph-
ets of ancient times had the gift of the
Holy Spirit. “Of whieh salvation the
prophets have enquired and searched
diligently. who prophesied of the grace
that should come unto vou: searching
what. or what manner of time the Spirit
of Christ which was in them did signify,
when 1t testified beforehand the sufferings
of Christ, and the glory that should fol-
low.” 1 Peter 1:10,11. “For the prophecy
rame not in old time by the will of man:
but holy men of God spake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1: 21.
But while Christ was upon earth His
disciples depended upon Him, and did not
rely as they otherwise would upon the
Spirit, not sensing its need while He was
with them. It was present and influenced
the Saviour as 1s shown in John 7:38, 39:
“He that believeth on Me, as the Serip-
ture hath said, out of his belly shall flow
rivers of living water. (But this spake He
of the Spirit, which they that believe on
[lim should receive: for the Holy Ghost
was not yet given; because that Jesus was
not vet glorified.) It was for that reason
that He sand: “It 1s expedient for you that
I go away: for if I go not away, the Com-
forter will not come unto you; but if I de-
part, I will send Him unto you.” John
16:7. Not that He was not willing to send
Him. but they did not recognize their need,
hence were not wilhng to receive Him.
the fiery furnace, and was forced to ae-
knowledge that there was a God in heaven
who had power to deliver “His servants
that trusted in Him,” and to change the
king's word.
Darius, the king of the Medes, set up
the claim, “That no decree nor statute
which the king establisheth may be
changed.” He attempted to dominate the
conscience of the dividual in matters of
religious worship. Daniel, the prophet of
God, challenged the decree whieh stated
“that whosoever shall ask a petition of
any God or man for thirty days, save of
thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den
of lions.” Daniel was cast into the den of
lions for praying dally to the God of
heaven, as he had always done, but the
lions did him no hurt, and the king was
forced to acknowledge that God's claims
upon the soul are paramount to the rule
of earthly governments.
When the Jewish rulers and the San-
hedrin united mn forbidding the apostles
to speak at all or teach in the name of
Jesus, the apostles “Peter and John an-
swered and said unto them, Whether 1t be
right i the sight of God to hearken unto
vou more than unto God. judge ve. For
FEBRUARY, 1942
we cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard. . We ought to
obey God rather than men.”
When a labor union requires an oath of
its members swearing fidelity and alle-
giance in their obligations to the union and
requests them, in case there is a conflict of
claims, to abjure all fidelity and allegiance
which they owe to the government and to
God, 1t goes too far. That is totalitarian-
1s in its worst form. It 1s in direct viola-
tion of every fundamental principle of
government set forth in our matchless Con-
stitution. It subordinates the obligations
of man which he owes to God and religion
to the mere whims and caprices of finite
men. It enables a labor union to defy the
authority of civil government and set up
its selfish interests above that of the na-
tional mterests and welfare of the govern-
ment, even when the very existence of the
government 1s at stake. Common sense
and reason would naturally lead one to
the conclusion that man’s first duty is to
his Maker and that his obligations to his
government would come next.
The American government, under its
Constitution, offers religious liberty to all
its citizens, so long as they respect the
equal rights of their fellow men, but this
oath of the labor union not only trans-
cends the duties the mdividual owes to
hig government but those he owes to hig
God and his conscience. It ix destructive
of religious liberty.
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