Thanks for posting this.
Many people are confused about what it is and think it is a sleeping period before being resurrected.
I have a friend who is Catholic, I am not, and I have attempted to explain this many times. For some reason, she is stuck on this head thought that as a Baptist(Protestant) we are completely different.
I of course see us all as part of the larger part of the body of Christ and since I was young and having gone to missionary school I probably read and understood quite a bit more of Biblical intention than many.
Not that I am any thing close to a theologian.
I am going to forward this to her and since it’s fairly concise perhaps it will be informative.
It is interesting that the Mormons have a similar process in their belief system but, it extends to all who are dead and will be given the opportunity to convert to Mormonism. Also interesting in that they have a “prayers for the dead” ritual which makes the unliving Mormons.
Many years ago, I worked for an international airline and my manager was a Mormon. Having been educated in catholic schools for 12 years, I thought I knew my faith until he challenged me on certain doctrines. What riled me up, however, was the Mormon church's plan to amass the birth records of every human being so they could baptize them in the Mormon church.
Several weeks ago, while listening to one of the readings in my catholic church, I was taken aback to hear this practice of baptizing the dead, goes back to the very early church. See 1 Corinthians 15:29. Perhaps that is the genesis of the Mormon practice.
“Soul sleep” is not what Scripture teaches (see #26). but the believers go to be with the Lord, while Paul’s mention of baptism for the dead* (vicarious baptism, which is attested to being practiced by such as the Marcionites in post apostolic times), was likely only in the interest of attesting to belief in the resurrection.
Paul also quoted a pagan philosopher in support of the truth that there is one God, (Acts 17:28) though this does not sanction all that such a pagan may do in worshiping such. And the fact is that the devils attest to the reality that there is one God, for they tremble at the realization of that, (Ja. 2:19) yet demons are wrong. Thus vicarious baptism attests to the resurrection, though the practice does not have Scriptural support.
Yet the Mormonic practice of baptism for the dead is the type of aberration most often seen among those who exalt another authority above Scripture, thus their teachings need not rest upon the weight of Scriptural warrant.
And and the Roman church comes close to supporting vicarious baptism with its infant baptism by proxy faith, but there is no example of anyone being saved or baptized who could fulfil the stated requirements for baptism, that of repentance and faith. (Acts 2:38; 8:36,27) Thus support must be derived upon the unprovable premise that household baptisms included infants, though even there faith is indicated where by any further description is given.
*1Co 15:29 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?