Why do you baptize children in the names of dead people?
~”Why do you baptize children in the names of dead people?”~
Small children do not participate. Young men and young women can begin participating in vicarious baptisms for the dead at age 12.
The reason for it is that we believe that a person must receive certain ordinances, of which baptism by proper authority is one, in order to return to God. We share this trait with most Christians, for whom baptism is a necessary ritual.
But what of those that never have the opportunity? Are they to be condemned? What kind of justice would that be?
We believe that God has commanded us to perform this work in vicarious fashion for those who are dead. Such people have a choice in the life to come as to whether or not to accept the ordinance; but the opportunity is to be given to all.
It’s a great testament to the mercy and love of God for all His children.
The principle of vicarious work for others has ample Biblical precedent, the most striking of which is Christ’s vicarious atonement for our sins.