Zone1 Do only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe the spirits of the dead live in the spirit world?

[Cougarbear]

1Peter 3:18-20, "18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

1Peter 4:5-6, "5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

1Corinthians 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?

Now, how could spirits of the dead be preached to if they were incapable of hearing and seeing. 1Cor 15:29 make more sense if one could believe their physical ears and eyes. The Saints in Paul's time were baptizing for the dead because Peter and Paul taught that the spirits were living and being preached to. Baptism is an earthly ordinance that has to be performed on this earth by earthly bodies that are living. So, vicariously, in the place of, we are baptized for those who are dead but living and accepting the gospel and Christ in the here after in Paradise.

For those of you who are Christian, why does your Churches not baptize for your dead relatives? In ancient times, the people had these letters written and sent to them. They knew these same words and did the works for their dead. The very same words. Ezekiel 12:2, "Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house."

Atheists and Non-Christians can sit this one out.

 

[Esdraelon]

My upbringing was in the Baptist church and my understanding of this issue is that Christ is the one who, between His crucifiction and ressurrection, visited those departed who had never had the opportunity to accept His gift of grace. I never heard it preached that anyone can be baptized or otherwise interceded for such that they find salvation AFTER they refused to accept it while alive. To use an outrageous (hopefully not offensive) example, if a person can be saved by their family baptising them after they are dead then why wouldn't that apply to Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin...
His gift is free to us but if we never accept it in our lifetime, then have we not made a choice?

 

[1srelluc]

 

[Cougarbear]

My upbringing was in the Baptist church and my understanding of this issue is that Christ is the one who, between His crucifiction and ressurrection, visited those departed who had never had the opportunity to accept His gift of grace. I never heard it preached that anyone can be baptized or otherwise interceded for such that they find salvation AFTER they refused to accept it while alive. To use an outrageous (hopefully not offensive) example, if a person can be saved by their family baptising them after they are dead then why wouldn't that apply to Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin...
His gift is free to us but if we never accept it in our lifetime, then have we not made a choice?

The baptism is a “works” of faith and required to enter the Kingdom of God. The Lord was clear in the Bible that without baptism by water and the Spirit no one can enter. That’s why the Saints in Paul and Peter’s time were baptizing for their dead (1Cor.15:29).

So, I agree with you that did the Lord go also and preach to the likes of Hitler, Stalin…? Based on 1Peter chapter 3, he did preach to the wicked in the days of Noah. And let’s not forget the Lord isn’t going to leave David in hell either. So, where to the wicked who after being preached to in the spirit world go in the resurrection? I would question that it would be the highest glory where the righteous are while in life. But, Paul was caught up in the 3rd and highest part or kingdom in Heaven. There are then 2 other parts that are less glorified than what Paul saw. Chapter 15 of First Corinthians gives 3 levels of glory. The lowest is where I’d expect their eventual outcome may be. Not the middle or highest. It all depends upon repent and The Father, Son and Holy Ghost will certainly know the hearts of the tyrants at the judgement day if they are sincere. I’m glad I’m not judging them.