(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? (30) And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? (31) I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. (32) If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die. (33) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (34) Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Perhaps there is not a passage in the whole Bible attended with greater difficulty to understand, than this before us, of the being baptized for the dead. Various have been the opinions, both of the learned, and the unlearned upon it. By the learned, I mean the taught of God, John 6:45. And by the unlearned, men who profess great knowledge of the wisdom of this world, but were never taught of God. And numbers there are of this latter class which have written upon the word of God. From such, however, nothing can be learnt in divine things, no more than from the blind who fancy, but have no conception of colors. But, among the learned, the taught of God, there doth not appear to have been any who have been taught by God the Holy Ghost, concerning this baptism for the dead. And, therefore, what God hath not thought proper to explain, it should seem to be the wisdom of the Church rather to be silent upon, than by presuming on conjectures, to be in danger of attempting to be wise above what is written. I only venture, therefore, to observe upon it, that it serves to strengthen the views which the Gospel gives of the baptisms of the Spirit, so essentially necessary, as the Lord Jesus himself declared them, and so unimportant every other, where the Holy Ghost doth not accompany their use. Luke 24:49 with Acts 1:8; Acts 1:8.