Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists

19. Gottfred Oosterwal, "Every Member a
Minister? From Baptism to a Theological
Base," Ministry, Feb. 1980, pp. 4-7. See also
Rex D. Edwards, "Baptism as Ordination,"
Ministry, Aug. 1983, pp. 4-6.
20. White in SDA Bible Commentary, rev. ed., vol.
6, p. 1075.
21. If there are qualifications for baptism, how can
one be "baptized for the dead"? The following
interpretation preserves the harmony of the
Biblical message: In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul
stresses the significance of the resurrection
from the dead and rejects the notion that there
is no resurrection. He shows that if there is no
resurrection the believer's faith is in vain and
futile (1 Cor. 15:14, 17). Along the same lines
he argues "what will they do who are baptized
for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why
then are they baptized for the dead?" (1 Cor.
15:29).
Some have interpreted the expression "baptized
for the dead" as a reference to vicarious
baptism by believers for dead persons. In light
of the Biblical qualifications for baptism one
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