1Corinthians 15:27-29 For he has put all things under his feet. But when he said all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 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?
‘He has put all things under his feet’ – the purpose of the first 1,000 years of the eternal reign of Christ is to put all enemies down and rid the earth of all rebellion (15:24-28; Eph. 1:10; Heb. 2:8; Rev. 20:1-15).
‘He is excepted’ – the Father is the excepted one.
‘Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him.’ The Son and His millennial earthly kingdom do not cease to exist for both are eternal. The Son will continue to reign under the Father forever after the earth is rid of all rebellion (Isa. 9:6-7; Dan. 2:44-45; 7:13-14, 18, 27; Zech. 14:1-21; Luke 1:32-33; Rev. 5:10; 11:15; 22:5).
‘That God may be all in all’ – The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will reign together throughout all eternity, as before the rebellion which made it necessary for them to take separate parts in the creation and redemption of all things.
‘Why are they then baptized for the dead?’ Baptism for the Dead – Unscriptural for 7 reasons: It is a law of Scripture that every doctrine must be proved by two or more scriptures (2Cor. 13:1; Matt. 18:16; Deut. 19:15-18) but this verse is the only one casually mentioning the subject. The Corinthians were involved in many errors and heresies (11:19). Baptism for the dead was only one of them. Baptism in water does not save a living man who repents and meets the gospel conditions of salvation. Therefore, it could not save a dead man who did not meet conditions while he was alive (Luke 13:1-5; Rom. 10:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9; 1Jn. 1:9). Salvation is a personal matter and cannot be obtained by proxy (Mark 16:16; Luke 13:1-5; John 3:16-20; Acts 3:19; Rom. 1:16; 10:9-10; Eph. 2:8-9; Rev. 22:17). There is no command or example of baptism for the dead in Scripture. The simple truth is that Paul is here showing the inconsistency of false teachers at Corinth in denying the doctrine of the resurrection and yet accepting the fallacy of baptism for the dead. He does not sanction such a doctrine or practice just because he makes one passing reference to this error. One might as well believe there is no resurrection of the dead on the basis of false teachers saying there is none (15:12), as to believe in their practice of baptism for the dead (15:29).
Living the Word 