To Florus 6.38

‘Otherwise,’ he says, ‘what will those baptized for the dead do, if the dead do not rise at all? Why are they baptized for them? Why do we also face danger every hour? I die daily, by the glory I have in you in the Lord. If, humanly speaking, I fought beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me if the dead do not rise? Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die’ (1 Corinthians 15:29–32).

If, he says, impious unbelief shakes this hope of future glory, in which God will be all in all, and denies resurrection of the dead, what will those baptized for the dead do? From this arose some people’s error: they think the early Gospel period had a custom whereby bystanders made the profession on behalf of corpses and even washed the dead person’s limbs with baptismal water. This plainly arose from ignorance. The apostle’s phrase ‘baptized for the dead’ indicates nothing other than what he said to the Romans: ‘We were buried with him through baptism into death’ (Romans 6:4).

That is: Why do we approach baptism in a spirit of putting our members to death thereafter and living wholly as dead, if there is no hope of living after death? Why, he says, do I submit to daily dangers, constantly encountering the death persecutors inflict, so that I may boast before God of your progress, if the dead do not rise? Why, humanly speaking, did I fight beasts at Ephesus—that is, endure the beastlike fury of rioters—if resurrection of the dead is still uncertain?

‘Do not be deceived: bad conversations corrupt good morals. Some have ignorance of God; I say this to your shame’ (1 Corinthians 15:33–34). Love of sins, he says, persuades you to distrust future things. People suppose there is no judgment so that they may sin more boldly. Those denying resurrection, he says, completely fail to understand God. You therefore deny not only reward but divine power, and should be deeply ashamed. I say it to your shame that such people can be found among you.