Is Baptism for the Dead Scriptural?

One of many aberrant doctrines of the LDS church is baptism for the dead. They get this notion from 1 Corinthians 15:29 (KJV) which reads, "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?"

As you can tell from the context of the chapter, the Apostle Paul is speaking about the hope of resurrection. He only threw in that aberrant notion of certain first-century cults to make his point about the hope of our physical resurrection.

As I pointed out in my previous post, baptism doesn't save any one. Even so, Mormons are taught that they can be baptized for those who would have believe had they heard the gospel.

Doctrine and Covenants Section 137:7-9 reads,  "Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying: 'All who have died without a knowledge of this  gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; Also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it,who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom; For I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.'"

But the Bible says that death is the cut-off point. Discussing Christ's death paying, once for all, for the sins of those who ask his forgiveness, Hebrews 9:27 (KJV) reads, "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"

Then there's the part of Luke's gospel, chapter sixteen, which describes what happens after death and that nobody can cross from hell to heaven. That "great gulf" allows no exceptions.

This reality of eternal damnation is one reason for writing my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Blasphemous teachings like the baptism for the dead lead people to think that preaching the gospel isn't vital in this life. As we know, hell is one topic Jesus was absolutely serious about in his warnings to believers.