"But a dead person cannot be baptized," says one. Very true; but God is just. He has provided a way in which the dead can be baptized for, by the living, as shown by the Apostle Paul in his questions: "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?" Paul referred to baptism for the dead, as a proof of the resurrection, his questions showing plainly that "baptism for the dead" was both believed in and practiced by the early Christians. Peter says: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometimes were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water." That is: Those who rejected the Gospel in the days of Noah were kept in the prison of the spirit world until the Gospel was {151} again offered to them; and the same fate awaits all those who in this life reject this glad message. OBJECT OR PURPOSE OF BAPTISM. [Sidenote: The remission of sins.] [Sidenote: Mark 1: 4.] When John was in the wilderness he preached the "baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." [Sidenote: Acts 2: 38.] "On the day of Pentecost, many persons were convinced that Jesus was the Christ, and cried out, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter replied: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins." Here we find the inspired Apostle, after Christ's ascension into heaven, teaching that baptism is for the remission of sins. [Sidenote: The case of Paul.] [Sidenote: Acts 22: 16.] Paul saw a vision in which he was directed to go to a certain place, where it should be told him what to do. He did so, and there fasted and prayed three days. Then the Lord sent to him Ananias, who said, "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins." Why did not the Lord remit Paul's sins through his fasting and prayer? For the reason that He has instituted baptism for that purpose, and all who desire the blessing of remission of sins must comply with His law. [Sidenote: "Inward grace."] "But," says one, "that doctrine is strange to me; I was always taught that baptism was an outward sign of an inward grace." No such doctrine can be sustained by the Scripture. You must be baptized and have your sins washed away before you are even prepared for the reception of an "inward grace." "But Peter tells us," urges the objector, "that baptism is 'not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God.'" And Peter states the truth. Ananias did not tell Paul to be baptized and wash away "the filth of the flesh," but to be baptized and wash away his sins. [Sidenote: Infant baptism.] [Sidenote: Mark 10: 14.]