Just yesterday, @MorningWire devoted over 30 minutes to demonic possession. Fr. Carlos Martins stated explicitly that, among Christian “denominations”, only the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches possess genuine authority over demonic possession and oppression.

Conclusion: Why Suffer for the Dead? Putting these passages together: Luke 12:50 establishes that Jesus describes His approaching Passion as a baptism. Mark 10:38–39 establishes that His disciples can share in that baptism of suffering. Romans 6:3–4 connects Christian baptism with participation in Christ’s death and resurrection. St. Francis de Sales offers an interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:29 in which Christians undergo penance and suffering on behalf of the departed. And immediately afterward, Paul discusses his own suffering in light of the resurrection. His rhetorical question could therefore be understood this way: If the dead are never raised, why would Christians willingly undergo suffering and penance on their behalf? This is not the only interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:29, nor is it a definitive proof of purgatory. But it is a possible Catholic interpretation that draws upon biblical language and the immediate context of Paul’s argument. The central point remains the same: Christians endure suffering in hope of the resurrection, because death does not have the final word.