A Homily on the Various States of Human Nature in Relation to Good and Evil (Part 3)

With special precision and detail the holy Apostle Paul explains the sacrament of Baptism: “Those baptized in Jesus Christ”, he says, were immersed “in His death. We have therefore been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be united with the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, so that we are no longer enslaved to sin. For he who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him, knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died to sin once for all: but in that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”[1][2][3] (Rom. 6:3–13). From this again it is evident that Baptism is at once mortification and vivification. When the forefathers sinned, death immediately struck the soul, the Holy Spirit, who constituted the true life of soul and body, immediately departed from the soul, evil immediately entered the soul, constituting the true death of soul and body. The warning of the Creator was fulfilled literally: “From the tree of which you taste, knowing good and evil, you shall not eat of it; but in the day in which you eat from it, you shall surely die.” (Gen. 2:17).[4] Death in one instant made the spiritual man fleshly and soulish, the holy one sinful, the incorruptible corruptible; it gave the body density, infirmity, unclean lusts; and finally struck down the body after the passage of many centuries. Holy Baptism, on the contrary, brings resurrection to the soul, transforms the fleshly and sinful man into a spiritual and holy one, mortifies the body of sin, that is, the fleshly condition of man, sanctifies not only the soul of man, but also his body, grants it the capacity to rise in glory; the resurrection itself will be accomplished later, at the time appointed by God. Just as between the manifestation of death in man, not manifest to fleshly eyes, and the separation of soul from body, manifest even to fleshly eyes, considerable time passed, so also between the manifestation of life in man and the quickening of this life of the body, which will be united with the soul again, there is appointed a time known only to God alone. What the soul is to the body, the Holy Spirit is to all man, to his soul and body. As the body dies the death by which all animals die when the soul leaves it, so all man, both body and soul, dies with respect to true life, with respect to God, when the Holy Spirit leaves man. As the body lives and is raised when the soul returns into it, so all man, both body and soul, lives and is raised spiritually when the Holy Spirit returns to him. This quickening and resurrection of man is accomplished in the sacrament of holy Baptism.[5] The son of first-created Adam is quickened and raised through holy Baptism, but no longer in that state of integrity and holiness in which Adam was created; he is quickened and raised in a state incomparably higher, in the state granted to humanity by God, who assumed humanity. The men renewed by Baptism are clothed not in the original, spotless image of first-created man, but in the image of the heavenly Man, the God-man. The second image is as much superior to the first as the God-man surpasses the first man in his state of integrity.

The change produced by holy Baptism in man is fully evident, is fully felt, yet this change remains unknown to the majority of Christians: we are baptized in infancy, from childhood devoted to occupations belonging to the passing world and fallen nature, we cloud in ourselves the Spiritual Gift granted by holy Baptism, as the radiance of the sun is dimmed by thick clouds. But the gift is not annihilated; it continues to remain in us throughout the whole time of our earthly life. The sun is not annihilated and continues to exist when covered by clouds. Only when the baptized man abandons the activity of fallen nature, begins to wash away his transgressions with tears of repentance, crucifies the flesh with its passions and desires, enters upon the field of activity of the New Man—the gift of the Spirit begins again to manifest its presence in the baptized, to develop, to prevail. Cleansing through repentance is a consequence and action of grace planted by Baptism.[6] Repentance is a renewal, a restoration of the condition produced by Baptism. The one cleansed by repentance can have an experiential understanding of the change produced in man by Baptism.

“When we are baptized,” says the holy John Chrysostom, “then the soul, being cleansed by the Spirit, shines brighter than the sun, and not only do we behold the Glory of God, but we also draw from it a certain radiance. As pure silver placed against the rays of the sun itself also emits rays, not only by its own nature, but from the radiance of the sun, in the same way the soul, being cleansed and made brighter than silver, receives from the Spirit a ray of glory and in turn emits it.”[7]

In the Book of Acts, although there is no direct, factual exposition of the change produced in the baptized by the sacrament of holy Baptism—because in the ancient Church it was known to all what change Baptism produced—for all this change was evident in the fruits of the Holy Spirit, most of which were revealed immediately after baptism—yet are described cases which have preserved for posterity proof of this change. Thus, when the eunuch of the Ethiopian queen was baptized and went up from the water, the Holy Spirit immediately descended upon him; the eunuch, no longer needing a teacher—the Spirit became his sufficient teacher—went on his way with joy, though he had only just learned about the Lord Jesus Christ from a very brief discourse with the Apostle Philip (Acts 8:39). Upon Cornelius the centurion, a pagan, and other pagans who were with him and believed in the Lord, the Holy Spirit descended even before baptism, and they began to speak in foreign languages completely unknown to them before, proclaiming the greatness of God, which they had up to that moment not understood at all (Acts 10:44–48). Despite the fact that the Spirit had already descended upon them, the holy Apostle Peter commanded them to be baptized in water, by the urgent requirement of the sacrament. Church history has preserved for us an event of the greatest importance. The Roman Emperor Diocletian, in whose time was raised the most cruel persecution of Christians, spent the greater part of the year 304 after the birth of Christ in Rome. He came to the capital to celebrate his victories over the Persians. Among the other entertainments to which the emperor devoted himself was a visit to the theater. A certain Genesius, a comic actor, greatly amused the public with improvisations. One day, acting in the theater in the presence of the emperor and a large assembly of people, he, pretending to be ill, lay on a bed and said: “Ah, my friends! I feel very bad: I wish you would comfort me.” The other actors answered: “How can we comfort you? Do you wish us to scrape you with a scraper to make you feel better?” “Fools!” he answered. “I want to die a Christian.” “Why?” they said. “So that on this great day God will receive me as a prodigal son.” At once a priest and an exorcist were sent for. They, that is, the actors representing them, came, sat by the bed on which Genesius lay, and said to him:[8] “My son, why have you called us?” He answered: “Because I want to receive mercy from Jesus Christ, and be reborn for liberation from my sins.” They performed over him the entire rite of the holy sacrament, then clothed him, according to the custom of the newly baptized, in a white garment. Then soldiers, continuing the game, took him and presented him to the emperor, as if for interrogation, like martyrs. Genesius said: “Emperor and all his court! Wise men of this city! Hear me. Whenever it happened that I heard the name of Christian, I felt a dreadful aversion to this name, I heaped curses upon those who remained in the profession of this name, I even hated my own relatives and loved ones on account of the Christian name, I despised this faith so much that with precision I studied its mysteries to amuse you with representations of them. But when water, undressing me, touched me, when I, being asked, answered that I believe, I saw a hand descending from heaven, and around it descended upon me radiant angels. They read in a certain book all the sins I had committed from childhood, washed them away with that very water in which I was baptized before your eyes, and then showed me the book, which turned out to be clean (unwritten), like snow. Therefore, great emperor and people, you who have ridiculed the Christian mysteries, believe, as I have believed, that Jesus Christ is the true Lord, that He is the Light of Truth, and that through Him you can obtain forgiveness.” Diocletian, brought to extreme fury by these words, ordered Genesius to be beaten severely with sticks, then he was handed over to Prefect Placidian to compel him to make offerings to idols. For a considerable time he was flayed with iron nails and burned with burning torches. Amid these torments he cried out: “There is no other king except Him whom I saw! I honor Him and serve Him! And even if I were deprived of life a thousand times for serving Him—I will always belong to Him! Torments will not tear Jesus Christ out of my mouth or my heart. I deeply regret my error, the aversion I had toward His holy Name, and that I became His worshipper so late.” Genesius’s head was cut off. Saint Gregory the Theologian, in his funeral oration for his father according to the flesh, Gregory, bishop of Nazianzus, who received holy Baptism already in advanced age, speaks as follows: “The father approaches the rebirth through water and Spirit, through which, as we confess, before God man is formed and perfected as a Christian, the earthly is transformed into spirit and is rebuilt. And he approaches the washing with burning desire, with bright hope, having purified himself beforehand as much as he could, becoming in soul and body far purer than those preparing to receive the tablets from Moses. Their purification extended only to their garments, consisted of a brief period of continence and in restraining somewhat the belly; but for him the whole of his past life was preparation for enlightenment and purification up to purification, protecting the gift, so that perfection be entrusted to purity, and the granted good not be endangered by habits opposing grace. As he came up from the water, light and glory befitting the disposition with which he approached the gift of faith shine upon him. This was evident to others also. Though they kept the wonder silent at that time, not daring to make it known, because each considered himself alone to have seen it, yet soon they communicated it to one another. But to the one who baptized and accomplished it through the sacrament, the vision was very clear and plain, and he could not keep it secret, but proclaimed to all that he had anointed the Spirit his successor.” Here Saint Gregory the Theologian calls holy Baptism rebirth through water and spirit, enlightenment, purification, gift, perfection, granted good, gift of faith, sacrament. In his Discourse on Baptism, the Theologian speaks thus: “This gift, like its giver, Christ, is called by many different names, and this happens either because it is very pleasing to us—he who has a strong love for something usually hears with pleasure even the names of the beloved—or because the manifold benefits contained in it have produced in us various names for it. We call it a gift, grace, baptism, anointing, enlightenment, a garment of incorruptibility, a bath of rebirth, a seal—everything honorable for us.” In this same discourse, Saint Gregory exclaims:[9] “To know the power of this sacrament is already enlightenment!” Thus did Saint Gregory the Theologian, baptized in mature age, understand holy Baptism, having learned from his own experience and from the experience of other holy men contemporary with him, that inexpressible change, that complete rebirth, that new life which is felt from the sacrament of Baptism by those baptized worthily, who have prepared themselves for Baptism in the proper manner, and therefore have felt and known all its power. As we have seen, Gregory the Theologian mentions the radiant shining of his parent with a wondrous Light as he came up from the font. Gregory’s friend, Saint Basil the Great, archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, also experienced a very palpable action of the sacrament. This is recounted in his life.[10][11][12]

Careful preparation before receiving holy Baptism is necessary. In careful preparation is contained an indispensable condition so that the great sacrament may bear abundantly its fruit, so that it may serve to salvation rather than to greater condemnation. This is spoken to explain the sacrament and especially for those approaching it not in infancy, in which by the circumstances of the present time almost all of us receive Baptism. Preparation for holy Baptism is genuine repentance. Genuine repentance is an indispensable condition so that holy Baptism be received in a worthy manner, to the salvation of the soul. Such repentance consists in acknowledging one’s sins as sins, in sorrow for them, in their confession, in abandoning a sinful life. In other words: repentance is awareness of the fall, awareness of the need for a Redeemer, repentance is condemnation of one’s fallen nature and renunciation of it for renewed nature. It is necessary that our vessel—by vessel I mean the mind, heart, and body of man in relation to Divine grace—be cleansed to receive and preserve the Spiritual Gift granted by holy Baptism. It is necessary that this vessel not only be cleansed, but also examined carefully; it is necessary that any damage in it, especially cracks, be carefully repaired; if they remain unrepaired, the living water (Jn. 7:38), poured into the vessel by holy Baptism, will not be retained in the vessel: it will flow out of it, to the greatest misfortune. By cracks I mean sinful habits. It is necessary that our Jerusalem be surrounded on all sides, as if by walls, by good morals and customs: only then can the sacrifice and whole offering be brought in the font of Baptism, our fallen nature, and the renewed nature, granted by Baptism, become an altar acceptable for bringing sacrifices and whole offerings pleasing to God (Ps. 50:20–21). Without such preparation what benefit can Baptism have? What benefit can Baptism have when we, receiving it in mature years, understand nothing of its significance? What benefit can Baptism have when we, receiving it in infancy, afterward remain in complete ignorance of what we have received? Yet we have received an invaluable Gift, we have taken upon ourselves a terrible obligation; responsibility for this obligation is as immeasurable and infinite as the Gift is immeasurable and infinite. What benefit can Baptism have when we do not understand our fall, do not even acknowledge that our nature is in a state of the most grievous falling? When we consider the worthless good of fallen nature to be elegant and pleasing? When we strive stubbornly to do this good, not noticing that it only feeds and nourishes in us our self-love, only removes us more and more from God, only strengthens and stamps our fall and separation? What benefit can Baptism have when we do not count even mortal sins as sins—for example, adultery with all its branches—but call them enjoying life? When we do not know that our nature has been renewed by Baptism? When we completely neglect the activity according to the laws of renewed nature, heap curses and mockery upon it? John, the Forerunner of the Lord, whose baptism was only a baptism introducing to repentance, and not granting the Heavenly Kingdom, required of those coming to him for baptism a confession of sins, not having need of this confession himself as John of the Ladder notes, but caring for the spiritual benefit of those baptized by him.[13] Indeed: how can a man enter upon the field of repentance without confessing his sins? How will he know the degree of importance of different sins and the manner of repentance for them, if an experienced spiritual director does not tell him both one and the other? How will he become familiar without a guide with spiritual weapons, with their use against sinful thoughts and feelings, against sinful habits, against passions rooted from long ago? Confession of sins is indispensable both so that one may repent properly of sins committed beforehand, and so that one may guard oneself in the future from falling into sins. Confession of sins has always been recognized in the Church of Christ as an inseparable aspect of repentance. It was required of all those intending to be baptized with the purpose that the holy Baptism granted might be received and preserved as a great, unrepeatable sacrament should be received and preserved. Finally, repentance is an ordinance of God and a Gift of God to fallen humanity.

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Mt. 3:2), proclaimed the holy Forerunner to those coming to him and receiving from him the baptism of repentance. By the Heavenly Kingdom, as the Forerunner subsequently explained, was signified in his preaching the holy New Testament sacrament of Baptism (Mt. 3:11). To receive the Heavenly Kingdom, repentance is necessary. The Saviour of the world required repentance of men so as to grant men the gift of salvation through holy Baptism, so as to make men capable of receiving the heavenly spiritual Gift. “Repent,” he said, “for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Mt. 4:17); “repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mk. 1:15). For you everything has already been done; from you is sought no labour, no struggle, no contribution to the gift! From you is sought only one thing: purification through repentance, because to the unclean and those not wishing to be clean it is impossible to entrust the priceless, all-holy, spiritual treasure. Sending His disciples on a mission to preach, the God-man commanded them to proclaim to mankind repentance on account of the approaching Heavenly Kingdom (Mt. 10:7). Apostle Paul speaks of himself that he, wandering throughout the world, proclaimed to all, both Jews and Greeks, repentance, conversion to God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Act 20:21). When in Jerusalem thousands of Jews believed in the Saviour as a result of the preaching of the holy Apostle Peter and asked him and the other Apostles: “What shall we do, brothers?” Then Apostle Peter said: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Act 2:37–38). Everywhere we see repentance as the only entrance, the only ladder, the only porch before Faith, the Gospel, the Heavenly Kingdom, before God, before all Christian sacraments, before holy Baptism—this birth of man into Christianity. It is necessary to renounce the former sinful life and to resolve to conduct one’s life according to Gospel commandments, so as to receive worthily and be able to preserve worthily in oneself the Gift of the Holy Spirit received at Baptism. The Church pastors of the Christian Church of the first centuries took all possible care so that holy Baptism, which was then accepted almost exclusively in mature age, be received by those receiving it with full understanding of the Spiritual Gift received.[14]

And upon present-day pastors lies a sacred, indispensable duty to provide accurate and detailed understanding of holy Baptism to those who received the sacrament in infancy and therefore have no experiential knowledge of the sacrament. The Gift has been received by them: an accounting for the use of the Gift is unavoidable. Timely preparation for the accounting is necessary, is most necessary! Careless and ignorant stewardship of the Gift entails the most disastrous consequences. Whoever does not use the Gift according to the will and command of the Giver, whoever does not develop in himself the grace of Baptism through action according to Gospel commandments, but hides the talent entrusted to him in the earth—that is, buries, entombs the grace of Baptism, destroys in himself all its action, having wholly given himself over to earthly concerns and pleasures—from him the grace of Baptism will be taken away at the judgment of Christ. The unworthy steward of it will be cast “into the outer darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt. 25:30). To have proper understanding of the important significance of holy Baptism, one must live a life pleasing to God, an evangelical life: it alone with due clarity and satisfaction opens to the Christian the mysteries of Christianity.[15]

Baptism is an unrepeatable sacrament. “I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins,” proclaims the Orthodox Symbol of Faith. Just as birth into being can happen once, so birth into rebirth—Baptism—can happen once. Just as various ailments befalling man after his birth, attacking, shaking, destroying his being, are cured by various medicines, which find their support in the vital force communicated with being: so also various sins committed after Baptism, attacking and disturbing man’s spiritual life, are cured by repentance, whose efficacy is based on the grace of the Holy Spirit planted in man by holy Baptism, and consists in developing this grace, suppressed and stifled by sins. “Christ,” says the Venerable Mark the Ascetic, “as perfect God granted to those baptized the perfect grace of the Holy Spirit, which admits no addition from us, but reveals itself to us and appears in the measure of our fulfillment of the commandments, and provides for us an increase, so that we all might come to ‘the unity of faith, in a perfect man, in the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ’ (Eph. 4:13). By unity of faith is understood here the absorption of all the Christian’s activity by faith, whereby all activity serves as an expression of spiritual understanding or the Gospel. So, whatever we bring Him (Christ), after our rebirth (through Baptism), was already from Him and by Him planted in us (at the sacrament of Baptism).”[16]

6. On the renewal of redeemed nature through repentance in case of its damage