What is the true meaning of the rite of baptism. Feast of the Epiphany

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; and whoever does not believe will be condemned.

(Mark 16, 16).

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

(John 3:5).

Baptism, not the washing away of fleshly uncleanness, but the promise to God of a good conscience, saves through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(1 Pet. 3:21).

Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we are united with Him by the likeness of His death, then we must also be united by the likeness of the resurrection, knowing that our old man was crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be abolished, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for the one who died was freed from sin. If we died with Christ, then we believe that we will live with Him, knowing that Christ, having risen from the dead, no longer dies: death no longer has power over Him. For if He died, He died once to sin; and what he lives, he lives for God. So consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(Rom. 6:3-11).

All of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

(Gal. 3:27).

Put off your former way of life, the old man, which is being corrupted by the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man, created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.

(Eph. 4:22-24).

Arise, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will illuminate you.

(Eph. 5:14).

Holy Baptism is like a door through which those being baptized enter the Church of God. Faith in Christ, the Son of God, is like the key that opens this door of salvation.

1) We then renounce Satan and all his evil deeds. Satan is a crafty and evil spirit; He was created by a good God, but with his like-minded people he departed from Him, and so from light he became dark, and from good he became evil and evil. His deeds are as follows: idolatry, pride, wickedness, lies, flattery, cunning, envy, malice, theft, adultery, fornication, all uncleanness, slander, blasphemy and every sin. For he is the inventor of sin, he deceived our first parents in paradise and led them to sin and apostasy from God. From this evil spirit and before Baptism we renounce all his evil deeds.
2) We renounce all the vanity, pride and pomp of this world, as those called and renewed to eternal life.
3) We promise to serve Christ, the Son of God, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, with faith and truth and to follow His footsteps.
4) This is how the covenant is established between God and us. We, having renounced Satan, promise to serve God and be faithful to Him. God accepts us in His highest mercy, and promises us the inheritance of eternal life and the kingdom, and we, defiled by sins, washes, sanctifies and justifies us with the bath of Baptism, therefore the priest greets each baptized person: Thou art washed, thou art sanctified, thou art justified (see. 1 Cor. 6, 11).

Holy Baptism does not bring any benefit to those Christians who do not try to keep their vows given at Baptism, but return back from the holy commandment handed down to them (2 Pet. 2, 22)┘
Baptism is so useless for those Christians who turn their hearts to the world as to Egypt, and serve the lusts of their flesh, love honor, glory, wealth and other vanities of this world, and have and honor all of this as if they were God.

Since a person consists of two parts, soul and body, the purification is twofold: incorporeal for the incorporeal, and bodily for the body. Water cleanses the body, and the spirit seals the soul, so that we can approach God with a heart sprinkled and a body washed with clean water. So, when you go down to the water, you will not plain water imagine, but expect salvation from the action of the Holy Spirit. For without both, it is impossible for you to achieve perfection.
The Comforter will always keep you, will take care of you as his warrior, both when you enter and when you leave, and when evil is plotted against you. He will give you all kinds of gifts if you do not offend Him with your sins. For it is written: (Eph. 4:30).

Those who are baptized in the Catholic Church through baptism are given mysterious grace and live in them secretly; then, as you do the commandments and have mental hope, it is revealed in the believer, according to the word of the Lord: Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture says, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. This He said about the Spirit, which those who believed in Him were about to receive. (John 7, 38-39).
To firm believers the Holy Spirit is given immediately in baptism; but we ourselves insult and extinguish Him within ourselves. Why does the apostle command: Don't quench the spirit (1 Sol. 5, 19), do not offend the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Eph. 4:30).

In His death we all died, and in His resurrection we all rose again. But everyone becomes a partaker of these blessings in holy Baptism, where he dies for one life and comes to life and is resurrected for another...

Baptism gives us something that nothing else on earth except it can give us. It combines and dissolves Divine grace with our nature, so that a person emerges from the baptismal font the same as some product comes out of a workshop, for example a bell, in which silver has been poured onto copper. A similar copper bell without silver looks the same as this one with silver; but their composition is different, their sound is different, their honor and price are different. This is the difference between a baptized and an unbaptized person. This difference is that the grace of the Holy Spirit is combined with the baptized, since the one baptized with water is baptized at the same time with the Holy Spirit. In appearance, he is the same person as the unbaptized one, but in reality, in their composition, they are different, very different. Thus, in Holy Baptism, a new element, supernatural, is infused into our natural (damaged in the fall) composition, and remains hidden and secretly active in us.

At baptism, a person is forgiven his original sin, borrowed from his forefathers, and his own sins committed before baptism. At baptism, a person is given spiritual freedom: he is no longer raped by sin, but can choose good or evil at will. At baptism, Satan, who lives in every person of fallen nature, is expelled from the person; It is left to the will of a baptized person to either remain the temple of God and be free from Satan, or remove God from himself and again become the dwelling place of Satan. At baptism, a person puts on Christ. At baptism, all people receive equality, because the dignity of every Christian is the same. It is Christ. This dignity is infinitely great, in it all earthly differences between people are destroyed...

Grace again approaches the one redeemed by the blood of the God-man, the one who is reconciled with God, the one who renounces his mind and will, the one who buries in the font of baptism the attractions of fallen nature, his life is the cause of death... A baptized person, doing good, which belongs to a renewed nature, develops in himself the grace of the All-Holy Spirit received at baptism, which, being unchangeable in itself, shines brighter in a person to the extent of Christ's goodness done by him: so the sun's ray, which does not change in itself, shines brighter as the sky is free of clouds. On the contrary, by doing evil after baptism, bringing activity to fallen nature, reviving it, a person loses more or less spiritual freedom: sin again gains violent power over a person; the devil again enters into man, becomes his ruler and leader... Spiritual freedom is completely lost if a baptized person allows himself to live according to the mind and will of the fallen nature: because the baptized person has renounced his nature and has committed himself in all actions, words, thoughts and sensations to manifest one renewed nature by the God-man, that is, to live solely according to the will and mind of the Lord Jesus Christ, otherwise, according to the Gospel commandments and teachings. Following one’s fallen nature, following one’s mind and will, is an active rejection of Christ and the renewal He gave at Baptism┘

The change produced by holy Baptism in a person is quite clear, completely felt, but this change remains unknown to most Christians: we are baptized in infancy, from childhood we indulge in activities that belong to the transitory world and fallen nature, we darken within ourselves the Spiritual Gift given by holy Baptism how the radiance of the sun is darkened by thick clouds. But the gift is not destroyed; it continues to reside in us throughout our earthly life. This way the sun, covered by clouds, is not destroyed and continues to exist.

A baptized person does not have the right to act according to the attraction of heartfelt feelings, depending on the influence of flesh and blood on the heart, no matter how good these feelings may seem: only those good deeds are accepted from him, to the commission of which the Spirit of God and the Word of God excite the heart, which belong to nature, renewed by Christ.

Whoever does not use the Gift according to the desire and command of the Giver, who does not develop in himself the grace of Baptism by acting according to the Gospel commandments, but hides the talent entrusted to him in the ground - that is, buries, buries the grace of Baptism, destroys all its effects in himself, completely abandoning himself to earthly things cares and pleasures - the grace of Baptism will be taken away from him at the judgment of Christ. Its unworthy owner will be thrown into utter darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 25, 30). To have a proper understanding of importance of Holy Baptism, one must lead a life pleasing to God, an evangelical one: this alone reveals to the Christian the mysteries of Christianity with due clarity and satisfaction.

When we are baptized, then the soul, purified by the Spirit, shines brighter than the sun, and not only do we see the Glory of God, but we also borrow some radiance from it. How pure silver, put against sun rays, itself also emits rays, not only by its nature, but also from the radiance of the sun, in the same way the soul, being purified and made lighter than silver, receives a ray of glory from the Spirit and mutually emits it.

Know for sure that every good that works in you mentally and in secret was the mediator of Baptism and Faith, by which you were called by our Lord Jesus Christ to His good works.

From every person who has received baptism, God requires three virtues: right faith with all the soul and with all the strength, abstinence of the tongue and purity of the body.

We are baptizing a child. What do we expect, if anything at all? Why do we think this makes sense? Because we believe that, consciously or not, the living spirit, alive soul a child is able to meet the Living God face to face. Regardless of any psychological perception, any intellectual or emotional response, the living soul encounters the Living God, and the sacraments of the Church are addressed to this living soul, which in its knowledge of God does not depend on the intellect, or on consciousness, or on anything like that.

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The Feast of the Epiphany is celebrated Orthodox Church January 19th (when changing the date to a new style). The full name of the holiday is the Baptism of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ. This holiday comes immediately after the 11 days dedicated to Christmastide. shared by two Orthodox holidays - Christmas and Epiphany (January 6 and 19, respectively). The holiday is called Epiphany in memory of the biblical events of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River (this day is also called Epiphany).
Christmas is preceded by a long Nativity Fast (from November 28 to January 6), after Christmas - the time of “bright evenings”, otherwise Christmastide, when an abundance of dishes appears on the table after a long break, on January 18 - again strict fast(though very short, this is Epiphany Christmas Eve), finally, on the 19th - Epiphany. MirSovetov tells us what is important and useful to know about the holiday.

About the Feast of the Epiphany

From childhood, many remember cartoons like “The Night Before Christmas”, and the works of Nikolai Gogol, in which a lot of space is devoted, in fact, to Christmastide. Children's perception easily highlights Christmas, followed by the week and a half of Christmastide with caroling, but Epiphany is remembered by few. Probably, those who live far from large bodies of water, where they can break through a noble Epiphany ice-hole in winter, which in big cities, you see, is problematic to do, probably have no impressions of the holiday...
Already the Church Council of the mid-6th century officially named the 12 days between Christmas and Epiphany as holidays. Initially, the feast of Epiphany was called “Epiphany”, which, in fact, is translated as the Apparition (another option is “Theophany”, otherwise Epiphany). In Gospel times, Jesus was baptized in the water of the Jordan by John the Baptist, from which came the custom of making an ice hole in the shape of a cross on this day and diving into it naked (in countries with the Orthodox religion, where water bodies freeze in winter). Also one of the names of the holiday is Enlightenment.
Epiphany refers to the twelve Orthodox holidays allocated by the church. The twelve are the 12 most important holidays after Easter in the Orthodox tradition.
Epiphany is considered the third holiday in the Orthodox hierarchy: only holidays and are considered more important than Epiphany.
Many of us associate baptism with the rite of “baptism,” that is, conversion to the Orthodox faith. Many people predict the day of their conversion to Orthodoxy for this holiday.
Most people associate baptism with the so-called “Epiphany frosts”, when long time are very expensive low temperatures, but the cold, nevertheless, does not dampen the festive mood.
A distinctive feature of the behavior of the clergy on this day is that for the holiday they dress in white vestments.
During Christmastide, fasting is not observed; on the day of January 18, the Eve of the Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated, otherwise Epiphany Eve. We mention it as a necessary element, since on the evening of Epiphany Eve the necessary preparations are made for the feast of Epiphany.
The holiday is also usually called “Lights” or “Holy Lights” (the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus on this day, also on this day God appears on earth, bringing with him the Unapproachable Light - hence alternative name). Also, the full name of the holiday in the Church is Epiphany.
The All-Night Epiphany Vigil includes Great Compline, Litia, Matins and the first hour.
Great Compline is a prayer alloy of three parts (with opening and closing prayers) and is performed together with Matins (at Great Compline it is read separately from Matins). As the name suggests, these daily cycle prayers are said in the evening.
Matins itself represents early morning prayers. Matins also consists of three parts, in the first of which you ask for blessings for the coming day and mention your sins (the so-called Six Psalms), in the second the holy persons from church calendar today, in the third you read psalms of praise to Jesus.
Litia is translated from Greek as “zealous prayer”; it immediately follows the litany (the litany is a prayer of repentance). According to the content of lithium, it is a prayer for the aversion of natural disasters.
The prayer of the first hour is dedicated to the coming day (at this time the sun is just rising - it is 7 o’clock in the morning).
The daily circle of prayers consists of 9 services: in addition to those mentioned, these are Vespers (followed by Great Compline), Midnight Office (followed by Matins and the first hour), prayers of the 3rd, 6th, 9th hours and the Divine Liturgy.

Traditions to remember

One of baptismal traditions called water blessing.
Blessing of water is a church tradition associated with cleansing with holy water. Officially, the event is called the Great Blessing of Water; water blessed in churches on January 19 is considered holy and is called Epiphany. Water consecrated on the evening of Epiphany Eve is also considered Epiphany. There are, of course, cases when you will not be able to get holy water - for example, you live far from churches; There is no need to talk about “replacing” holy water here, but instead you can take water “similar to holy” - this is water from any natural source, drawn on the night before Epiphany.
Some people do not attach much importance to where to place the blessed water. According to established tradition, it is placed in the place where icons are located at home. You should not put it in the refrigerator, since it is believed that holy water does not deteriorate under the influence of external factors.
The consecration of water occurs in memory of the Gospel events (the consecration of the waters of the Jordan River at the baptism of Jesus Christ), in the church it occurs twice - on the eve of the holiday, that is, on Epiphany Eve, and, in fact, on the day of Epiphany. At the same time, the symbol of the church, the Cross of the Lord, is lowered into the water three times before it becomes consecrated. Moreover, there is a small peculiarity: the first time the water is consecrated in the church building, and the second time, if possible, this happens at any source to which there is access (however, this rule is not mandatory).

Epiphany day

Epiphany day begins with prayer, with you turning to God for a blessing. Then you wash your face and start drinking holy water, if you have made arrangements in advance to get it home.
The process of taking holy water is not as simple as it seems at first glance. It should not be drunk in one gulp, of course: holy water is absorbed gradually, most people drink it from a small spoon. It is better to drink water while whispering to yourself or mentally praying.
The nuance associated with whether you are taking medication or not plays a role: if you are taking it, you will have to take it after drinking holy water. In fact, after drinking holy water, you can already return to “ordinary” life: your personal affairs, your breakfast, your phone calls relatives, your communication with your family.
Actually sanctified Epiphany water can be "diluted" healing properties it won't reduce it at all. It is believed that even a drop of blessed water falling into a glass of ordinary water sanctifies this water.
You should sprinkle blessed water on all the rooms of the house in which you live, only then can you feel yourself and your home completely “cleansed”.

Holiday food

Let's not talk about the fun of Christmastide, when you can eat absolutely any food.
On Epiphany Christmas Eve, according to fasting, a strictly limited number of dishes are allowed: you will have to eat lean dishes based on honey and raisins.
During Great Compline, you need to fast (that is, prepare yourself for confession and cleansing from sins) before receiving consecrated water. It is strictly prescribed to eat only once - after the Divine Liturgy. It is eaten sochivo - a dish made from wheat, walnut, poppy seeds - all this is made with honey.
To juice, wheat grains are washed in water several times (first they are ground with a mortar) in order to completely get rid of chaff and unnecessary plant particles. Next, “wheat” porridge is cooked, to which honey is added at your own discretion. Separately from the wheat grains, poppy seeds are ground in a saucer, obtaining poppy “milk”, to which honey, diluted, is again added. hot water. The resulting mass is mixed with “wheat” porridge (actually, with juice), if the resulting product is too thick, dilute it to the desired condition warm water. The following is the procedure for adding walnuts.
Raisins are added to rice-based sochivo.
In fact, the issue of the Epiphany ice hole is a separate issue.
This tradition has both Orthodox and Slavic pagan overtones, implying general popular rejoicing, not splashed out entirely on the merry Christmas days.
The religious procession begins early in the morning. An ice hole is cut in the ice of the nearest source in advance - in the shape of a cross, reminiscent and symbolizing the Jordanian events of two thousand years ago. The Epiphany ice hole is called Jordan. Bathing in it also begins early in the morning, with prayers and canvases of the Orthodox Church fluttering in the wind.
Usually, in front of the Epiphany ice holes, there are gigantic queues in which people from all over the world wait for their moment. different ages. You can go down into the ice hole without any clothes at all, or in a cape. After the ice hole has been passed (“swimmed”), a warm fur coat and hot kitchen: depends on the size of the event. Sometimes such “bathing” is prepared a week before the holiday itself.
Now, in places where mass bathing takes place, it is usually impossible to do without police and ambulance duty. You never know what can happen.
Swimming in the church ice hole can take place both on Epiphany Eve and on the day of Epiphany.
The procedure itself is quite simple, both in appearance and in essence: you plunge your head into ice water three times, whispering or loudly saying “In the name of the father, son and holy spirit. Amen".
Thus, in Russia the feast of the Epiphany has been celebrated for many centuries. Its essence has not changed at all over the centuries, as has the attitude of Orthodox people towards the holiday.

The meaning of the ritual

The rites of baptism and the Lord's Supper are two monumental pillars, one located outside and the other inside the church. On these sacred rites Christ inscribed the name of the true God.

Christ made baptism a sign of entry into His spiritual kingdom. He made it a certain condition with which all who wish to recognize the authority of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit must agree. Before a man has a home in the church, before he enters into the kingdom of God, he must receive the seal of the divine name, "The Lord is our justification" (Jer. 23:6).

Baptism is the most solemn renunciation of the world. People who are baptized into the triune name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit at the very beginning of their Christian life publicly declare that they refuse to serve Satan and become members of the royal family, children of the Heavenly King. They obey the command: "Come out from among them and be separate... and do not touch the unclean." And for them the promise is fulfilled: “I will receive you, and I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:17, 18).

Preparing for baptism

Candidates for baptism must be carefully prepared. They need truer instruction than is usually given to them. Those who have recently come to the truth need to be explained the principles of Christian life. No one can rely on his profession of faith as proof that he has a saving relationship with Christ. We must not only say, “I believe,” but also live in accordance with the truth. Only by conforming our words, manners and characters to the will of God do we prove that we have a relationship with Him. Whenever anyone renounces sin, which is lawlessness, his life is brought into perfect obedience and conformity to the law. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. The light of a carefully studied word, the voice of conscience, the influence of the Spirit give birth in the heart true love to Christ, Who gave Himself as a sacrifice for the redemption of man, his spirit, soul and body. Love reveals itself in obedience. A clear, distinct difference will appear between those who love God and keep His commandments, and those who do not love Him and pay no attention to His instructions.

Faithful Christians should take earnest interest in leading convinced souls to an accurate knowledge of the righteousness that is in Christ Jesus. If anyone allows the pursuit of selfish desires to prevail in their lives, then true believers, as those who have to give an account, should watch over these souls. They have no right to neglect the faithful, tender, caring instruction so necessary for new converts, and at this stage they must not be allowed to act indecisively. The very first experience must be correct.

Satan does not want anyone to recognize the need for complete submission to God. When the soul refuses to humble itself, then sin is not abandoned; drives and passions strive for dominance; temptations trouble the conscience and true conversion does not occur. If all brothers and sisters were aware of the struggle that every soul must wage against the satanic forces that seek to entangle, entice and deceive, they would labor much more diligently for those who are unskilled in the faith.

These souls, left to themselves, are often exposed to temptations and are not aware of their harmfulness. They must understand that it is their advantage to ask for advice. They should seek the company of people who can help them. By associating with those who love and fear God, they will receive strength.

Our conversations with these souls should be spiritual and encouraging. The Lord notices the struggles of every weak, doubting, struggling soul, and He will help all who cry to Him. They will see the heavens open before them and the angels of God ascending and descending on the same brightly shining ladder they are trying to climb.

Parents' work. Parents whose children want to be baptized need to work hard; they should faithfully instruct their children and encourage them to explore themselves. Baptism is the most sacred and important rite, and people should fully understand its meaning. It means repentance of sins and the beginning of a new life in Christ Jesus. There should be no inappropriate haste in accepting the sacrament. Let parents and children consider the necessary cost. By agreeing to the baptism of their children, parents make a sacred vow to themselves to be faithful stewards of their children, to instruct them in the formation of character. They promise to take special interest in protecting these sheep of the flock, so that they do not dishonor the faith they profess.

Necessary from the very early years give children spiritual instructions, and the instruction should not be in a spirit of condemnation, but in a spirit of joy and happiness. Mothers need to be constantly vigilant so that temptations do not creep in on their children in a way that they cannot recognize. Parents should protect their children with wise, kind instructions. How best friends The parents of these inexperienced creatures are obliged to help them win, to be winners. Parents should consider that their dear children, who are striving to do justly, are little members of God's family, and they should be earnestly interested in helping their children to straighten their paths in the royal path of obedience. With tender interest parents should teach them day by day what it means to be children of God and how to yield the will in obedience to Him. Teach children that obedience to God includes obedience to parents. This has to be a daily, hourly job. Parents, watch, watch and pray, and make your children your fellow workers.

When the happiest time comes in children's lives, when they love Jesus with all their hearts and want to be baptized, then do right by them. Before they are baptized, ask them if their main purpose in life is to work for God. Then tell them where to start. These are the first lessons, and they mean a lot, a lot. In simple words teach the children how they can perform their first service to God. Make the work as clear as possible. Explain what it means to give yourself to the Lord, how to do, using the advice of Christian parents, exactly what His Word commands.

After conscientious work If you are satisfied that your children understand the meaning of conversion and baptism, and that they are already truly converted, let them be baptized. But, I repeat, first prepare yourselves to serve as faithful shepherds, to guide the steps of inexperienced children onto the narrow path of obedience. God must work through parents so that they can give to their children correct example in love, courtesy, Christian humility and in complete surrender of oneself to Christ. If you give your consent to the baptism of your children, and then allow them to do as they choose, without realizing the special duty of keeping their feet on the straight path, then you yourself will be responsible if the children lose faith, courage and interest in the truth.

Pastor's job. Candidates who have reached maturity should understand their responsibilities better than theirs. younger brothers and sisters; but the pastor of the church must work for these souls. Do they have vicious tendencies and habits? The pastor's duty is to conduct special meetings with candidates for baptism. Have Bible readings with them, talk and pray with them, and make God's requirements clear to them. Read to them the Bible's teaching on conversion. Show them what is the fruit of conversion, proof that they love God. Reveal to them that true conversion is a change of heart, thoughts and intentions. Bad habits should be left. The sins of slander, envy, and disobedience must be rejected. Every sinful character trait must be combatted. And then the believer will be able to consciously apply to himself the promise: “Ask, and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7).

Verification of candidates

Those about to be baptized do not go through the discipleship stage as much as they should. It is necessary to find out whether the candidates will simply be called Seventh-day Adventists or whether they are willing to take the side of the Lord, come out of the world, separate themselves and not touch the unclean. Before baptism, candidates should be carefully questioned about their lives. Let this conversation not be cold and reserved, but friendly and gentle; point new converts to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Bring to the minds of baptismal candidates the requirements of the gospel.

One of the issues on which those who have recently come to faith should be instructed is their attitude towards clothing. New converts must be treated properly. Are they vain in their clothes? Do they cherish pride in their hearts? Idolatry in clothing is a moral disease and should not be taken with you in new life. In most cases, submission to gospel conditions requires a decisive change in clothing.

Dressing should not be careless. For the sake of Christ, of whom we are witnesses, we should try to look our best. During the service in the tabernacle, God determined every detail of the priests' clothing. We are taught that He pays attention to the clothing of those who serve Him. The instructions regarding Aaron's clothing are very specific because his clothing was symbolic. Likewise, the clothing of Christ's followers should be symbolic. In everything we need to look like His representatives. Our appearance Must be neat, modest and clean in all respects. The Word of God does not approve of changes in clothing made only for the sake of fashion, so as to make us look worldly. Christians should not adorn themselves with luxurious clothing or jewelry.

The words of Scripture concerning our dresses and suits must be carefully studied. We need to understand what the Lord of heaven values ​​even in the matter of clothing. All who sincerely desire the grace of Christ will heed the precious words of divinely inspired instruction. Even the style of clothing reflects the truth of the gospel.

Those who study the life of Christ and put His teaching into practice will become like Christ. Their influence will be like His influence. They will show sound character. By walking in the humble way of obedience and doing the will of God, they will exercise an influence that will witness the advancement of God's cause and the healthy purity of His work. In these fully converted souls the world should see evidence of the sanctifying influence of truth upon human character.

The knowledge of God and Jesus Christ, expressed in character, exalts everything that is in heaven and on earth. This highest education. This is the key that opens the gates of the heavenly city. God wants all who have put on Christ through baptism to receive this knowledge. And it is the duty of God's servants to reveal to such souls the benefit of their high calling in Christ Jesus.

Organization of the ritual

When possible, it is better to perform baptism in a clean lake or clean river. Try to make this event as solemn as possible. Angels of God are always present at such services.

The brother who presides over a baptism should strive to ensure that the event has a lasting, holy impact on all spectators. Each church ceremony must be conducted in such a way that it elevates both participants and spectators. You should avoid everything banal and cheap and not allow what is happening to be relegated to the level of an ordinary event. Our churches must be taught to have greater respect and reverence for sacred worship. Since ministers perform rituals associated with worship of God, they at the same time educate and prepare people. The little works that educate, train, and discipline the soul for eternity are of great importance in the uplifting and sanctification of the church.

In every church, candidates for baptism should be provided special clothing. These expenses should not be considered an unnecessary waste of funds. This is one of the provisions required to fulfill the injunction: “Everything must be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40).

It is not good when one church expects to borrow clothes for baptism from another. It often happens that when the need for these clothes arises, they cannot be found anywhere; Some people who borrow clothes do not return them. Each church should take care of its needs in this regard and create a special fund. If the whole church is united in this matter, it will not be a heavy burden.

Baptismal garments should be made from durable material dark in color so that water does not spoil them, and they should be weighted at the bottom. They should be good style, neat, made according to the approved sample. They should not be decorated, corrugated or trimmed. Everything ostentatious, be it decoration or decoration, is in in this case completely inappropriate. When candidates understand the meaning of the ritual, they do not strive to adorn themselves. With all this, there should be nothing wretched and obscene, that is, offensive to God. Everything pertaining to this holy rite should reflect perfect preparation as fully as possible.

The period after baptism

The vows we take at baptism include many things. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we are immersed in the likeness of Christ's death and raised up in the likeness of His resurrection to live newness of life. Our lives must be connected with the life of Christ. From now on, the believer must remember that he is dedicated to God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. In considering this new relationship, the believer must put all worldly considerations into the background. Publicly, he declares that he no longer wants to live in pride and self-indulgence. He no longer has the right to live a careless, indifferent life. He made a covenant with God. He died for the world. He must live for the Lord, use for Him all the abilities entrusted to him, never losing sight of the fact that he bears the seal of God, is a subject of the kingdom of Christ and a partaker of the Divine nature. He must surrender himself and all that he has to God, using all his gifts for the glory of His name.

The obligations of the spiritual covenant that come into effect at baptism are mutual. When people do all that is required of them with sincere obedience, they have the right to pray: “Let it be known, Lord, that You are God in Israel.” Your baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is a guarantee that if you resort to Their help. They will help you in every critical case. The Lord will hear and answer the prayers of His sincere followers who bear the yoke of Christ and study in His school of meekness and humility.

“If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God; set your mind on things above, and not on things on the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1-3).

“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with mercy, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another and forgiving each other if anyone has a complaint against anyone: just as Christ has forgiven you, so do you. Above all else, clothe yourselves with in love, which is the sum of perfection; and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be friendly... And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (vv. 12-17).