Casting Pearls Before Swine: On Necessary Presuppositions Before and After Baptism and Why Priests Should Not Indiscriminately Baptize All People (Part Two)
By Prof. Savvas Bournelis
Table of Contents
5. A General Principle Concerning Participation in Grace
6. Presuppositions for Baptism
Part Two
(5-6)
5. A General Principle concerning Participation in Grace
Generally speaking, if one approaches the grace of God improperly, it can be that it is not transmitted to them at all, as we saw in the above examples concerning Holy Communion. But even more broadly speaking, this can happen within the context of venerating icons and relics. For example, St. Theodore the Studite says the following in his sermon on the Life-giving Cross: Grace is set before all of us unbegrudgingly and everlastingly; it is a fountain gushing forth sanctification, never at any time sending anyone away from the riches of its goodness, but purifying even more those who are impure, cleansing them of their stains and defilement. It humbles the proud, rouses those who are slow and dull of heart, invigorates those bound by paralysis, and softens those who are unfeeling and merciless, if, that is, each one approaches with the promise of turning towards what is better, and does not advance rashly and recklessly toward divine things, since grace recognizes those who are modest and reverent and turns away those who do not bear these qualities.[42]
These Patristic teachings discussed thus far highlight that the “effectiveness” of God’s grace, especially in the Sacraments, is experienced according to the degree of our receptivity via fulfillment of various presuppositions, as Blessed Fr. Michael Pomazansky[43] and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos have succinctly noted.[44]
6. Presuppositions for Baptism
Just as there are various presuppositions we ought to fulfill before and during our contact with Holy Things and the Holy Sacrament of Holy Communion, the same applies to all the other Holy Sacraments of the Church, including Holy Baptism.
The most important presupposition a Catechumen needs to fulfill in order that the grace of Baptism is unto their salvation is beginning to live a life of repentance, by which he is purified. There are some Biblical passages which teach this.
For instance, in Matthew 3:1-2 and Mark 1:4-5 we are told St. John the Baptist offered a baptism of repentance, which according to St. John Chrysostom, was his attempt to bring the unrepentant people to their senses by recognizing their sinfulness and to be inspired to repent, which naturally would stir up within them the sense of their need for the Messiah to remit their
sins through His baptism of fire and water that is offered in His Church (Mt. 3:11, Acts 1:5).[45] In other words, repentance precedes Baptism, according to St. John the Baptist.
In the book of the Acts of the Apostles (2:38-39) St. Peter tells the people to repent before being baptized and chrismated:
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
In Question 172 posed to St. Daniel Sysoev the Priest-Martyr, “What must precede baptism?” he answered:
Baptism must always be preceded by repentance. Repentance is freedom from the power of the devil. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39).[46]
In Questions 291 and 292 the same Saint says that before one is baptized they not only should study the Word of God and the teachings of the Holy Fathers about the spiritual life, but they should put these teachings into practice. Of particular interest he says, “During this period [the Catechumanate] it is essential that a person begins to change his life, [and] follow the commandments.”[47] The Catechumenate period is not merely a time of learning a bunch of facts about the Church, but primarily and above all, a time of purification through repentance in preparation for initiation into the Church through the three initiatory rites of Holy Baptism, Chrismation, and Communion.[48] This purification is necessary if one is to receive and assimilate the grace of the rites of initiation.
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk writes about how before Baptism we are to renounce the life of sin and vice, as well as vow to live a life pleasing to God.[49]
In his On The Apostolic Tradition, St. Hippolytus of Rome instructs how Catechumens are to be purified before Baptism; without this purification by repentance and other methods, they are not to be baptized:
When they are chosen they [who] are to receive baptism, let their lives be examined, whether they have lived honorably while catechumens, whether they honored the widows, whether they visited the sick, and whether they have done every good work. If those who bring them forward bear witness for them that they have done so, then let them hear the Gospel. From the time at which they are set apart, place hands upon them daily so that they are exorcised. When the day approaches on which they are to be baptized, let the bishop exorcise each one of them, so that he will be certain whether each has been purified. If there are any who are not purified, they shall be set apart. They have not heard the Word in faith, for the foreign spirit remained with each of them. Those who are to receive baptism shall fast on the Preparation of the Sabbath. On the Sabbath, those who are to receive baptism shall all gather together in one place chosen according to the will of the bishop. They shall be commanded to pray and kneel. Then, laying his hand on them, he will exorcise every foreign spirit, so that they flee from them and never return to them. When he has finished exorcising them, he shall breathe on their faces and seale their foreheads, ears and noses. Then he shall raise them up. They shall all keep vigil all night, reading and instructing them.[50]
These penitential preparations in the Catechumenate period are precisely designed to purify the individual so as to receive the grace of God unto their salvation and not their damnation.
St. Innocent of Alaska instructed missionaries to not be hasty in baptizing remote primitive tribes who never heard about Christ and His Gospel. Missionaries need to first properly catechize them in the teachings of Christ and encourage them to begin a total change of lifestyle (repentance) in accordance with the moral precepts of the Church, “without which baptism administered to savages [primitive people] hardly be called anything but an abuse of one of the greatest Sacraments of the Christian religion.”[51] The missionary is not to move on to teaching a different subject until the Catechumen firmly understands the first subject they are taught, “even though this may delay the baptism of many. The more firmly the foundation is laid, the more durable will be the building and the easier to erect it.”[52] Finally, St. Innocent tells missionaries: “Thou shalt not proceed to administer holy baptism to natives before they have been thoroughly instructed by thee in the above-named matters, nor then, unless they shall have expressed the wish to receive it.”[53] In the mind of St. Innocent, the lack of repentance before Baptism is inconceivable as much as administering baptism to unrepentant people.
St. Nicholas Cabasilas says Catechumens ought to prepare themselves before receiving all three initiatory rites (Baptism, Chrismation, Communion) so they can actually be sanctified by the Grace transmitted through them. Without this preparation, according to St. Nicholas, they will not be sanctified:
While it is true that God freely gives us all holy things and that we bring Him nothing, but that they are absolute graces, He does nevertheless necessarily require that we should be fit to receive and to preserve them; and He would not permit those who were not so disposed to be thus sanctified. It is in this way that He admits us to Baptism and Chrismation; in this way that He receives us at the Divine Banquet and allows us to participate at the solemn table. Christ, in His parable of the sower, has illustrated this way that God has of dealing with us. “A sower went forth,” He says, “to sow”—not to plough the earth, but to sow: thus showing that the work of preparation must be done by us. Therefore, in order to obtain the effects of the Divine Mysteries we must approach them in a state of grace and be properly prepared.[54]
Similarly, in his Catechetical Lectures, St. Cyril of Jerusalem urges Catechumens to begin purifying themselves through repentance before Baptism in order to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit. One presupposes the other because, “Those therefore who receive this spiritual and saving Seal, have need also of the disposition akin to it.”[55] Catechumens who come for Baptism without purifying themselves beforehand through repentance and without having the intention to repent after Baptism, but seek Baptism for some kind of worldly ulterior motive, stand before God in hypocrisy (Mt. 24:50-51), tempting God’s grace. Consequently, according to St. Cyril, God does not cast pearls before swine and the holy things to dogs (cf. Mt. 7:6), that is, He does not dispense His grace automatically to the unrepentant:
For if any of those who are present should think to tempt God’s grace, he deceives himself, and knows not its power. Keep your soul free from hypocrisy, O man, because of Him who searches hearts and reins. For as those who are going to make a levy for war examine the ages and the bodies of those who are taking service, so also the Lord in enlisting souls examines their purpose: and if any has a secret hypocrisy, He rejects the man as unfit for His true service; but if He finds one worthy, to him He readily gives His grace. He gives not holy things to the dogs (Mt. 7:6); but where He discerns the good conscience, there He gives the Seal of salvation, that wondrous Seal, which devils tremble at, and Angels recognise; that the one may be driven to flight, and the others may watch around it as kindred to themselves. Those therefore who receive this spiritual and saving Seal, have need also of the disposition akin to it. Cleanse your vessel, that you may receive grace more abundantly. For though remission of sins is given equally to all, the communion of the Holy Spirit is bestowed in proportion to each man’s faith. If you have laboured little, you receive little; but if you have wrought much, the reward is great. You are running for yourself, see to your own interest.[56]
St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite comments on St. Cyril’s words thus:
Divine Cyril of Jerusalem exhorts the catechumens to purify themselves before being baptized, since the grace of the Holy Spirit is given according to faith and purity, for he says, “Purify your vessels, so that they might receive more grace, for while remission of sins is given equally to everyone, communion in the Holy Spirit is granted according to each person’s faith. If you offer a small amount, you will receive a small amount; if you labor a great deal, your wages will be great.”[57]
St. Nikodemos also writes about the following instructive incident supportive of these Patristic
teachings:
Socrates, in the seventh book of his Ecclesiastical History narrates that a Jew feigning piety had himself baptized many times as a trade, so that in this way he made a lot of money. But while going from one heresy to another, at last he came to Paul the bishop of the Novatians in Constantinople, pretending that he wished to become a Christian really and to perfection. So, the necessary water having been poured into the font, when the Jew entered it to be baptized - wonderful to relate! - the baptismal font dried up. Those present marveled at the occurrence, and, after stopping all the holes that afforded some suspicion, they filled the font again. Yet, when the Jew entered it again, the water vanished instantly and completely; and all the persons there were amazed. This miracle appears to have occurred either on account of the hypocritical faith in which the capricious Jew had sought to be baptized, and consequently it teaches bishops and priests not to admit a Jew easily into Orthodoxy, but only after a long time and trial; or else on account of the unlawful multiplication of baptism.[58]
These teachings and this very incident is reminiscent of the teachings discussed earlier from other Holy Fathers concerning Holy Communion and the Cross; to the impious and unrepentant, the grace of God is not transmitted either at all, or at times is experienced as a burning fire. In either case, the grace of God does not act to one’s benefit or salvation because the person’s heart is not receptive to it. For, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pt. 5:5-6; Jm. 4:6-7; Cf. Mt. 23:12; Ps. 138:6; Prov. 3:34).
These Patristic principles and teachings highlight the mystery of synergy discussed earlier. We should look a little further more at this important principle of Orthodox soteriology. Blessed Elder Ephraim of Arizona, along with St. Isaac the Syrian, highlights that man must do his part to receive the grace of God by preparing himself for it, such as in prayer; yet, God is not obligated to grant it to man automatically, nor does He give it if man has not prepared at all to receive it because He respects man’s free-will:
Saint Isaac the Syrian teaches that even if we prepare ourselves fully, God is not obligated to send us His grace. He advises the following: “O man, you should prepare yourself. But it is up to God if He decides to look upon you and send you His grace. Nevertheless, you must prepare yourself as best as humanly possible.” This is why oftentimes a person prepares himself in every possible way and yet does not experience any special grace during prayer. This occurs, as we have already mentioned, so that man acquires firsthand knowledge that God will visit him only when He decides. Man must be prepared: his vessel must be empty, clean, open on top, and waiting for God to send His blessing. When, however, the vessel is filthy and the lid is closed shut, even if God wants to send His grace, where can He possibly place it? In which vessel can He deposit this immaculate substance? In this manner, man renders himself unworthy. This is why Christ tells us in the Holy Gospel to clean “the inside of the cup” (Mt. 23:26), so that the outside may also become clean. If the vessel is clean, we will receive the grace of God.[59]
This is reminiscent of a teaching of St. Ignatius Brianchaninov concerning The Jesus Prayer; man cannot progress in The Prayer unless he is actively living a life of repentance and purification because it is through such ascetic praxis man opens up his heart to receive the grace of God in The Prayer:
‘Let everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity,’ advises the apostle Timothy (2 Tim. 2:19). This bequest, which refers to all Christians, especially refers to those who intend to practice the constant prayer of the name of the Lord Jesus. The most pure name of Jesus does not endure to remain in the midst of impurity. It requires that all impurity be cast out and rejected by the spiritual vessel. Entering into the vessel according to the measure of its purity, the Name, of its own accord, begins to act on the vessel and to perform further purification, for which the exertion of man is not sufficient, and which is required to make the vessel a worthy dwelling place of the spiritual, all-holy treasure.[60]
Likewise, St. Nikolai Velimirovich says even more directly that “Prayer without repentance is of no use, but as soon as prayer is linked with repentance, God hearkens to it.”[61]
St. Paisios the Athonite explicitly explains why/how God does not dispense His grace to an unrepentant person in prayer:
How can God give His Grace to one who does not make any effort to change but instead continues to sin? God’s Grace does not come to someone who is in a false spiritual state, because this would not be helpful to that person; if it were helpful, then God would have given His Grace to the devil himself. It is the person who does not remain stagnant in his fall, in his sinful thoughts and actions, but instead recovers, repents of his sins and struggles to not sin anymore, who receives God’s Grace and is helped. But where there is no repentance and sin is considered to be “in,” this is a demonic state.[62]
Geronda, if someone does not live in repentance and yet praises God, does God accept this doxology?
No, how can God accept such a doxology? First of all, a person needs to repent. For if one remains in sin, of what benefit is it for him to say, Glory to Thee, Who hast shown forth the light? Behind this hides impudence. The only appropriate thing to say is, “I thank you, my Lord, for not hurling a lightning bolt and destroying me!” This type of praise, at least, contains a sense of repentance.[63]
Prayer without self-reflection, attentiveness, contrition, and repentance is also of little to no benefit:
If one has a little humility and understands his mind is not on God, and that he is saying The Prayer mechanically, then he somewhat benefits. The issue is why one says The Prayer. If he knows his own self and senses the mercy of God as a need and continuously asks for His mercy by saying The Prayer, then it will be helpful to him. If however, he says The Prayer mechanically without a sense of his sins, it cannot help him in divesting himself of the old man within. It becomes dangerous when one abandons the observation of his own self and occupies himself with the Jesus Prayer as if it is something that is in style. Such a person might have acquired the habit of The Prayer, but within him the old man will continue to live, and there is a danger that delusion will follow. Nepsis is attention and observance to one’s thoughts, actions, and movements. One may be praying for hours, but if he is not attentive and does not observe his own self, he is not doing anything.[64]
St. Joseph the Hesychast says that someone who utters The Jesus Prayer without repentance will not be helped by the grace of God, and may even fall into delusion:
Whoever wants to, let him taste this honey [noetic prayer], and it will become a fountain of joy and happiness within him, unless one is cunning, hypocritical, envious, miserly, sensual, vainglorious, or in general passionate, and wants to say The Prayer while voluntarily remaining with his passions—unrepentant, incorrigible. Such a person obviously disdains the action of The Prayer and the mercy of the Lord. The Prayer helps everyone, but each person must struggle in accordance with his own strength. God gives His grace according to one’s intention. If anyone says The Prayer without repenting, either The Prayer will cease, or he will fall into delusion.[65]
If these words are applicable to prayer, how much more so in regard to the Sacraments of the Church such as Baptism! After all, “If grace comes from penitence [repentance], surely one who scorns penitence [repentance] renounces grace,” as St. Ambrose of Milan notes (Cf. Prov. 3:34).[66]
Footnotes for Part Two
[42] St. Theodore the Studite, “Oration on the Veneration of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross,”
pappaspatristicinstitute.com, On the Veneration of the Cross, by St Theodore the Studite NOTE: Footnote 4 says: “The preceding first three weeks of Great Lent, with their fasting and ascetic exercises, are part of the preparation and purification required to approach and venerate the Cross with the qualities mentioned by St Theodore.”
[43] See “The Providence of God and Grace” in Chapter 8 in Fr. Michael Pomazansky, Orthodox Dogmatic Theology, 3rd ed. (Platina, CA: SHAB, 2015), 268-269.
[44] Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Feasts of the Lord (Greece: Birth of the Theotokos, 2003), 329-331.
[45] See St. John Chrysostom, “Homily 10 on Matthew,” newadvent.org, CHURCH FATHERS: Homily 10 on Matthew (Chrysostom) (newadvent.org).
[46] See Questions to Priest Daniel Sysoev (New Jersey: Daniel Sysoev Inc. and Publications Board
of the Russian Orthodox Church, 2006), 140.
[47] Ibid., 204-205.
[48] Savvas Bournelis, “The Sacramental Unity of Holy Baptism, Chrismation, Eucharist: East and West,” academia.edu, (1) The Sacramental Unity of Holy Baptism Chrismation Eucharist (East vs West) | Savvas Bournelis (MDiv) - Academia.edu.
[49] St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, “Remember Your Baptismal Vows,” from Journey to Heaven. Available online at https://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/journey2/remember.shtml.
[50] See St. Hippolytus of Rome, “On the Apostolic Tradition,” stjohnsarlingtonva.org,
[51] St. Innocent of Alaska, “Instruction Of the Most Rev. Metropolitan Innocentius, formerly Archbishop of Kamtchatka, of the Kuril and Aleutian Islands, To the Missionary at Nushagak, Theophanus the Hieromonk,” catacomb.xyz, St. Innocent of Alaska: Instructions to a Missionary (catacomb.xyz).
[52] Ibid.
[53] Ibid.
[54] St. Nicholas Cabasilas, “1. Introduction and the Prothesis,” in Commentary on the Divine Liturgy.
[55] St. Cyril of Jerusalem, “Catechetical Discourse 1,” newadvent.org, https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/310101.htm.
[56] Ibid.
[57] St. Nicodemus the Hagiorite, The Way of the Feasts, vol. 1 (Thessalonica: Orthodox Kypseli, 1987), 289.
[58] Sts. Nikodemos and Agapios, Footnote 1, in The Rudder (Chicago, IL: The Orthodox Christian Educational Society, 1957), 439.
[59] Elder Ephraim of Arizona, The Art of Salvation (Roscoe, NY: St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Monastery, 2014), 391-392.
[60] St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, The Refuge (Jordanville, NT: Printshop of St. Job of Pochaev; December 1, 2019), 362.
[61] See St. Nikolai Velimirovich, Homilies: A Commentary on the Gospel Readings for Great Feasts and Sundays throughout the Year, Volume Two: Sundays after Pentecost, trans. Mother Maria (Birmingham: Lazarica Press, 1998), 111 (Homily on the 11th Sunday after Pentecost).
[62] See St. Paisios the Athonite, “Changing Our Way of Life,” in Spiritual Counsels Volume 3: Spiritual Struggle, trans. Fr. Peter Chamberas (Souroti, Thessaloniki: St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Monastery, 2010), 185-186.
[63] Ibid., 189.
[64] St. Paisios, On Prayer (Thessaloniki, Greece: Holy Hesychasterion of Evangelist John the Theologian, 2022), 167-169, 179-180.
[65] St. Joseph the Hesychast, “Letter 55,” in Monastic Wisdom (Florence, AZ: SAGOM, 2016), 239.
[66] St. Ambrose of Milan, Exposition of the Holy Gospel According to Saint Luke with Fragments on the Prophecy of Isaiah, trans. T. Tomkinson (Etna, CA: Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, 1998), 153–155. See also Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Luke (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 96.
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