In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
Through Moses we, the children of Israel, received a first baptism. By the waters, the pillar of cloud, the pursuing tyrant was kept at bay and by passing through the waters, “a wall to [us] on [our] right hand and on [our] left,” (Exodus 14:22) have we been led to freedom from slavery. By the Forerunner have we received a second baptism, for the remission of sins, that we may be cleansed and purified. But these two baptisms are not complete—we have been freed for captivity, we have been cleansed, but for what purpose? For we may still fall back into slavery, still sin may control us: but through Christ, “he will baptise [us] with the Holy Spirit,” that we may be as glorious as the stars of heaven.
And yet I so easily deny each of these baptisms. The Satan shows me the kingdoms of this Age and whispers in my ear,
All this authority I will give you, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
Luke 4:6–7
Therefore, if you will worship before me, all will be yours.
And I choose to step back through the pillar of cloud into his servitude. The sin I accept as a logical consequence and, therefore, the Holy Spirit cannot remain. My position, my potential, as a son of God is denied and I become as the demonic powers for whom the everlasting fire is prepared. (Matthew 25:41)
Yet despite my miserable state, the Lord gives to me an opportunity to reactivate my baptism, to return to my potential, to be as the heavenly stars. The Lord is ready to honour my confession, to release me once again from slavery, to lead me through the waters of repentance that the Holy Spirit may come and live in me. The Lord preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom to you and he preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom to me,
The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.
Mark 1:15
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Satan would give you all you desire and tell you, “there is no need for God,” and our response must be, “I repent and turn back to God.” Or the Satan would take all away from you and leave you destitute and would say, “there is no God,” and our response must be, “I repent and turn back to God.” The Satan would have us believe both that all things we receive are because of our own efforts and that all things we receive are the results of a capricious God and our response must be, “I repent and turn back to God.” For by our repentance, by our turning back to the living God, we participate once again in the first baptism, the freedom from slavery to sin, and we participate once again in the second, cleansing and purifying us, that we may participate once again in the third, baptism in the Holy Spirit, deification, union with God.
May we, by putting off the old man and putting on the new, (Ephesians 4:22–24) which is to say by putting on Christ, (Galatians 3:27) come to reactivate our baptism and live according to our potential, shining as the stars of heaven.
To our incarnate, crucified and risen God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who has given us baptism as the means to be born again to new life, be all glory, honour and worship, together with his unoriginate Father and the All-holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Timothy, my son, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry.For I am already on the point of being sacrificed; the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
— Second Timothy 4:5–8
The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophets, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way; the voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ John was baptising in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptised you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
— Mark 1:1–8