The Reading from the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians. (3:9-17)

Whenever we receive someone into the Church that is done typically in one of two possible ways.  The first way is to bring someone into the Church of Christ through baptism.  And not just any baptism, it is to be a baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and this baptism must be done in water.  So you can’t be baptized in the name of Mother Earth or in the name of Buddha.  And you can’t be baptized in rose petals or mud or anything other than water.  This baptism has to be done correctly because it is much more than a symbol. It is a new life in Christ, made possible through Our Lord’s own baptism, death and resurrection.  And it is the Lord Himself who taught Nicodemus and who teaches us that “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5)

Oftentimes we have people who come to the Orthodox Church from other Christian denominations.  Denominations where they were already baptized properly.  When this happens then there are two approaches or strategies for bringing them into the Orthodox Church.  In some corners of the Orthodox world a very strict approach is taken and everyone is rebaptized.   In most of the Orthodox Churches in North America, the bishops of the various jurisdictions have been in general agreement that the proper theological, historical and canonical method for receiving someone who is already properly baptized into the Church, is through the sacrament of Chrismation.  This is in order to respect the theological teaching of the apostles as found in St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians ch. 4 where St. Paul writes “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”  So it means that there should not be two baptisms, just one is enough.

Now the issue is that baptism alone does not impart the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is certainly working in our lives and inspiring us and leading us, but the teaching is that we don’t become temples of the Holy Spirit until we receive a special anointing with a special oil called Chrism.  Please note that this is in line with the New Testament teaching that one did not receive the Holy Spirit through baptism alone.  We see this in Acts 8, where it is written: 

“Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:14–17)

Before the Apostles died, the teaching of the Orthodox Church is that they passed on the holy tradition of this sacrament of chrism. Chrism (also known as myron) is a special oil of anointing that was blessed by the Apostles. In modern times, it is blessed only by the patriarchs or heads of the various Orthodox churches at specifically appointed times. It is likely that St. John the Evangelist is alluding to this sacrament in his first general epistle when he writes, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things” (1 John 2:20). A few verses later he also writes: “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him…”

This anointing is spoken of throughout the early centuries of Christianity. The early Christian priest St. Hippolytus of Rome (170–235), writes:  “The neophytes are anointed by the presbyter from the oil consecrated by the bishop. He says, ‘I anoint you with holy oil in the name of Jesus Christ.’” (Apostolic Tradition 21–22)

St. Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem (313–386), writes:  “And to you in like manner, after you had come up from the pool of the sacred streams, there was given an Unction, the anti-type of that wherewith Christ was anointed; and this is the Holy Spirit.” (Catechetical Lecture 21:1)

St. Basil, Bishop of Caeserea (330–379), one of the greatest figures of Christian history said,

“We also bless the water of baptism, the oil of anointing, and even the baptized themselves. By virtue of what writings? Is it not by virtue of the protected, secret, and hidden tradition? Indeed! Even the oil of anointing, what written word has taught about that? The triple immersion, from where does it come? And everything that surrounds baptism: the renunciation of Satan and his angels—from what scripture does that come? Is it not from that teaching held private and secret, which our fathers kept in silence….” (On the Holy Spirit 15, 35)

It is clear then that we become a temple of the Holy Spirit through the sacrament of Chrismation.  We become temples of the Holy Spirit so that Christ may continue His work of redemption and healing in us through the Holy Spirit becoming an intimate part of us.  Through the work of the Holy Spirit we become divine by grace.  We partake of both natures, Christ’s human nature (which was with us from conception) and His divine nature (which is given to us through baptism and Chrismation).

My brothers and sisters, work to safeguard and energize this sacred gift that has been given to you as Orthodox Christians.  Love God and serve Him as if your life depends on it.   Keep the commandments and teachings of Christ as if your life depends on it.   Our Lord doesn’t ask you to sacrifice to God in a temple, rather He has made you the temple and you sacrifice to God through the offering of your whole life, your thoughts, your words, your actions, even your sufferings.  In this we imitate Christ our savior and become well pleasing to our heavenly Father. Glory be to God forever, AMEN.    

Source: Sermons