It is important to recognize what happens at baptism and chrismation. This is not some kind of symbolic ritual. In this sacrament you are forever changed. Here is how Saint Theophan the Recluse puts it.
Baptism gives us what nothing else on earth can give us: It unites and combines with our natural being Divine grace... Some new element, a supernatural one is added to our composition, and will remain inside us hidden and secretly acting…When you are baptized, the water is made holy through the Holy Spirit. It is no longer just water, but becomes Holy Water. Water is transformed by the Holy Spirit. This is a excerpt from the prayers that the Priest recites when calling on the Holy spirit to sanctify the water.
“ Through the descent of Your Holy Spirit sanctify this water.... Give to it the grace of redemption, the blessing of the Jordan. Make it a fountain of immortality, a gift of sanctification, for the remission of sins, protection against infirmities, destructive to evil forces, inaccessible to opposing powers, filled with angelic might.”In Baptism, first we confess all our sins, renounce Satan and proclaim our faith in the Holy Trinity. Then our body is covered with oil that has been transformed by the Holy Spirit into a Holy Oil. Then we are immersed in the Holy Water, cleansing us of all our sins and combing the Holy Spirit with our very being, where it, as Saint Theophan says, “will remain inside us hidden and secretly acting.” Finally we receive the special Chrism, the very special Oil passed on since the time of the Apostles, which seals within the Holy Spirit. We then put on new clothes, a white gown, and are at this moment reborn in the Holy Trinity. At this instant we stand clean and free of all sin, and our being mystically changed to include divine grace. As Saint Theophan says, “some new element , a supernatural one is added to our composition.” This is the meaning of ”born again” for Orthodox Christians.
No other Church can offer anymore than this. You have received everything you need to be united with God. But this is only the beginning. You still have within you the tendency to sin and you will face a continual struggle to fight off all kinds of temptations that can separate you from the will of God. Born in God’s image you have been given a free will. You can choose at any time to ignore God in the same way as did Adam and Eve. So, it is now important to participate in the Orthodox way of life so you can steadily grow in God’s image, becoming step by step closer to His likeness. The aim is complete union with God, which we call Theosis. This Orthodox way of life is one of ongoing repentance. It is a way of love and mercy. God’s loving arms are always there to forgive and embrace us. He knows our limitations and weaknesses and wants to help us through His Church. It is not proper to think of any part of this process after baptism as being “born again.” Baptism only occurs once and you must participate from his point forward with the Holy Spirit that has become part of your being.
To properly nurture your spiritual development, as a new being after baptism, you must always be aware of your tendency to ignore the will of God. This why Christ established the Church, to help us face all the challenges of earthly life. It’s teachings may seem at odds with many of the norms of current culture, but this is precisely why it is necessary for us. It is important to regularly attend worship services, partake of Holy Communion and Confession, pray daily until it becomes unceasing prayer, follow the fasting guidelines to control the passions, read the Scriptures and the Church Fathers broaden your world view, live a purposeful and simple lifestyle to minimize temptations, and be ever watchful.
Many non Orthodox Christians think that through baptism they have been saved. This is a dangerously misleading way of thinking. We can only say that at the time of our baptism we have begun the process of our salvation. Now that we have the Holy Spirit working within us, it can lead us to a life like Christ and union with Him. This will assure, having a ongoing and personal relationship with God, we are properly prepared for the final Judgment Day when the Lord accepts us into His kingdom. This final decision is one only He can give. So, when we are asked if we have been saved, we can say, “I have been saved by Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection, I am being saved by my Orthodox way of life in the Church, and I will be saved at the time of the Final Judgement.”
See Ten Step Program for Orthodox Life
