Entering a Covenant with the Lord! – Baptisms at Moscow’s Central Church

Everyone comes to God in their own time. Among those baptized were four men and 18 women, one of which was turning 75 years old that day! Having entered the waters of baptism, everyone expressed their readiness to bury the old Adam and walk all their lives in obedience and the vow of a good conscience. The wonderful holiday is etched in memory by the bright faces of those in attendance, solemn hymns, fragrant flowers and white clothes.

 “And, having begun his speech, one of the elders asked me: who are these dressed in white robes and where did they come from? I told him: you know, sir.” (Rev. 7:13-14)

The text takes us into future events. Those who rarely come will ask the question: what is the difference between people in white clothes? Today we have witnessed an ancient Christian practice. From the very beginning, on behalf of Jesus Christ, this sacred rite has been performed among believers.

“Peter said to them: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call. And with many other words he testified and exhorted, saying: Save yourself from this corrupt generation. So those who willingly accepted his word were baptized, and about three thousand souls were added that day.” (Acts 2:38-41)

And they came to a state of tender heart,” noted pastor of 2nd Baptist Church Gennady Sergienko, sharing that “many people in Russia during Epiphany days try to plunge into ice holes in order to wash away their sins at any cost, at least once a year. But the ice bath does not help with this. Only through repentance!!! No detergent can wash a person from sins except the blood of Jesus Christ, which He shed on the cross of Calvary. When we were sinners, He died for us."

- Jesus' followers believed in the good news of salvation through repentance. For evangelical Christians, water baptism is fundamentally important.

“What shall we say? Should we remain in sin so that grace may increase? No way. We died to sin: how can we live in it? 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.” (Romans 6:1-4)

By plunging into the waters, we bury our old self and unite with Christ through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is evidence of this and the anticipation of Christ’s Resurrection. The person being baptized is clothed in white, symbolizing Christ's righteousness. Rising from the waters is associated with Jesus in His resurrection. “Sin will not touch me, I will live a victorious life,” proclaims the one who enters into a sacred Covenant with the Lord,” Gennady continued in the sermon.

The one who initiated salvation draws us to himself. We trust Him with our lives from beginning to end. Every day we die to our ego and selfishness, and this is how we continue in our new life in Christ. Who will deliver me from sin? God will deliver.

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but  who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:5)

The sacrament of water baptism was carried out by Vladimir Tongushov, pastor of the Moscow’s Central Church. Likewise, Pasot Sergei Zolotarevsky, congratulated all those baptized on the beginning of a new life with these words, “Now we are here witnessing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His victory took place not only about 2000 years ago in Jerusalem, but also here now. We have before us those who are dead to sin, and alive to Jesus Christ. Through the local Baptist church they entered the Universal Church. Today there are 22 people, in the 90s there were several hundred. Why is that?”

“For I do not want you, brethren, to be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should dream for yourselves, that a hardening has taken place in Israel in part, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” (Romans 11:25)

We don’t know, maybe you will end the time of grace for us pagans. Those being baptized are among the happiest today. God is faithful to his word even if we are not.

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. I praise you, brothers, that you remember everything I have and keep the traditions as I handed them down to you.” (1 Cor. 11:1-2)

This is how Zolotarevsky advised those who had just been baptized.

The elders of the church prayed over those who were baptized. The new converts turned to the Lord with a prayer of gratitude that through His mercy they could join Him and receive their first communion. Relatives and friends, sisters and brothers warmly congratulated the new members of the Body of Christ.

Stambolidi Alla

Photo by Alla Stabmolidi and Zoya Bardina