Water, Blood and Fire

by Fr Ralph de Hahn · Published April 15, 2024 · Updated April 15, 2024

By Ralph de Hahn – Many great beginnings have insignificant endings; they just fade into the twilight of life. On the other hand, little happenings with a lot of love produce rich fruits — even with eternal value.

Most of us have witnessed the baptism of a child — a little water, some holy oils and a few words. That fact is noted in the parish register, which is very important. Even Jesus, the Son of God, at the age of about 30, was found at the River Jordan asking his cousin John to baptise him (Matthew 3:16).

In the mystery of baptism, this simple ceremony, the Blessed Trinity is present, original sin is removed, and the Holy Spirit brings that child into the family of God. Here we have the source of God’s merciful graces, and the beginning of a new life in and with Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-5).

There is still a belief among many Christians that water removes the original sin. Not even the great oceans of the earth are able to remove that sin. Paul tells the Ephesians: “It is by grace you have been saved” — not just by water! And we learn from the Letter to the Hebrews: “By the blood of Jesus we gain the right to enter the sanctuary of the Body [the Church], our bodies sprinkled and washed with pure water” (10:19-22).

A precious gift

Water is a precious gift; however without the Cross it is no help to salvation. All through Scripture we find the praise of Living water and yet the learned Pharisee Nicodemus was deeply perplexed to hear that “unless a man is born again through water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).

Jesus stressed this rebirth: the person must be born from above, for what is born of flesh remains only flesh. It is from John that we learn that “there are three witnesses — the Spirit, the water and blood” (1 John 5:7). That simple baptismal ceremony is not just water and words — it must be stressed that only through the blood of Jesus are we redeemed and saved.

In John’s Gospel of the Passion we read that “one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a lance and immediately there came out blood and water…and this is trustworthy evidence” (19:33). The people of biblical Israel over the centuries offered the blood of animals in reparation to the Almighty, for they too believed that only through blood is sin removed. The astonishing history of the Church testifies to the thousands of martyrs who were baptised by fire and blood.

Belief makes righteous

John the Baptiser, knowing who Jesus was, tried to dissuade him from seeking baptism. Jesus nevertheless asked John to go ahead: “It is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands.” Paul remarks that “by believing from the heart one is made righteous” (Romans 10:10).

When Our Lord gave his life on the cross, he acted in the name of all humanity, for all the sins, for all time. We can therefore believe that Jesus rising from the waters takes all of humanity with him.

And behold! The heavens open and “he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him…and then a voice spoke from heaven” — giving confirmation to what the Son had accomplished. While the bewildered John stood there speechless, Jesus knew exactly what he was doing — and why.

Here we have the testimony of the water and the Spirit; at the end of Jesus’ earthly life, we see the testimony of blood from Calvary. However we cannot fail to realise that the Spirit also appears as fire; we are told that God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). In the Scriptures we find God using the symbol of fire to represent his presence, his power and strength, but also the challenges and ordeals that will face the believer!

Purification by fire

That fire is also very much a purifying factor, just as it is used to purify precious metals. We recall the tongues of fire on that first Pentecost and its shattering power. Psalm 29 claims that “the Lord’s voice flashes flames of fire”. The fire accompanies the water and spirit at baptism because one is to expect a spiritual battle against the enemy within and without.

Yet Paul encourages us: “If we have imitated his death, we shall also imitate his resurrection” (Romans 6:3-6).

Baptised Christians, behold your dignity! “You are no longer aliens… you are citizens like all the saints and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundation, and Christ as its main cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:19).

St Augustine believed that the saving power of Christian baptism is far greater than the creation of the world. God’s people are more sacred than any temple or building; the new Christian enjoys the fatherhood of God, the motherhood of Mary, and the brotherhood of man. It is a heart-to-heart relationship. Indeed, it will cost you much to be a Christian — but really much more not to be one.

St Peter has the last word: “A ransom has been paid to set you free… you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a nation set apart” (1 Peter 2-9). And why? To sing the praises of God who called you out of darkness into his most wonderful light.

Published in the January issue of The Southern Cross magazine