In the context of the word about baptism (about the Sacraments), let us recall (see details in previous parts) who is a Christian, who is a catechumen, and who has not even begun to be catechized…
“Jesus said to His disciples: If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).
“A large crowd was going along with Him, and He turned and said to them: If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; they throw it away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:25-35).
The Lord says: whoever wants to become My disciple, to become a Christian (anointed – baptized with the Holy Spirit), must prepare for baptism (anointing) by the Holy Spirit! How? – He must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me (become like Me)! For whoever does not deny himself and all that is “his,” who does not carry his cross with joy and thanksgiving, cannot be a disciple of Christ, that is, a Christian. One can become a Christian (be baptized by the Holy Spirit) only if he has already denied himself (not just starting to deny, or wants to deny, or begins to deny – to fight against egoism-pride, passions-lusts), who already carries his cross with joy and thanksgiving (not just takes or tries to take – has already taken, already carries, without hesitation, without looking back, because he who looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God, cannot be a disciple of Christ, that is, a Christian (anointed by the Holy Spirit = begotten by God = baptized by the Holy Spirit))! The Lord baptizes with the Holy Spirit (do not confuse the Grace of the Sacrament of Baptism-Marriage with spiritual gifts given for ministry; even a non-Christian can have spiritual gifts (e.g., Old Testament prophets, apostles before Pentecost), a sinner (Judas Iscariot and those miracle workers, exorcists, who will hear the sentence: “I never knew you”) – see below in detail) only those catechumens who not just deny themselves (fight with passions), take (try to take with joy and thanksgiving) their cross, but who have already denied themselves (humbled by God’s mercy), already carry their cross, not looking back, not hesitating, and follow Christ. Let us emphasize again: only one who has already “denied” (a fact) and “carries” his cross can be baptized… And who is still denying (fighting passions…), is still a catechumen – let him continue to be catechized, let him work, struggle, and add labor to labor… Until he becomes a catechumen, that is, humbles himself (Grace is given only to the humble, that is, the poor in spirit), the Church will not baptize him (because God-Love will not baptize the unprepared; except for priests who will baptize anyone for money…)! No advances (you first perform the operation, and we will then prepare for the operation(!?) = you perform the Sacrament (that is, the rite of the Sacrament), and we will then be catechized!?) in the Church, there cannot be (no formal, irresponsible baptism of infants, small children, or deceitful hypocrites… that is, the un-catechized). Therefore, the Lord said: whoever wants to follow Him, that is, to become a Christian, let him first earnestly be catechized (prepare) – deny himself (until he denies, loses his soul for the sake of Christ) and take up his cross (until he takes it up with joy and carries it with thanksgiving without hesitation and looking back); and then, after working hard in catechism, let him check his condition (whether he has denied himself, whether he already carries his cross), whether he has the strength and means (humble all-powerful weakness and complete reliance on God, absolute poverty of spirit) – the Lord speaks about this in the parables about building a tower, about the war of ten thousand against twenty, – and if you see, after checking, testing yourself (1 Corinthians 11), that you can be a disciple (denied yourself and all “your” (soul-spirit-body), carry the cross with joy and thanksgiving), then proceed to baptism (because the Lord baptizes with the Holy Spirit only those capable of receiving Him)!