Most of the friends I grew up with had experienced the rite of baptism; I had not. Through what I was learning in Christian Science, I felt that I was being purified spiritually, but I was not always able to explain this to my classmates.

What, exactly, does Christian Science offer in the way of baptism? Not a one-time ritual with water but individual sanctification through prayer, repentance, and reformation. This spiritual baptism is a purification of thought that goes on throughout one's life. It's the blessing that comes from God, divine Spirit, when we seek Him and obey His law. As Mrs. Eddy observes, "Our baptism is a purification from all error." ^{Science and Health, p. 35.}

The Ten Commandments and Jesus' Sermon on the Mount show the path of righteousness. These teachings illustrate true worship of the one infinite God and right relations with our felowman. When lived, they develop in us humility, reverence, purity, patience, tenderness, and wisdom. As we ponder them and strive to heed them, our thoughts and lives are transformed. Progressively we find ourselves cleansed of sin and anointed with godliness.

As other Christians do, Christian Scientists take Christ Jesus as their model. What can we learn from the fact that he, the purest man who ever lived, submitted to being baptized? The Biblical record gives us a clue. When the Master came to John to be baptized (to the amazement of John himself), he declared, "Suffer it to be so now." ^{Matt. 3:15.} Couldn't this allude to the idea that such outward signs of purification would not always be needed?

Mrs. Eddy sheds light on Jesus' words by explaining, "When Jesus received the material rite of water baptism, he did not say that it was God's command; but implied that the period demanded it." She goes on to say, "Trials purify mortals and deliver them from themselves,—all the claims of sensuality." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 298.}

We can see, of course, that the baptism of an infant does not free that individual from the eventual need to wrestle with sinful temptations and overcome them. Although being a member of a church family can certainly provide moral strength, ultimately we each must win our own victories over unrighteous thoughts and deeds.

Not long after his baptism Jesus was tempted. We read in the Scriptures that the devil tried to snare him three times, in different ways. Each time the Master held to his love for God, divine Spirit, and refused to worship or depend on matter. Jesus put down devilish suggestions with his clear understanding of God's Word. Finally, as the Bible states, "The devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." ^{Matt. 4:11.}

A true understanding of the Scriptures can be a defense for us too. Familiarity with the Word, even memorizing passages, can have special meaning for us. Listening prayerfully for God, divine Mind, to guide us, we will have the spiritual understanding that enables us to resist temptation.

Christian Science teaches that man is God's offspring, made in the image of divine Spirit—which agrees with what the Scriptures tell us. So man's identity is spiritual, innately good. Understanding man's true nature, Jesus could say to his followers, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." ^{Matt. 5:48.}

Our spiritual baptism brings forth this God-given perfection. We are not struggling to be something we're not. We are working to discern and to express our real, incorporeal nature.

The Christ, the true idea of God, which Jesus lived, reveals our spiritual identity. In consecrated prayer we receive Christ and come to know ourselves as God's child. Prayer is not words alone, but faith, humility, and trust in good. We need a pure desire to awake to the presence of divine Spirit. We need a willingness to leave behind the false, material view of things.

What we discern in prayer—the spiritual understanding of identity—needs be lived. We honor God by consistently and actively expressing such Christly qualities as purity, integrity, and selfless love.

Mortal beliefs, however, seem to work against our efforts to be Godlike. In particular the false belief that we are physical, born not of God but of two mortals. Or the mistaken religious belief that we were sinners from the start. Such false beliefs, if accepted, would weigh us down and prevent us from demonstrating our God-given goodness.

But the power of God, Spirit, works in us to reveal our upright, spiritual nature. Almighty God upholds our efforts to see the light of Christ and to be what God made us to be: perfect. As Mrs. Eddy writes, "The baptism of the Holy Ghost is the spirit of Truth cleansing from all sin; giving mortals new motives, new purposes, new affections, all pointing upward." ^{Mis., p. 204.}

This is not a baptism that can be achieved in a moment—either in infancy or later in life. The baptism that cleanses our thought and lives must be sought continually. Each day brings fresh opportunities for victory over sin.

I have noticed in my life that spiritual baptism takes place in at least two ways. Most often it's a slow and gradual transformation of thought. But at other times purification has come suddenly and unexpectedly, as if I were being doused with a bucket of cold water.

One of these latter experiences occurred when I was in college. It was my sophomore year. One Friday night a party was organized by a few friends who lived in an apartment off campus. The group was small; the supply of liquor was not.

Up to that time I had no interest in drinking. But for some reason that night the temptation to drink overwhelmed me. Thinking I would "just try a little," I began drinking—and didn't stop.

You can probably guess what happened. By the end of the evening I was drunk and miserably sick. My friends helped me get home that night. It was all I could do to fall into bed with a feeble plea for God's help.

By noon the next day I was sober again. But I was not the same. There was an awakened desire for reformation. In quiet, humble prayer I reexamined my thought and behavior from the night before. What had caused me to stumble? I asked God for the answer.

Gently, divine Love exposed the false belief I had unwittingly accepted as true: the fraudulent belief that joy or fun can be found in a bottle. Prayer and spiritual reasoning revealed the true source of happiness: God Himself. I began to see that I could never be separated from that source of good.

But something more was required of me. I realized that I had to accept and then reflect the graces derived from Spirit that make for a good time. I had to consciously express spontaneity, humor, self-forgetfulness, and genuine affection, among others.

What I discerned in prayer that day made remarkable changes in me. Proof of purification came over the months and years following: I never again found myself wanting or accepting an alcoholic drink.

Has this made me feel deprived? No. The joys of divine Spirit have become real to me. I've learned to be with friends in a way that brings tangible and lasting cheer. I've learned something else, too. I've learned that God, in His boundless love, gives us the wisdom to choose friends and activities that will support our spiritual progress. Our part is to listen for Mind's guidance and then heed the spiritual ideas that come.

No doubt all of us, at one time or another, have felt the divine impulsion to be what we truly are: Godlike. Maybe sometimes we've ignored such impulsions. But through earnest, honest prayer we can learn to obey them more consistently. When we do, we'll find our creator revealing to us our flawless, spiritual nature. We'll find ourselves baptized of Spirit—renewed by the understanding of our inherent goodness.