Famous actor-turned-outspoken Christian Russell Brand appears to have heeded criticism directed at him from those who called him out for performing a water baptism in underwear. In Brand’s latest baptism, he performed the submersion in more “modest clothing.”
Taking to social media over the weekend, Brand wrote, “Another day, another baptism. This time in a pool and in more modest bathing attire. By His Grace we’ll soon be doing them in the Jordan in Camel skins shorts,” he wrote, joking about the recent criticism.
Brand added in subsequent posts, focusing on the core of his mission in bringing other people to Jesus Christ. “I’m reminded that at all times, there is only an audience of one — Jesus,” followed by, “As long as I know that I’m in relationship with Him, criticism doesn’t matter.”
Brand was called out on social media after uploading a photo of himself baptizing an individual in a river while wearing white underwear. Users on social media claimed the move was indecent and detracting from the baptismal experience.
One person commented on Brand’s post, “Come on.. why is it the one who’s being baptised be the one with shirts on while both of you naked.” Another echoed this sentiment, stating, “Everything that is done in Jesus name is supposed to be done decent and in order that is the word of God . Him in his underwear showing off his body parts is not decent. I pray he gets closer to the father.”
“I suppose looking at it now, it does look a bit immodest, me doing a baptism in underpants like that. But the truth is, I took off my clothes and my underpants is all I’m wearing underneath my clothes,” Brand said in a video uploaded to social media following the criticism. “That’s what I’m wearing right now. It wasn’t a planned photo shoot. Some of my mates took photos for their friend, actually. Evan was getting baptized.”
Brand recited scripture from Phillippians, stating, “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.”
“And I think that is so beautiful because, you know, I’m a person that’s come out of the entertainment industry,” Brand added. “I’m so grateful I’ve been saved, chosen, that He has found me.” He further acknowledged, “But I’ve still got the attributes of a showoff. I suppose if I didn’t have, I wouldn’t even post a thing like that. But the reason I’m in them underpants, cause them’s my underpants, and the reason I’m doing that baptism — because I love Jesus. Praise Jesus Christ!”
Featured image credit: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arthur_Russell_Brand_(5622506846).jpg