One of the events that Hollywood portrays periodically is the deathbead conversion. You know what I am talking about. The character has been resistant to whatever. But, then, a deathbed experience–which they may or may not survive–changes the mind of the person. Somehow, as they are about to die, a sudden clarity comes to their mind and they repent of their wrong belief and switch to the right belief, whatever Hollywood wishes to portray as the right belief.
But, C.S. Lewis points out in his book That Hideous Strength that most people who make it to the end of their lives go right into the next life without any change of opinion. At least two of the characters go to their death, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that there are angels and demons, and yet they refuse to change. Unfortunately that is the more common scenario. St. Paul addresses it in the book of 1 Timothy when he says:
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. . . .
For most of us pastors, seeing a true deathbed conversion is an extremely rare event. I can only remember one other in my ministry until this past week. Yes, a man dying from cancer, who has proclaimed himself as an atheist during most of his adult life committed his life to the Lord on Lazarus Saturday. He received emergency baptism from a lay person at the hospital. This past week I chrismated him and gave him communion. I spoke to him today and he is one of the most peaceful persons I have seen in a long time, especially given that, barring a miracle, he may be with the Lord by next week. I had been visiting him for nearly six months, and am so grateful that he made the right decision.
So, remember, that while it is extremely rare, nevertheless, deathbed conversions do happen. So, always be ready for what the Holy Spirit may be doing. And, by the way, rejoice with us.
Thanks be to God!
That’s wonderful. But incidentaly, I did not know that the Orthodox permit emergency baptism by lay people (same as us Lutherans).
Yes, we permit emergency baptism. So do, I think, just about all Christian bodies. If you think about the theology of baptism, we say that baptism is necessary to enter the Kingdom of God because that is what Our Lord Jesus Christ told Nicodemus. whereas we do not say that Eucharist is necessary, because there is no such saying.
Yes, we all know the exceptions, but it is not surprising that if one must be born of water to see the Kingdom of God, then the attitude would be that, at need, the nearest baptized person passes on the gift. You see, we know what Our Lord Jesus said. We also know that the thief on the Cross is an exception to the rule. But, when it is at all possible, it is better to follow the rule than to rely on the exception!