Many have celebrated the news in recent days that British actor, comedian and activist Russell Brand has professed faith in Christ.
In a video posted Monday on X, Brand voiced enthusiasm for his new direction.
“Yesterday, I got baptized,” he said, looking directly into the camera. “And it was an incredible, profound experience. And many of you will have had your own experiences of baptism and will therefore know what I’m talking about.
“Many aspects of it were very intimate and personal. The truth is this — as a person that has in the past taken many, many substances and always been disappointed with their inability to deliver the kind of tranquility and peace and even transcendence that I always felt I’ve been looking for — something occurred in the process of baptism that was incredible.”
In his video, Brand expressed gratitude for those who’ve reached out to him acknowledging his Christian profession and was gracious in noting that some were skeptical of his conversion.
I got baptised!!!!
And… pic.twitter.com/c1JamCk49x
— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) April 29, 2024
But a few hours earlier, Brand had posted an X video affirming his use of tarot cards and other “hybrid modalities,” seemingly mocking traditional Christian positions on occult practices.
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There was a marked humility in his post regarding his baptism. There was an opposite, even sardonic attitude in the video where he furthered occultic dimensions of spiritual revelation, asking listeners several times what they thought.
Take the blindfold off and you will see… pic.twitter.com/eQ3jykRkoE
— Russell Brand (@rustyrockets) April 29, 2024
While the videos were posted almost simultaneously, it’s not clear the times they were produced. And not surprisingly, among some believers, alarm bells went off.
An X post from Christian conservative commentator Jon Root was clear.
“Russell, please throw the occult cards away and flee evil,” Root wrote. “This is a terrible look the day after your baptism, which should have followed utter and complete surrender to Christ and His Word, knowing that only He came to wipe away your sins [with your] repentance, fleeing from occult practices like this and evidence of a transformed heart by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.”
“This is why people are skeptical of your motivation behind and legitimacy of your baptism,” he continued.
“We’re not haters. We’re Christ followers that want to see you hear ‘well done good and faithful servant’ at the end of your days, not [you] crying ‘lord, lord’ and God replying ‘depart from me. I never knew you.’”
Russell, please throw the occult cards away and flee from evil. This is a terrible look the day after your baptism, which should have followed utter and complete surrender to Christ and His Word knowing that only He came wipe away your sins, repentance, fleeing from occult…
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) April 29, 2024
Another X user admonished Brand to “steer clear of these things,” warning that he was opening himself up to “major spiritual attacks. Now that you’re professing Christ, it’s important to stand firm & be on guard.”
Yeah, I would steer clear of these things now. You will find that you’re opening yourself up to major spiritual attacks. Now that you’re professing Christ, it’s important to stand firm & be on guard.
— Misty Dawn (@MiztDawnCO) April 29, 2024
A third person warned him that “[f]ortune-telling, calling upon the aid of spirits, and contacting the dead are all spoken about dozens of times in Scripture. And God made no bones about it; they are abominable practices (Deuteronomy 18:9-13).”
The X user also recounted the story in the Bible’s book of Acts about Paul and Silas casting an unclean spirit out of a young slave and being imprisoned for halting the revenue her masters gained from her divinations.
Fortune-telling, calling upon the aid of spirits, and contacting the dead are all spoken about dozens of times in Scripture. And God made no bones about it; they are abominable practices (Deuteronomy 18:9-13) . There is also a fascinating story in Acts 16:16-24 where Paul and…
— Cynizen (@CynizenTV) April 29, 2024
So what to make of it all regarding Russell Brand?
First, only God discerns hearts, and while repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ bring initial, sometimes dramatic, changes, Scripture teaches of stages of growth, with increased sanctification through discipleship.
The Bible refers to new or immature believers as “infants in Christ.” If truly Christian, Brand no doubt is a spiritual baby.
And even a mature believer like the apostle Peter — an elder in the church, no less — was publicly rebuked by Paul for wavering faith regarding being a Jew eating with Gentiles.
None of us in this life is perfect.
Yet Brand is seeking revelation in the wrong places.
2 Timothy 3:16 tells us we can look to the Bible for all the knowledge we need for living. Elsewhere, we are told the Holy Spirit illuminates believers to aid them in understanding Scripture.
For now, let’s look at Brand as perhaps a new believer, a babe in Christ.
Then let’s see what he has to say in a year or 10.
