Is Russell Brand a Christian?

The controversial comedian’s baptism does not change his past or exempt him from facing the consequences of his previous actions, but God only knows the sincerity of his conversion. It is not for Christians to judge, says Krish Kandiah

There are a lot of unlikely conversions in the Bible – a Samaritan sorcerer and an Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8) and a Roman centurion (Acts 10), for a start. The Bible makes it clear that it was not always easy for other people to accept those who professed conversion.

When Ananias was asked to go and encourage Saul, Ananias felt it was important to remind the omniscient God that the man was on a murderous mission to wipe out Christians (Acts 9). When a woman with a questionable past came to Jesus and washed his feet, witnesses were shocked that Jesus would allow her anywhere near him (Luke 7).

So perhaps it is not surprising that there have been mixed reactions to the recent baptism of controversial comedian and actor Russell Brand.