Lesson 863

(Lesson 863)(01-08-14) Mark 1:8;

"I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost."

In the above quote, John essentially declared that water baptism had nothing to do with what Jesus was coming to accomplish when he said "I indeed have baptized you with water BUT: He" (Jesus) "shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost". By using the word "but", John established that aside from the traditional Jewish requirement of preparatory flowing water washing, Jesus was coming to "baptize", or permanently wash away ALL the sins, of those who would believe in Him, by placing their souls within the eternal security of the Holy Ghost (Spirit). The cleansing agent that remitted the sins of those who believe, was the sacrificial ordeal of Jesus Christ, the solution into which saved souls were forever altered, through the "baptism" that Jesus would accomplish, was the everlasting security of the Holy Ghost. The entity we all know is the third part of the Holy Triune and that power that seals our salvation.

Jesus' coming, His death, burial, and resurrection, would provide the "baptism" Peter reiterated in 1 Peter 3:21, "The like figure whereunto even BAPTISM doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) BY THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST:"

In this quote Peter is also careful to establish the difference between the two "baptisms" by, declaring that the "washing" of the flesh had nothing to do with the cleansing or remitting of sin, "NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh", Peter went on to establish that the remitting of sins was accomplished by the sacrificial ordeal of Jesus, "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."~
NOTE: This subject will be discussed in much more detail as these lessons progress.