Lesson 4037

 (Lesson 4037)(02-09-23) Matthew 3:11-12

    “ I indeed baptize you with water unto (toward) repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

     Today’s quote is very, very important to the study of the New Testament and is seemingly ignored by the vast majority of today’s Christianity.

     Note that John specifically said that his baptism was a water baptism TOWARD repentance. That being just as the old law prescribed. He then went further to explain that the baptism that is of (and into) Jesus Christ is a baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire.

     John, in today’s quote, CLEARLY difined the difference between the water baptisms he performed, as per Jewish law, and the baptism that saves the eternal soul which is a baptism INTO, NOT WATER, but INTO Christ Jesus. “For as many of you as have been baptized INTO Christ, have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:27)

    Sadly, the confusion over the meaning and intent of water baptism has cost the eternal souls of countless people over the millennia and continues to do so today. That is because, if one places that one’s faith in water baptism to remit sin, that one ignores the shed blood of Jesus Christ as the ONLY means by which one’s sins can be remitted through faith in that same Jesus Christ crucified.

    There will be much more on this subject as these lessons progress.~