Matthew 3:11
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
The most important touch of the Spirit in your life is surely Spirit baptism. While we rejoice when a sinner realizes the position of their life before God and calls out in repentance, it is not this change of heart that brings about our salvation. That is reserved for the Spirit's touch - when the Spirit baptizes the believer. This touch generates new life. With Spirit baptism, we are born again (John 3:5).
John the Baptizer reminds us the Spirit will touch every one of us. You will either be baptized of the Spirit to new life, or of fire in judgment. Christ will baptize with both. At the time of judgment, Jesus will separate all humanity into wheat and chaff. Those already baptized of the Spirit are considered the wheat. This is the Church of those who belong to the Lord. They are the ones of the Kingdom of God. Everyone else is chaff, ready for the winnowing.
Of course, chaff has no value. It cannot be eaten, cannot be made bread, and cannot give life. Its only value is as fuel for the fire. So which baptism have you? Is it the touch of the Spirit's anointing life, or are you awaiting a judgmental baptism by unquenchable fire?
Sure, some will rightly point out that Spirit baptism is also related to fire. This is the power of the Spirit living in you as revealed at Pentecost, but don't miss the point John makes for us in this text. He's not talking about the Spirit's fire living in believers. He's referring to judgmental fire. The righteous Lord condemns all who refuse to bow down their hearts in true repentance and worship.
Spirit baptism is God's anointing power in your life. To be changed. To be renewed. To be forgiven. To be declared righteous.
LORD JESUS
May our hearts be touched by the anointing presence of your Spirit. Cover us in your grace. Cleanse us from our sins. Create in us a new heart. Amen
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