Basic HTML Version
62
Humble Hero
down and thrown into the fire.” If the fruit is worthless, the name
cannot save the tree from destruction. John told the Jews plainly that
if their life and character were not in harmony with God’s law, they
were not His people.
All who became citizens of Christ’s kingdom, he said, would
give evidence of faith and repentance. Their lives would exhibit
kindness and devotion. They would minister to the needy, shield the
defenseless, and be examples of virtue and compassion.
“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.” Isaiah
had declared that the Lord would cleanse His people “by the spirit
of judgment and by the spirit of burning.”
Isaiah 4:4
.
The Spirit of God will consume sin in all who submit to His
power. See
Hebrews 12:29
. But if any cling to sin, then the glory of
God, which destroys sin, must destroy them. At the second advent of
Christ, the wicked will be consumed “with the breath of His mouth”
and destroyed “with the brightness of His coming.”
2 Thessalonians
2:8
. The glory of God that gives life to the righteous will destroy the
wicked.
In the time of John the Baptist, Christ was about to appear as the
Revealer of God’s character. His very presence would make people
aware of their sin. Only as they were willing to be cleansed from sin
could they enter into fellowship with Him.
In this way, John the Baptist declared God’s message to Israel.
Many accepted it and sacrificed everything in order to obey. More
than a few cherished the hope that he might be the Messiah. But as
John saw the people turning to him, he took every opportunity to
direct their faith to the One who was to come.
[42]