4282—BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST
Please explain the last part of Matt. 3:11. J. MCH. This verse reads: "I indeed baptize you with water unto 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." The mere form of the outward baptism would not cleanse the heart. The baptism of the heart by the Holy Spirit is that which works the inner cleansing. The baptism of John was a call to repentance, but not a means of conveying spiritual grace. And thus the baptism with which Christ baptized the believers was a much greater baptism than that of John. The baptism with fire, if we so choose, may be the Spirit's operations upon the soul—searching, consuming, refining, purifying. And for those who do not yield themselves to the purifying operations of the Spirit, there remains the fate of the chaff, spoken of in verse 12, that must be "burned up" with the "unquenchable fire" that destroys all sin and incorrigible sinners. After the baptism of the apostles with the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost, they preached the word with great zeal and power, and the efficacy of that baptism is shown in the conversion of the three thousand souls in a single day. This baptism is what all true Christians should pray for to-day. Does the word "beginning" in Gen. 1:1 and 1 John 3:8 refer to one and the same period? or about when is it probable that Satan fell? A. K. The term "beginning" in Gen. 1:1, without question, refers to the time of the creation of this earth. 1 John 3:8 states: "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." The text is talking about the individual who is committing sin, and says that he is of the devil. And then by way of argument it is stated, "For the devil sinneth from the beginning," showing that Satan made his appearance when man was created upon the earth; and this is in harmony with the record in Genesis, where Adam and Eve, the father and mother of the race, were met and beguiled by Satan. Hence it would appear that the word "beginning" in both of these scriptures refers to the same time; but neither of these texts tells us, nor does any other text, when Satan fell. There are a great many things spoken of in the Bible that we will have to wait until we are in the eternal world, under the instruction of the Creator Himself, for a full understanding of. The most essential thing for us now is to get hold of the definite truth for this time, and to prepare for the great day that is just before us; and then after the coming of Christ, many, many things that are now a puzzle to us will be fully cleared up.