As the people were in
expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether
he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with
water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am
not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His
winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the
wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (Luke 3:15-17).
They mistook
the Baptist for the Messiah! His austere, humble lifestyle reflected an
abandonment of the comforts of the world. His Holy Spirit inspired words
reflected the convicting truth of God’s Word. Humility and authority mixed
together and came forth in power and the audience was compelled to question within
their hearts, “whether he might be the Christ”. Might the Teacher
who inspired Luke to record this scene be convicting our hearts today? Might
the Spirit want us to consider the question, do people see Jesus in me? John’s
answer to the burning question in the hearts of his audience revealed Biblical
truth that had transformed his life. He spoke from personal experience about the
evidence of a truly converted soul.
A
maturing disciple reveals the life of Christ. Born again, growing disciples are
increasingly filled with the new life that reflects Christ to others. John’s life
was so overflowing with the life of Christ that his audience mistook him for
the Messiah. The Baptist’s life was surrendered to Christ completely. Jesus
exhorted real disciples to deny themselves and to surrender their lives to His
perfect care and leading… “If anyone would come after me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). This
exchange of life begins at the new birth… “He died for all, that those
who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake
died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:15) and continues daily as John
affirmed with the words… “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John
3:30).
A
maturing disciple reproduces the character of Christ. John was baptized or immersed
in the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb… “He will be filled
with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15). The
Spirit teaches that genuine disciples experience the baptism (Greek –baptizō:
to make whelmed, immersed, washed) of the Holy Spirit at our spiritual
birth… “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness,
but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of
the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our
Savior” (Titus 3:5-6). The Spirit also teaches that being filled with
the Holy Spirit is a daily experience that should be vigorously pursued by
diligent, growing disciples… “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is
debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18) and this
pursuit of life in the Spirit bears visible fruit that reflects the character
of Jesus Christ and is evidence that we belong to Him… “The fruit of the
Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to
Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians
5:22-24).
A
maturing disciple reflects the holiness of Christ. The growing presence of
Christ and the increasing fullness of the Holy Spirit in a genuine, born again
disciple will produce another obvious change, increasing holiness. As we
decrease and the presence and power of Christ in us increases, there is increasing
victory over sin in our lives… “The sting of death is sin, and the power
of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:56-57). The victory over temptation
and sin begins with the new birth and increases as our faith in Christ grows… “For
everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory
that has overcome the world—our faith” (1 John 5:4). Evidence of the
new birth and genuine discipleship is Christ in us increasing our ability to
imitate Christ and His holiness who admonished us to… “As he who called
you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You
shall be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16).
As we grow
up into Christ we reveal Him, reproduce His character, and reflect His
holiness…
The Evidence of a Truly Converted
Soul.
No comments:
Post a Comment