Mark 1:4-5 KJV
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. [5] And there went out unto him all the land of Judæa, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
Luke 3:2-3 KJV
Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. [3] And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
Luke 1:76-77 KJV (Zachariah full of the Holy Ghost and prophesying over his newly-born son John the baptist)
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; [77] To give knowledge of salvation unto his people
by the
remission of their sins,
What people struggle to believe and/or understand is that salvation is a gate and a way, not an instantaneous event.
John was ONLY sent with the "remission of sins" portion. He was NOT sent to give a single person the other portion "the Holy Ghost". And even God himself cannot give you the "what you do with it" portion. Both
Jesus and
John the baptist taught accordingly.
In
Matt. 25....
Jesus told of the 10 virgins IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD who were invited (even commanded) to go meet their bridegroom. And he told of the servants (chosen, accounted worthy, given talents, and told to wait for their master's return. Sound familiar??). The master KNEW how much to give each one based on their abilities... and he fully trusted them to perform (not micromanaging)... But it was NOT up to the master (who was obviously willing to give even more) as to what each person did with their chosen, gifted status.
John the Baptist in Luke 3:8-9 etc warned that "Hey, I baptize you indeed, but if you don't bring forth the FRUIT of the status you're being given, you're going to get CUT OFF and burned." (paraphrased)
BOTH were saying hey, there's a chosen, cleaned, invited, worthy status that can be granted to you freely (that's a gate)... But what you DO with it (that's a way) is going to make a HUGE difference when the master returns. And those who USE it unwisely will be cast out.
Gotta give the devil the (biblical) credit for being a master deceiver. Most are being taught that salvation is ONLY a gate. And they don't even get that right. On the one side of the gate is remission of sins...(gotta have that). And on the other side is receiving the Holy Ghost... (gotta have that, too).
Remission of sins (the tool for it) was established by God through John the baptist...BEFORE Jesus' ministry. (and continues thru and after with NO command to cease)
The Holy Ghost was established (manifested, poured out) by God AFTER Jesus' ministry, starting on the day of Pentecost (and continues "unto ALL the Lord shall call"...with NO command to cease).
Remission of sins removes the bad that we can't take to heaven...IF we submit to the tool he established for it.
The Holy Ghost adds/brings/gives the
good that we
need to make it into heaven (Spirit prayer, Spirit of adoption, helpeth our infirmities, gifts/tools to reach fulness of stature, etc)...IF we eventually and actually receive it. (read all the examples where it didn't come immediately)
God purposely seperated those by the length of Jesus earthly ministry... So you
have to learn to trust God about baptism for
remission of sins part
before Jesus even steps onto the scene or you will miss out on that part. And you
have to learn to trust God about the
Holy Ghost part (as weird as the speaking in tongues part seems)
after Jesus left the scene, or you'll miss out on that part. It is as Jesus said... if you don't learn to receive from the Father, you won't actually make it to me" (paraphrased).
John 6:43-45 KJV
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. [44] No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. [45] It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
John 6:64-65 KJV
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. [65] And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
Those verses are saying that you've GOT to go to God and learn how to ask him the hard questions and stay with him until he ANSWERS or you'll never be able to truly know what is of God and what is not. He WILL answer. And He WILL guide you HOW to ask the questions correctly if you're really wanting to know. And he will help you to believe, etc. But he cannot do it if you don't ASK.
And as I pointed out in Post 147, if you decide to believe that God doesn't love you enough to answer, he would have no choice but to give you according to your belief (unbelief). But if you can trust that God loves you the way that he says he does... or even come to him willing to let him answer according to his love rather than your faith/unbelief... that gives him the opportunity to move (as long as you don't retract the question(s) ).
YES, I'm imploring and beseeching. But can you REALLY say that you're fully satisfied with your current level of results in prayer? Do you REALLY feel that what you have now (in God) is all that he's wanting to give? Do you REALLY have the confidence that you know you should? If not, what do you have to lose by asking and believing God to answer? Does he not PROMISE to answer? (ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be OPENED to you).
Well, that's about as good as I can offer it for today. He that hath an ear, let him hear. (Seek God. He loves you.)
Love in Jesus,
Kelby