Pam Padgett ... teacher
He who sent John the Baptist to baptize with water also told
him that when he saw the Spirit descending and remaining on someone,
that person would baptize with the Holy Ghost. John believed what he
had been told, and did as he had been sent to do, baptizing with water.
Then, when he saw the Spirit descending and staying on Jesus, he testified that Jesus is the Son of God.
John 1:29
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the
Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30 This is he of
whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he
was before me. 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made
manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32 And
John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a
dove, and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me
to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see
the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw, and bare record that this
is the Son of God.
Although John had been given information about
how to identify the one who would baptize with the Holy Ghost, he went
about baptizing with water as he had been sent to do, believing that at some point the Son of God
would be manifested. He went about doing what
he had been told to do as he waited to see what he had been told.
I was reminded that we have been told that Jesus will return. Although we don't know when Jesus will
return, we believe that this will happen. And while we wait, we
endeavor to get ourselves ready, and keep ourselves ready, for His
return. Jesus said: Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 24:44)
Peter exhorted us that our conversation
(manner of life) should be holy and according to godliness ... seeking
to please God and live according to His will, not seeking to "fit in" and please the
world ... and that we should be diligent to be in peace, spotless, and blameless
...
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief
in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and
the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all
these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein
the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise,
look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.