(JOHN CHAPTER 1)
Verse 31:
And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore
am I come baptizing with water.
In this statement we discover John's resolution as a soul winner. He was
unwavering in his service, motivated by a strong personal desire to make
it evident to others that Christ was the Messiah. Such determination is
the gasoline in a soul winner's tank!
So dear lady, how dedicated have you been at carrying out your duty to
make Christ manifest through your life? Is soul winning one of those activities
you stop and start from time to time? Do you quit after opposition? Do
you start up again after a revival meeting only to fizzle out after the
hype is gone? Do you only share the gospel when you are in the presence
of other Christians so as to impress them or preserve your reputation?
Commitment to soul winning is kept alive by an inward principle, not outward
influences. Scripture says that Christ SHOULD be made manifest to lost
people; but is He? You must answer that question for yourself!
By the way, as believers, baptism is a way of manifesting Christ in our
lives. Have you been baptized, Christian woman? Though it is not necessary
for salvation, we publicly identify ourselves with the death, burial and
resurrection of Christ through our obedience to this sacrament. At our
church, we conduct our baptism service in the local lake where all can
see. I personally prefer this to doing it inside the church because it
makes Christ manifest to lost people who are busy living their lives without
any thought for God. I love observing folks stop their recreational activities
to watch what we are doing! Afterwards we sing Amazing Grace and then
depart, leaving much to think about upon the hearts of the onlookers...
It's the same as saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God which taketh away the
sin of the world."
How sad to think that the tradition of men robs the opportunity to manifest
Christ simply because of convenience and puts baptism behind closed doors!
I wish every Bible believing church baptized outside the church in an
open setting… While we are on the topic, how comfortable would YOU be
with being publicly baptized in a lake? Would you have a problem identifying
yourself so closely with Jesus? Some of us would struggle over just the
thought of being identified with the group on shore watching; let alone
stepping into the water and being totally immersed! Let's not forget John
took such occasion to point people to Christ! No outward setting subdued
his inner purpose. Is it so with you?
Verses 32-33:
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.
What stands out to me in this portion of scripture is that John had an
intimate acquaintance with the Lord, though there was much he did not
know. Not only did he receive his calling from God, every step John took
God also inspired, and every direction taken. True, there are times when
God's people are kept in the dark about various details but the assurance
of His presence should be enough to keep us on track…
Ladies, do you find that not knowing certain things hinders your relationship
with the Lord? Are you able to maintain intimacy with your Creator though
He does not let you in on everything He is doing? Do you withdraw from
God when confronted with uncertainty? Do you come to a spiritual standstill
while waiting for answers? How long has it been since you stopped doing
God's work? If we would be submissive soul winners that can be called
upon for any task, we must rest in the fact that God is in control in
spite of what we do not know! As a matter of fact, John did not know Jesus
was the Son of God until the moment the Spirit descended upon Him like
a dove. The Lord did not reveal that to John right away, yet He sent him
anyway and John remained faithful at bearing witness of Christ. A soul
winner does not allow lack of knowledge to render him useless. Willingness
to carry on confirms to us the importance of our purpose and creates greater
trust in God.
Verse 34:
And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
This statement is the conclusion to John's testimony and I hope it will
be to ours as well! Ladies, make good use of your time as a soul winner
- even during periods of ignorance. Far too many Christians use this as
an excuse to never speak out for the Lord. God will show you what you
need to know when it is necessary. Allow your zeal to be rooted in devotion
to Him, not information. Focus on being faithful to bare record of the
Son of God!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2002 Pamela A. Iannello
