Mat 3:11-12; Gone to the Grave and Back. Best Trip Ever.

Class Outline:

Tuesday January 9, 2024

 

Idea 1: Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit in order to gather His grain into the barn (KOH).

 

Idea 2: Jesus baptizes with fire in order to judge those not forgiven of the sin of rejecting Him.

 

MAT 3:11-12

"As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 "His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

 

Definition: The Holy Spirit is capable of thoroughly changing the character, state, or condition of a person, joined eternally to the Lord, to be identified with Him, to partake of what He is and what He has done eternally.

 

More succinctly, the baptism of the Holy Spirit places you in union with Christ.

 

This is one of His many ministries to the believer. It is not to be confused with regeneration, indwelling, sealing, filling.

 

It should be clear from this definition that we are not referencing water baptism.

 

The baptism of the Spirit supplants the relationship to the first Adam and is itself an organic union with the Last Adam.

 

JOH 14:20

you in Me, and I in you.

 

The Holy Spirit is received as Christ’s gift by all who believe at the moment of their faith.

 

The baptism of the Spirit crucifies and buries us together with Christ (COL 2:12; ROM 6:4; sunthanto only used in these two passages).

 

COL 2:9-12

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

 

Bap/HS is being crucified and buried at salvation.

There is nothing good in you worth saving.

 

You are not remodeled but crucified. Hence the warning of not going back (GAL 4:9).

 

Crucified with Him, MAR 10:39.

Not alone, but with Him.

Not your atonement, His.

 

Baptism of the Holy Spirit is being resurrected with Him.

 

Resurrection with Him is a brand new birth (2CO 5:17).

Made in the image of Christ (COL 3:10).

Born of the Spirit (JOH 3:6)

Sons and heirs (GAL 4:7).

Made complete (COL 2:10).

 

COL 2:8-10

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete

 

COL 3:9-10

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him

 

By faith in the working of God (COL 2:12) you were crucified, buried, and raised together with Christ.

Immediately raised - no trial period.

Christ did it all. We receive by grace and faith.

 

Implications:

Stop seeking anything from the old self and the old world.

 

If you’re crucified why are you seeking anything from the old self and the old world?

 

If we are dead with Christ, it is not implied that the sin nature is terminated, but that Christ has judged it and therefore annulled its power.

 

Our understanding of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the basis for the Christian’s victory in daily life over the sin nature.

 

COL 3:5-7

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

 

They all amount to idolatry. And because idols deliver nothing, idols make us fear. Idols demand more and give nothing back and we come to fear them. Fear turns to hatred and then the second list comes alive.

 

COL 3:8-10

But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him

 

Implications:

You seek your new life with Christ in heaven (COL 3:1).

 

If you are raised with Him, you are to seek your life in heaven (COL 3:1).

 

COL 3:1-4

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

 

What is your life in heaven? What does your specific heavenly life with Christ look like today and tomorrow here on earth? How do you seek it and find it?

 

You seek your life with Christ through the Word of God.

You find it by believing and living what the Word says (promises).

 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit gives you a resurrection life that is yours to live today and tomorrow regardless of people and circumstances (COL 3:5 ff.).

 

COL 3:12-17

So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

 

The plan of God to enter His wheat into the barn was to crucify you with Christ, bury you with Christ, and raise you (all together) with Him and to do so now, before you actually physically entered the kingdom. That means that you have to know it and live in its results by faith. Thousands of promises from God to you says that you can do it.