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simply cumber the ground. Profession of Christianity without the possession of a new nature is only a sham. God demands fruit. The new nature alone can produce the fruit of the Spirit. (Col. 5:22). (4) THE MESSIAH, vs. 14-17. “ And • as the people were in expectation.” There was a general expectation among the Jews of the coming of the Messiah. The prophecies were full of the promises. John’s personality, his dress, his teaching, so different from that of the Scribes and Pharisees, awak ened intense interest and inquiry. Who is he? He.did not preach as others. There was something about the penetrating, soul-stirring, sin-rebuking messages that awakened awe. It was Elijah again. John sought to clarify the imprêssion by a faithful, frank statement.- “ He that cometh, for whom you are looking, will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire. I am not worthy to unloose His sandals.” Popularity did not spoil John. He was a messenger. The-Coming One was the long-looked for Messiah. His com ing was near. John’s baptism was symbolical. It had a finger which pointed to the real baptism— the bap tism which was manifested at Pentecost when the believers were baptized into one body. The wind, a type of the Holy Spirit, symbolizes the refreshing, invigorating power, and the fire typifies the revealing and refining power of the indwelling Holy Spirit who comes and takes posses sion of the body of the believer upon his confession of Christ, sealing him unto the day of redemption. This Coming One was also to separate the wheat and chaff; to mark the dif ference between the believer and the unbeliever now, and to mark it by the eternal separation when the unbeliever
as little children” (Matt. 18:3). There could be no one in heaven who did not believe as God believed, without a re bellion. Men must be in harmony with the mind of God in all things if they are to dwell with Him. They must be able to see things from God’s stand point. They must be willing to do His will in all things. The imperative of Jesus is, “ Ye must he born again.” (3) THE MEANING OF THE MES SAGE, vs. 10-14. “What shall we do then?” The result of repentance, or a change of attitude toward God, and the ac ceptance of Christ as Saviour, is a new nature which is capable of bringing forth fruit acceptable unto God. Fruit is the evidence of the new life. To the people, John said, “ Your sin is avarice. Practice the art of self-denial” (James 2:14-26). To the publicans, he said, “ Your sin is extortion— demand ing more than that which is due. Be' just. Do as you would have others do to you” (Luke 19:8). To the soldiers He said, “ Your sin is intimidating peo ple. (Rom. 13:10). Be satisfied with your wages” (1 Tim. 6:6). He does not demand that any of them shall change their business or profession, but that whenever they are called to serve, they shall manifest the fruit of the new life. The Jews were descendants of Abra ham, but they were not all Israelites. (Rom. 9:6, 7) “For they are not all Israel which are of Israel; neither, because they are the children of Abraham, are they all chil dren.” We live in a so-cailed Christian na tion, hut that does not make us Chris tians. Our fathers and mothers may have been Christians, but that fact does not entitle us to such a designation. Belonging to a church does not change the nature of men. Doing good works of any kind is not the fruit that John is speaking of. Fruit trees without fruit
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