Bible Discussion Thread

Pamela, John the Baptist was the forerunner of Christ. He went out preaching to people that the savior was coming. He baptized people to cleanse them of their sins. At this point they were not filled with the Holy Ghost. When Christ was baptized, the Spirit came down to dwell with him. The Holy Ghost did not enter mens into their hearts until after Christ was crucified and ascended into Heaven. The Holy Spirit is know as the comforter, and would dwell with men after Christ was gone from this earth. In those days, a priest had to make intercession with God on our behalf. He also required a blood sacrifice for payment of sins. And the symbolism of being baptized is to wash away all our sins, be buried with Christ, rise again and to walk in a new "spiritual" life. John's ritual immersion bath was different for other practices of the day because he did not baptize Gentiles in order to become Jews. Instead he baptized Jews and Gentiles who had repented of their sins as the true children of God ready for the Messiah when He came. This he did before anyone knew Jesus. Once Jesus was know, Jesus would then baptize them with the Holy Spirit.