Let us notice, secondly, in this passage, the peculiar work which John the Baptist describes Christ as doing. He says that " he taketh away the sin of the world."
Christ is a Saviour. He did not come on earth to be a conqueror, or a philosopher, or a mere teacher of morality. He came to save sinners. He came to do that which man could never do for himself, — ^to do that which money and learning can never obtain, — to do that which is essential to man's real happiness, — He came to " take away sin."
Christ is a complete Saviour. He " taketh away sin." He did not merely make vague proclamations of pardon, mercy, and forgiveness. He " took" our sins upon Him- self, and carried them away. He allowed them to be laid upon Himself, and "bore them in His own body on the tree." (l Pet. ii. 24.) The sins of every one that believes on Jesus are made as though they had never been sinned at all. The Lamb of God has taken them clean away.
Christ is an almighty Saviour, and a Saviour for all man- kind. He "taketh away the sin of the world." He did not die for the Jews only, but for the Gentile as well as the Jew. He did not suffer for a few persons only, but for all mankind. The payment that He made on the cross was more than enough to make satisfaction for the debts of all. The blood that He shed was precious enough to wash away the sins of all. His atonement on the cross was sufficient for all mankind, though efficient only to them that believe. The sin that He took up and bore on the cross was the sin of the whole world.
Last, but not least, Christ is a perpetual and unwearied Saviour. He " taketh away " sin. He is daily taking it away from every one that believes on Him, — daily purging, daily cleansing, daily washing the souls of His people, daily granting and applying fresh supplies of mercy. He did not cease to work for His saints, when He died for them on the cross. He lives in heaven as a Priest, to present His
57
sacrifice continually before God. In grace as well as in providence, Christ workethi still. He is ever taking away sin.
These are golden truths indeed. Well would it be for the Church of Christ, if they were used by all who know them ! Our very familiarity with texts like these is one of our greatest dangers. Blessed are they who not only keep this text in their memories, but feed upon it in their hearts !
Let us notice, lastly, in this passage, the peculiar office which John the Baptist attributes to Christ. He speaks of Him as Him " which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost."
The baptism here spoken of is not the baptism of water. It does not consist either of dipping or sprinkling. It does not belong exclusively either to infants or to grown up people. It is not a baptism which any man can give, Epis- copalian or Presbyterian, Independent or Methodist, lay- man or minister. It is a baptism which the great Head of the Church keeps exclusively in His own hands. It consists of the implanting of grace into the inward man. It is the same thing with the new birth. It is a baptism, not of the body, but of the heart. It is a baptism which the penitent thief received, though neither dipped nor sprinkled by the hand of man. It is a baptism which Ananias and Sapphira did not receive, though admitted into church-communion by apostolic men.
Let it be a settled principle in our religion that the bap- tism of which John the Baptist speaks here, is the baptism which is absolutely necessary to salvation. It is well to be baptized into the visible Church ; but it is far better to be ba^)tized into that Church which is made up of true believ- ers. The baptism of water is a most blessed and profitable ordinance, and cannot be neglected without great sin. But the baptism of the Holy Ghost is of far greater importance. The man who dies with his heart not baptized by Christ can never be saved.