The Sure Foundation Confirmed!

The infallibility of God's promises is seen in the development of the New Will and Testament of Christ! Before the first preaching was done, Zachariah, an aged priest who had been struck dumb in the temple for doubting the Lord, spoke for the first time when his son, John, was named, saying that the child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: because he shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways and to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins. Thus was John the Baptist introduced to the world as a forerunner!

Before long this rustic country preacher stirred a nation, telling them to repent because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. His straightforward message was all that he needed to gather the whole country, great and small, to his meeting. Though able to get the people's attention, yet John's message was self-deprecating. The people were eager to know if he was the Christ, who was to save all men from sin. John was only a fore-runner of Christ who indeed baptized with water unto repentance: as a preparation for Christ, whom he described as mightier and whose shoes he was not worthy to bear. He capped it up by saying that Christ shall baptize the people not with water only, but with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

Jesus indeed came and John bore witness to Him. When Jesus came to be baptized of John, John forbade Him, insisting that it should be the other way round, but Jesus convinced him otherwise and was baptized by John. The baptism and the declaration of Jesus by John the Baptist brought in persecution and hatred. Even John's disciples came back complaining to John that they saw the same Jesus whom he baptized, performing the same duty and almost all the people are going to Him. To them, He must be stopped and reserve the duty of baptizing people to John, who was already known for it. John knew his limit and could not utter any negative word against the Lord, but shockingly told his disciples, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30).

All those that fought to stop the mission of Christ on earth, later ended up either losing their lives or becoming His servants. Herod did, the Jews did, Paul did, and so many other people after them. They could not succeed in stopping Him from carrying out His mandate on earth, because God was with Him. It should be noted that John, as well as Jesus and His disciples, preached the kingdom in preparation, saying it was "at hand". It was not then present, but was rapidly approaching! Jesus also reminded them as to WHY He had come: to seek and to save that which was lost. That was His mission, and He fulfilled it; for God's promises are steadfast and sure!