"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3:11-12
John the
Baptist’s words here point to Pentecost when the believers received the Holy
Spirit. In Acts 2, it said the Holy
Spirit blew into the room like the wind and then little flames appeared over
their heads. Water baptism is an
important outward confession of one’s belief, but being fully immersed
(baptized) in the Holy Spirit is the true sign of salvation.