His winnowing fork is in his hand

The following is in response to a post that informs that the grace gospel, concerning the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the ONLY means of salvation today.

RESPONSE:

John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus is the very one who will baptize everyone with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who will TRANSFORM everyone.

His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them. (Gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire means people will go to hell unless people are baptized by the Holy Spirit and TRANSFORM into a new being.)

ANSWER:

The response you provide above concerns the day of judgement when Jesus comes back at the end of the Tribulation. Please note that it has nothing to do with the gospel, or salvation.

Also, that which John wrote, and that which Jesus taught, is addressed to Israel, and concerns their program. Jesus mentioned that He came ONLY for Israel, thus what He taught if for them specifically,

Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

In addition, the gospel that Peter taught concerning repentance, water baptism, and being filled with the Spirit, is clearly addressed to the Jews in Jerusalem during the Pentecost feast. Peter said,

Act 2:36-38 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. (37) Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? (38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Peter, one of the Jewish apostles, taught the gospel of the circumcision (the Kingdom gospel) and Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles Rom.11:13, taught the gospel of the uncircumcision (the Grace gospel). These are two distinct and different gospels, and the one that we are saved by today is the Grace gospel, not the Kingdom gospel. Paul tells the Galatian believers that they were going astray by believing the gospel taught by Judaizers who rebelled against Paul. Paul says,

Gal 1:6-8 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (8)

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

The ONLY gospel that is valid today, and that can save us today, is the grace gospel which is specified clearly by Paul here,

1Co 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; (2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

The ONLY means of salvation today is to believe that Jesus died for our sins and was raised for our justification.. The scriptures you quote are to do with the period of time called the Tribulation. This is the threshing floor where God will purge Israel and separate the wheat from the chaff. This is prophecy which only concerns Israel. Believers today are under the doctrine of the mysteries of Paul, and the grace gospel that he preached.

I trust that you will consider the above and confirm it from the scriptures for yourself.