Monday, March 25, 2013

What is the baptism of fire?

The Free Dictionary defines "baptism of fire" as:
  1. (Military) A soldier's first experience of battle
  2. any initiating ordeal or experience
  3. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) Christianity the penetration of the Holy Ghost into the human spirit to purify, consecrate, and strengthen it, as was believed to have occurred initially at Pentecost
The Christianity definition above is perhaps the most popular interpretation of the baptism of fire among Christians today.  It states that the baptism of fire is 1) a special baptism for Christians and 2) a purifying work of the Holy Spirit within the human spirit. 

Another popular Christian interpretation (that I have yet to find in any dictionary) is that the baptism of fire is future judgment or "the wrath to come".  This interpretation states that the baptism of fire 1) is for the wicked and 2) is the unquenchable fire of God's wrath upon the wicked at the end of the age.

In this post I compare and contrast these two primary Christian interpretations of the baptism of fire from a biblical perspective.

The phrase "baptism of fire" is actually not found anywhere in the Bible.  However, it was derived from an original statement made by John the Baptist.
As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." (Matthew 3:11)
In this one statement, John mentions either two or three distinct baptisms, depending on who you ask.  Those who view the baptism of fire as future judgment of the wicked see three distinct baptisms in John's statement:
  1. Water baptism
  2. Holy Spirit baptism (which happened on the day of Pentecost)
  3. Fire baptism (the final judgment of the wicked)
Those who view the baptism of fire as an indwelling work of the Holy Spirit typically see only two distinct baptisms in John's statement:
  1. Water baptism
  2. Baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire (as on Pentecost)
The "fire" part of "the Holy Spirit and fire" baptism is viewed simply as an ongoing, sanctifying, purifying, work of the Holy Spirit, and not a separate baptism.

There are, however, some Christians who view the baptism of fire as a separate and distinct experience, subsequent to the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
 "You have received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is now time for the Baptism of Fire. Be ready... And be prepared." Catholic evangelist, Eddie Russell, Flame Ministries International
They see three distinct baptisms in John's statement:
  1. Water baptism
  2. Holy Spirit baptism
  3. Fire baptism (some sort of second-level baptism of the Holy Spirit for believers?)
I have been in Charismatic meetings where I've heard people praying for God to baptize them with fire.  Obviously they think that the baptism of fire is something to be desired.

The day of Pentecost and tongues of fire

Those who view the baptism of fire as a work of the Holy Spirit point to the day of Pentecost to support their position.  They say that the "tongues as of fire" that "rested on each one of them" in the upper room was "a baptism of fire".
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. (Acts 2:1–4)  
Those who view the baptism of fire as future judgment disagree with the idea that what took place in the upper room that day was a baptism of fire.  That is because the  context of John the Baptist's statement plainly reveals that the baptism of fire is "the wrath to come" and that fire baptism is for the unrepentant "chaff" and not the righteous "wheat".
Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:4–12)
In this context, we see that John the Baptist was busy preaching repentance and baptizing those who were sincerely responding to his message.  A good many Pharisees and Sadducees then showed up wanting baptism but John discerned their motives, that they were neither convicted for their sins nor repentant and that they were only seeking baptism to please the crowds.

So John began to rebuke them for their hypocrisy, calling them a brood vipers.  In fact, the entire context of his statement was one long rebuke and a warning to "flee the wrath to come". 

John revealed that the way to flee the wrath to come is to "bear fruit in keeping with repentance" because "every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (of the wrath to come)." He said, "the axe is already laid at the foot of the tree", meaning that judgment was imminent.  But who would wield this axe of judgment and chop down fruitless trees and throw them into the fire of the wrath to come?

John made it clear that he only baptized with water but that someone mightier than him was coming after him who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.  He was referring, of course, to Jesus the Messiah.  Jesus would someday wield a spiritual axe and cut down every tree that He finds not bearing fruit in keeping with repentance and baptize them with the fire of "the wrath to come".  On the other hand, every tree that He finds bearing good fruit, He will baptize with the Holy Spirit.

It is clear from the context that the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire are two distinct baptisms for two distinct categories of people.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit is for those who bear fruit in keeping with repentance while the baptism of fire is for fruitless, unrepentant, people.

He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire

After the fruit tree alegory, John the Baptist brought up yet another alegory, that of the threshing floor. 
As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. ~ John the Baptist (Matthew 3:11–12)
Those who view the baptism of fire as a work of the Holy Spirit teach that chaff is symbolic of sin and other impurities in the human spirit and that unquenchable fire symbolizes the Holy Spirit that burns up these impurities. The following are some quotes from various blogs or websites.
"As a purifying and refreshing fire it burns out the chaff of corruption, complacency, timidity, lethargy, sin and dryness of spirit. This fire purifies faith and burns away unbelief rather than bringing pain to the person who is repentant." Flame Ministries International
"A believer going through fire baptism is sanctified from the ungodliness in their life after passing through the hard times victoriously. Fire is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and the purifying judgement of God. Believers need to walk in the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit will lead the saint in the ways of God. All ungodliness in the lives of the saints will have to be burned up by the fire of the Lord." Robert Wells
"It involves the Lord allowing his saints to pass through serious sufferings that when bravely handled, glorifies and gives honor to the name of the most high living God. This baptism of fire is only for true believers. Salvation does not mean that all is smooth. There are serious storms in the lives of the saints of God. The baptism of fire ushers the saints of God into tests, trials, temptations and other various forms of afflictions, to test their faith and their total dependency upon God. Baptism by fire brings about grace for a positive change in the life of believers towards God and enhances spiritual maturity." Robert Wells
Those who view the baptism of fire as "the wrath to come" for the wicked teach that chaff actually symbolizes wicked people, not sin, and that there really aren't any scriptures in the Bible that depict chaff as symbolizing sin.  But there are plenty of scriptures that liken chaff to "the wicked" and also "the arrogant and every evildoer", etc.

The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. (Psalm 1:4–5)  
How often is the lamp of the wicked put out, or does their calamity fall on them? Does God apportion destruction in His anger? Are they as straw before the wind, and like chaff which the storm carries away? (Job 21:17–18)  
Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life; Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me. Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them on. (Psalm 35:4–5)  
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the Lord of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.” (Malachi 4:1)
There are even more scriptures than these that depict "chaff" as analogous to the wicked.   It is argued that the only way that one can arrive at chaff being "sin" and the baptism of fire as a purifying work of the Holy Spirit that burns up sin is to take John's statement completely out of context and to make up their own meaning.

As for unquenchable fire, Jesus defined that as hell.
Jesus said, “If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] “If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.] (Mark 9:43–46)
In His explanation of the the parable of the tares and wheat, Jesus defined tares as "the sons of the evil one" and wheat as "the sons of the kingdom...the righteous".  Now let's plug these scriptural definitions of wheat and chaff and unquenchable fire into the statement of John the Baptist to further clarify the meaning of the symbols.
You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (of the wrath to come). As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (the wrath to come). His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat (the sons of the kingdom...the righteous) into the barn (baptizing them with the Holy Spirit), but He will burn up the chaff (sons of the evil one, the wicked) with unquenchable fire (hell).

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