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The Persecuted Church

 

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Is there such a thing as a Baptism of fire besides the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Matthew 3:10-12: “Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

The latter potion of this Scripture is found in every gospel account; so it is important.

To be baptized means to be immersed. Just as one is baptized in water, they are immersed (saturated) in the water, they come up out of the water being wet. To be baptized in the Holy Spirit means to be immersed, filled and controlled by Him.

John who is preparing the people to receive the Messiah is juxtaposing believers with unbelievers. John says that Jesus will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (believers) and fire (non- believers). It does NOT mean the Holy Spirit and fire or the Holy Spirit that is the fire.  John explains what is meant as he continues, saying that Jesus will gather His wheat into the barn BUT burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire, (which Jesus later describes as a fire that is never quenched Mk.9:43-).   So the Bible does teach of a baptism of fire, only it is for unbelievers.

Jesus later explains about trees, Matthew 7:18-20 “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them”. Matthew 3:10-11: “Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Fire is God’s judgment V.12 “He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Some may point to the fire (Acts 2) that appeared over the apostles heads on Pentecost as justification for the baptism of the Spirit (called as tongues of fire). But this is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-5, 8

“He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."  V. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Acts 2:3-4: “Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

This event was unique, it occurred only once, it did not take place in either the apostles ministry or to the church ever again. It was never repeated in the New Testament, nor taught as a practice for the baptism of the Spirit in the church by the apostles.  The Bible says, "There is ...one baptism" (Eph. 4:4-5)? The explanation is that it occurs only once, never needed to be repeated. This can only mean Spirit baptism that puts a believer in the body of Christ and the Spirit in the believer (1Cor.12:13), there is NO baptism of fire for any believer.

The accompanying of the baptism of fire with the baptism of the spirit can be interpreted just like being born of water and Spirit. The same principle- one is a natural birth, the other is supernatural- 2 different births, 2 different baptisms, one baptism is for the believer the other one is for unbelievers.

It is our faith that is tested under fiery trials but there is no baptism of fire for a believer only the baptism of the Spirit and the continual filling of the Holy Spirit.

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