Actscelerate.com

Baptized With Fire ?

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1865 **3/24/23 9:06 am**

Most of my life I heard people stand and testify that they had been baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire. I acknowledge that on the Day of Pentecost there appeared tongues “like” as of fire. But the symbol of fire is most often associated with judgment. The key passage most quote from is from John the Baptizer.

““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?:?11?-?12? ?NASB1995??

A careful reading will show that those for whom the fire is reserved are the unsaved. The winnowing fork separates the wheat from the chaff. The saved (those who are Spirit-baptized) will be gathered “into the barn”. The unsaved are the ones “baptized” with fire. Revelation 20:15 shows the fulfillment of this promise.

It’s not something to break fellowship over, of course. But when communicating biblical truth, I think we should strive for accuracy.

Acts-celerater Posts: 787 **4/1/23 2:34 am**

I have heard the phrase “Holy Ghost and Fire” since the day I was saved way back when. Most often, it’s been said in such a manner as to imply an extra bit of power or anointing. The fire of Matthew 3:11 however speaks of a purifying, inward cleansing, not an outward appearance of having just a bit more of what is normally thought to be evidence of the Holy Ghost.

As you say, it’s not something to break fellowship over.
_________________
“Hell will be filled with people that didn’t cuss, didn’t drink, and may even have been baptized. Why? Because none of those things makes someone a Christian.”
Voddie Baucham

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16646 **4/1/23 8:00 am**

Perhaps you can be baptized with the Holy Spirit - but not let the fire burn up the chaff in your own heart. So you should want the Holy Spirit with the fire.

I tended to believe the fire was to burn up the bad guys too, but since we are under grace, it would make sense that the fire was a purifying element of the Holy Spirit.

I will say some early COG folks got into wanting not just fire, but Holy Dynamite and Holy Liddite. I believe they incorrectly thought there was always more - like a late night TV commercial (or preacher for that matter).
_________________
Whether you like it or not, learn to love it, because its the best thing going today!

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1865 **4/4/23 7:24 pm**

As I look at the context, I don’t see it as Spirit baptism with/without fire. I see it as two separate baptisms. One for the righteous (Spirit baptism) and one for the wicked (fire baptism). Notice again John The Baptist’s message in this same section

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. Matthew 3:10

These words were aimed at the Pharisees and Sadducees.

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **4/4/23 8:03 pm**

When I took Pneumatology (Person and Work of the Holy Spirit) at SAGC in 1987, I remember being a bit bothered by this interpretation (of baptism with the Holy Spirit for followers of Jesus and baptism with fire for unbelievers), but I had to admit that the exposition of the passage especially in Dr Stanley Horton’s excellent book, _What the Bible Says About the Holy Spirit_, was quite clear and persuasive to my mind eventually.

I bind you!!

Friendly Face Posts: 183 **4/15/23 12:25 pm**

Glory to GOD anyhow
The Holy GHost and FIRE is real mister
we need the FIRE of GOd instead of this watered down stuff people are a preachin nowadays

HOLINESS OR HELL and FIRE OF GOD its so anyhow

Beaulah