The Fire of God

The Fire of God

John the Baptist writes, “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.” Matt. 3:11.

We can see from this that water was sufficient for repentance, and by water an outward cleansing took place. An anchor chain that has been raised up from a silty seabed can be sprayed down with water and scrubbed with a brush. John the Baptist also used a scrubbing brush on the Pharisees and Sadducees, who came to him to be baptized, when he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”

This is the salvation that most of today’s Christians have received. Apollos was an eloquent man and was mighty in the Scriptures. “This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.” Acts 18:24-25.

The verse refers to this repentance as “only” the baptism of John. “This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood.” 1 John 5:6. We read here again that Jesus didn’t come “only” with water.

Let us consider again the anchor chain. Even after it has been washed with water and scrubbed, there is still a lot of rust and filth remaining. If the chain is placed on a large iron grate and an intense fire is kindled beneath it, the rust and everything else that the water was not able to remove will fall off. The chain has been cleansed by fire.

Similarly, fire is necessary in order to remove the sin that clings so closely. However, not everyone is willing to endure the fire. Many are satisfied with just being cleansed by water. Moses also understood this. God had taught him that “everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water.” Num. 31:23.

Peter writes to people who knew about the baptism by water for repentance, but who were not yet familiar with the fire: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.” 1 Pet. 4:12. In the fiery trial we are tested to see whether we will resist sin unto bloodshed, and it is here that the Lord says, “But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”

It is not possible to become a spiritual person except through fire. This is why Paul writes to the Corinthians, “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.” 1 Cor. 3:1. There was envy and strife among them. The fire had not been able to remove that filthiness.

There are many examples of people who think that something strange is happening when God’s fire comes upon them. They writhe in pain; they can scarcely endure being with others, and they become sour and irritable. It is as if the fire actually causes them to become more sinful. This is because they do not have enough power to bear their pain alone, which is, of course, what they are supposed to do. Then one fine day, the rust loosens and the filthiness disappears through the heat of the fire. Once again they smile like the sun and wouldn’t have missed the fiery trial for anything. They feel ashamed over how poorly they bore the fire. And rightly so, since it is written, “The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: ‘Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?’ He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil.” Is. 33:14-15.

Our God is a consuming fire. If we are afraid of the fire, it is because we love sin and self more than we love God. The prophets of old used God’s fire in their ministry. Elijah told the prophets of Baal and the people to choose two bulls and place one of them on their own altar for Baal, and he would take the other one and put it on the altar of the Lord. The prophets of Baal called on the name of their god from morning until noon, leaping about the altar, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then Elijah asked the people to gather near to him while he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. He laid out the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. Then he filled four waterpots with water and poured it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood. He did this three times so that the water ran all around the altar; he also filled the trench with water.

Elijah stood and prayed to the Lord, and “the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.” Then all the people fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” 1 Kings 18:23-39.

He who is faithful to God in the light he has will inevitably come into God’s fire. When the fire glows in the distance, everyone can rejoice and be warmed by its light, but when we enter the fire, both the sacrifice and the bonds holding the sacrifice to the altar are consumed. God often uses people to bind us firmly to the altar, but when the fire falls, these bonds, as well as our own uncleanness, are consumed. It is written, “Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.” But we could also say, “Have fire in yourselves . . .” so that our own uncleanness is burned away. Do not impose the pain of the fire on those around you.