Viewpoint Brief Bible Study #96 |
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JESUS calls US to be |
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The Christian religion is the worship and service of Jesus Christ. It’s not Mary we worship, but her Son. We worship neither saints, angels, a law code, nor even God’s Spirit. It’s JESUS who is to be honored. The Bible is our guide. |
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Shall WE Be Baptized in Fire?
I told a friend in Viewpoint Study #95 that if John the Baptist was promising (prophesying) that everyone would be baptized by Jesus, then everyone was going to Hell. As reported by Matthew, John said, "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:11,12 NIV).
Referring to John's prophecy, particularly the promise of baptism in the Holy Spirit, my friend had written, "That promise was not just to the apostles but a general audience from Judea and Jerusalem." My friend was saying that all Christians, with most of them not knowing it had happened, through the ages have received baptism in God's Spirit.
So it would be well for us to think about exactly WHO was to receive these baptisms John said would be given by Jesus. Will it be us? Has it been us? Is it everybody? Everybody who believes in Jesus? Everybody who does NOT believe in Jesus?
The passage clearly is referring to the fires of Hell. The "chaff" is to be burned up with unquenchable fire. Meanwhile, the "wheat" will be carefully preserved. So John prophesied two distinct baptisms -- one for the faithful and one for those without faith. God has promised that those who do NOT believe in Jesus will be cast into the lake of fire. God is just. All who deserve Hell and are not covered by the blood of Jesus will at the end of time be sent to Hell.
Another friend, Curtis Dickinson [P O Box 292663, Lewisville TX 75029-2663], writing in the March 1998 edition of The Witness, which he edits and publishes, expounds on his view that those cast into Hell will NOT first be changed to have indestructible bodies. Those destined for glory WILL be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. We will be given NEW bodies in which we'll walk on golden streets to serve and worship the eternal God. But Curtis feels that the God of love will NOT give those destined for Hell new, indestructible bodies. Instead, he feels that those bound for Hell will have their physical bodies restored and then cast into the lake of fire where they will quickly be consumed and destroyed. He may be right. God will do whatever IS right, but not necessarily according to our present understanding of rightness or wrongness.
But about whom was John speaking when he was led to prophesy that Jesus would baptize some in the Holy Spirit and some in fire?
It's obvious that the prophecy didn't concern only the apostles, as my friend who wants it to apply to all the saved points out. Equally obviously, it did not concern only the group to whom John was speaking, even though he said that the one to come would baptize YOU in the Holy Spirit and in fire. Surely all will see that the YOU was not just those directly spoken to on that occasion.
Other Bible passages must provide the answer as to who the YOU are of whom John spoke. We can see that God's promise is that all will be sent to Hell who are not covered by the blood (of Jesus). We want to not be legalistic about this. Surely innocent souls will NOT be sent to Hell. We surmise that the blood of Christ covers those who have never sinned (such as those millions of innocent children who have been murdered in their mother's womb in this country in recent years).
In early chapters of Romans, Paul suggests that some people who have never heard "the law" will NOT be held guilty of breaking that law of which they had never heard. Perhaps there are some who may be saved who have never heard of Jesus but who have sought God in the best light available to them. God knows about that but we surely can't know for sure.
What we can be sure of is that only JESUS saves! We love to note the extent of God's LOVE for us all as spoken of in John 3:16 and many other places. Since Peter was to use "keys" to open to all the gates of Heaven, I think it appropriate for us to pay careful attention to Peter's first use of those keys as recorded in Acts chapter two. Many prefer to bypass what Peter said because it doesn't agree with what so many who speak in Christ's name today have to say. I think we should recognize that GOD's Way of salvation includes not only faith, but also repentance and immersion in water in the name of Jesus. This is clearly pointed out in Acts 2:38 and many other passages in the Bible. Some don't see it because they don't want to see it.
But are all who are saved by the blood baptized in the Spirit?
Not if words have particular meanings. Only the apostles were promised by Jesus that they would receive baptism in the Spirit. Only the apostles DID receive this miraculous gift from God. He sent the Spirit upon them to the accompaniment of the sound of a rushing mighty wind (which was heard by all) and with flames like fire sitting upon each of them (which were seen by all present). And they were filled with power which later allowed them to heal the sick and raise the dead. These powers were not given to all Christians then or ever. The apostles were able to lay hands on others and pass on to them SOME powers from God. It is not suggested that others than the apostles could transmit special gifts of the Spirit by the laying on of hands.
Nor does the Word imply that all who are immersed and receive the "gift" of the (indwelling) Spirit have received a second immersion, a baptism in the Holy Spirit.
But Peter made clear that immersion in water not only brought salvation to repentant believers in Jesus, but also caused them to receive a gift of the Spirit which, while different from baptism in the Spirit, certainly and surely brought into their lives the presence of God and Christ.
Those who thus walk with God will NOT be baptized either in the Holy Spirit or in fire. So I conclude that John the Baptist was not speaking of ALL being baptized in one or the other element by the Lord. All outside of Christ will be baptized in fire. All who come to Christ in faith will receive the Holy Spirit within, and a few of us (the original apostles) were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
What do YOU think?
Brief Bible Study #96 from Ray Downen. To go back to Viewpoint's first page, click < here. Or go on to Viewpoint Tract QFL002. For Ray's concluding remarks, click HERE.