S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

John the Baptist came preaching repentance and baptizing in the wilderness of Judea, and he was sent as a herald to announce the arrival of Jesus, the Son of God (Matthew 3:1-12). He announced, "I ...

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July 01 2013 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Kenneth Heck

The first judgment of the earth was with the waters of Noah. The second judgment, which is already beginning, is with fire. Besides the literal fire, arising from physical sources, there is the spiritual fire of the Holy Spirit and the fire in the Lake of Fire for those who refuse to repent and take the mark of the beast.

Mark 9:49 "For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt." Christ is saying here that to enter the Kingdom of God 
(v.47) everyone must eventually experience the baptism of fire from the Holy Spirit. It began in the earliest days of the church and will occur in even greater force in the last days before Christ's second coming. 

As the latter rain (Zech 10:1) first comes in small drops and then progresses to a torrential downpour, we see the first drops of the baptism of fire in our day with the experience known as "being slain in the spirit" and other phenomena people describe as like a warm, liquid, fiery infusion entering into them, often resulting in healing, etc.

March 31 2015 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Lawrence wong Disciple of iEsou ("Yeh-sou") christou

Michael has place this quote accurately in context of Matthew 3:11 where 3 baptisms are mentioned namely in water, in The Holy Spirit, and in fire. 

Here are my thoughts based upon Scripture.

1.	Baptism is the Greek word “baptizo” which means to be literally immersed, covered. The key thought is total immersion of the self into water, in The Holy Spirit, and in Fire. 

The Baptisms are "in" - (The Greek preposition is "en") not with/ by

2.	The Baptism, total immersion into water, is unto repentance preached by John the Baptist. The Holy Spirit teaches through Paul that baptism in water is a participation in Christ’s bodily death by the prior act of repentance – a broken spirit and a broken and a contrite heart (Ps 51:17). The old sinful self is “buried”, completely covered in water. Christ, requested this of John the Baptist, even though He had no sin to fulfill righteousness (Mt 3: 3:15). 

For sinful disciples of Christ the old self, the “old egotistical self-seeking man” the sinful Adamic nature becomes crucified, dead and buried (Ro 6:6). 

The Water Baptism in iEsou christou’s name (Mt 1:1 Greek) comes mixed in the Lamb’s blood shed on PESACH, Passover. His blood to wash clean sins which have been confessed to Him (1 Jo 1:7-9). It has never lost its power to cleanse from all unrighteousness. (Acts 2:38-42). 

3.	The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is total immersion in the Holy Spirit. The disciples were commanded to wait in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) to the power [dunamis, like dynamite] to come upon them (Lk 24: 49; Acts 1: 4-8).

Being with Christ for 3 ½ years was inadequate preparation for service. 

The 120 or so Yehudi men and women received this immersion, infilling on SHAVUOT, Pentecost 30-31 C.E. The physical evidence was tongues of fire over each one and speaking in tongues of men and of angels. They were empowered. Filled in agape love (Ro 5:5). 

4.	The baptism in Fire is for purifying, the process of sanctification or justification – being made holy like gold and silver is passed through fire to purify it (1 Pe 1:7 as gold; Malachi 3:3 as silver). 

Seen in the light of this pattern of thinking the fires of purification are of persecution which all true disciples must expect as the norm as followers of Christ (1 Pe 2:21) because of their rejection of the world and its ways – the world’s values and norms, patterns of behaviour and thinking (1 Jo 2:15- 17). 

Living in Christ is to adopt an entirely new way of living (Acts Chapter 2).
The Fire is also symbolic of the return of the glory of ALHYM (Ge 1:1 Hebrew) which was removed from Adam when He sinned. 

Disciples who agape Christ and obey His words (Jo 14: 21-24) and are baptised/immersed totally in The Holy Spirit become new glorified creatures (2 Cor 5:17), members of a new race of heavenly people (1 Cor 15: 48) in the order of the glorified Christ, and members of ALHYM our heavenly Father’s household (Eph2: 19-22). Disciples, as children of our heavenly Father ABBA as did Christ (Mk 14:36; Ro 8:15; Gal 4:6). 

That’s revolutionary! Hallelujah! Praise The LORD! 

Lawrence NZ

October 12 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

I think the baptism by fire is referring to judgment, because judgment is being referred to in the context. Matthew 3:11 mentions it: 11 “I baptize you with water cfor repentance, but dhe who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you ewith the Holy Spirit and fire." 

But notice the context, the verse right before this and the verse right after this: 

BEFORE: Mt. 3:10: "Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

AFTER: Mt. 3:12: "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he [Jesus] will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with junquenchable fire.”

It is most probably judgment upon the unrepentant. 

When?

Probably with the return of Christ to the earth (see Mt 3:12 again; also Malachi 3:1-5):

1"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

2But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

3And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

4Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

5And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts."

Mal. 4:1-3:

"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

3And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts." This is what Ryrie says.

January 15 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report