Is it biblical to teach that Christians are baptized in fire?

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FIRE: Available a baptism of fire in the Bible, a «second blessing», asks the submitter in this the post. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB

 After 125 years the time should have come to revise the doctrine of spiritual baptism.

Debate

Torgeir TønnesenNesttun

Published: 07/15/2024 9:30 PMLast updated: 07/16/2024 9:30 AM

Spirit baptism have stood « on the spot rest», ever since David Parham and William Seymour led the Pentecostal revival in Azusa street around the year 1900. It has been 125 years. Is it perhaps time for Pentecostals to revise this teaching? Is there a baptism of fire in it The Bible, a «second blessing»?

Different types of baptism

Johannes the Baptist is someone who teaches us about water baptism, baptism in spirit and baptism in fire. Wha do these represent different baptisms? Matthew 3:11 is the basis of charismatics churches' teaching on baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire: «He whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire» (Matt 3,11).

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Is this blessed and holy fire that will give us power, graces and speaking in tongues? Is baptism in spirit and fire the same? Let's look at the context:

Three times, within three verses, John mentions the word «ild» in Matt 3,10–12. It is hard to interpret «ild» as a blessing: «The ax is already at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown on 'ilden'» (v. 10).

Johannes talking about people who are condemned to perdition, consumed by fire. Johannes elaborates even more so in verse 13: « And He will clean his barn and gather his wheat in the barn, but he will burn the baits with unquenchable fire» (v. 13). Does this prove that verse 11, «he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and (med) ild» is also judgment fire? And what about the tongues of fire on Pentecost? Surely these tongues must have been a baptism of fire?

Fire – boats curse and blessing

That the first thing we need to know about Pentecost is that the tongues were «like of ild», they looked like fire, it was a sight. The fire was on the believer, not inside.

We know that God came to Moses in a burning thorn bush. «There revealed the angel of the Lord say to him in a smoldering fire, out of the midst of a thornbush; and he looked up, and behold, the thornbush stood in a light hat, but the thornbush did not burn up» (2 Mos 3,2).

We know therefore that God presents himself in fire: «For our God is a consuming fire» (Heb 12,29). But just as surely as fire represents God, so represents fire also judgment, punishment and curse. «You beloved! don't wonder about that «ild» which comes upon you to trial» (1 Pet 4,12).

Fire can be judgment: «for with «ild» the Lord will judge and with his sword strike everything flesh, and many it will be as the Lord kills »Jes 66,16(. Fire in the Bible also represents holiness: «Ilden must be kept burning on the altar, it must do not extinguish; every morning the priest must put new wood on the fire and lay the burnt offering to the rectify» (3 Mos 6,5).

Now can we state that fire is both a blessing and a curse in the Bible. What about John; he will baptize you (Israel) in the Holy Spirit and with fire? Is this fire blessing or curse? John speaks here to the Jews, to Israel. He calls for repentance and warns of judgment on Israel: «The ax lies already at the root.» The ax is God's judgment.

Missing biblically coating

How did it work with Israel? They did not accept their Messiah, they rejected Jesus and God temporarily rejected Israel. In the year 70, the Romans burned Jerusalem and destroyed the temple.

I We see that a few thousand Jews turned around, but this was too much few for God to accept. The Acts of the Apostles are not just an account of victory, as many pastors learn, but a tragic story of Israel's apostasy and defeat as a nation.

The Acts of the Apostles is not just a victory account, as many pastors learn.

Israel was baptized in fire in the year 70 AD – and they will again be baptized in fire in the seven-year-old tribulation. John also refers to the Day of Judgment – and the unquenchable eternal fire. I find no evidence in the scriptures to claim that we Christians have «God's fire in them oss», which makes us burning Christians.

« Baptized in fire?

Et another verse the theologians claim proves baptism of fire is Jesus' words in Luke 12,49–50: «Ild er I came to cast upon the earth; and how glad I wanted it all to be tendt! But a baptism I have to be baptized with; and how dreading it is completed!»

Wha is this fire Jesus will cast on earth? Is that what Christian Jesus wants to put in fire? It is the same judgment fire that John the Baptist describes in Matthew 3,11–13, namely the baptism of fire.

I I don't think Jesus would define Pentecost as the day when he «threw fire» down on earth. Jesus says that he wants the fire « was Ignited », as soon as possible, that doomsday was over.

Pentecost on the other hand, Jesus referred to it as follows in Luk 24,49: «And I send upon you it as mine Father has promised; but you shall remain in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.»

That does not rhyme that the coming of the Holy Spirit is described as « baptized in fire » on earth.

Let us seek baptism in the Holy Spirit

THE HOLY GIFT OF SPIRIT: The first step is therefore that we believe that this for us, and that we seek and asking God for this experience, writes the rector at HLT, Arne Mella. Photo: Adobe Stock

 If the first Christians could not do without the power of the Holy Spirit, why is aren't we more concerned with seeking this experience?

Disciple

Arne Mella Principal at the University of leadership and theology

Published: 06/24/2024 07:40Last updated: 7:40

Before Jesus again went up to heaven, he promised to send us another spokesman (advocate, helper, comforter, etc.) who should be with us all the time (Joh 14.15–21). The Holy Spirit is God who is close to us and in us, in the same way as Jesus was while he was with the disciples here on earth.

The Holy Spirit will teach us as Jesus did, and remind us of His word (Joh 14.25–26). In fact, he will show us truths the disciples were not yet ready for to understand, and reveal more of Jesus and God's kingdom to us (John 16,12–15).

I jesus places a strong emphasis on his farewell speech to the disciples in John 14–16 the unity and closeness we can have to him and the Father through the Holy Spirit. Han compares our relationship to branches in a winter. As little as a branch can bear fruit without being on the vine, we can achieve something in God's kingdom without being united with Jesus (John 15,5). The Holy Spirit will help us with this.

Jesus testifies on earth

Han also want to give us strength to continue Jesus' works on earth and be his witnesses. Therefore Jesus told the disciples that they must stay in Jerusalem until they received the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Apg 1,4–5,8). This is what Pentecost is all about: Oh be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we get power, spiritual gifts and more fruit in our Christian life! (See Apg 1–2; 1 Cor 12–14 and Gal 5).

ARNE MELLA: Principal at the College of Management and Theology (HLT). Photo: Herman Frantzen

The Bible says that this is for all Christians, and when we read the Acts of the Apostles, see we clearly saw that this was a conscious experience after accepting Jesus as Savior. This was the fulfillment of the prophets' message and Father's promise (Apg 2,16–18; Luk 24,49). Peter, who had denied Jesus, now stood boldly and spoke to the people on Pentecost.

Later do we see great signs and wonders happening, strong love for other Christians and speaking in tongues as a sign that one had been filled with the Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit is for all who accept Jesus and turn to him (Acts 2,39–40).

The Pentecostal Pioneer Engstrom

Formerly one thought that this does not apply to us today, but in his autobiography «Ha tro til Gud», writes Pentecostal pioneer Dagmar Engstrøm about what happened then the Pentecostal revival came to Norway:

«For for the first time in modern times, in 1906–07 we experienced coming face to face with one man who had truly experienced John 14,6, where it says about having the Spirit living as a person in the heart. As soon as Barratt came home from the trip to America, he began to speak of his experiences with such fire and power that any of we felt how poor we were. This is exactly what we needed, and it became one living and searching search before God.»

The result became a calling as a missionary to India for Dagmar, and a revival that spread across Europe and later across the world.

A good gift

If the first Christians could not do without the power of the Holy Spirit, why is aren't we more concerned with seeking this experience? Jesus said that the disciples had to wait in the city until they were equipped with power from on high. The change was visible to everyone.

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The Holy Spirit fills us to help us live the Christian life; it is not a reward for a perfect life.

The the same longing has characterized revivals throughout history. The good news is that we can also pray for the fullness of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and Jesus says that it is a good gift that Father wants to give us when we ask for it (Luk 11.9–13)!

Search and pray

First the step is therefore that we believe that this is for us, and that we seek and ask God for this the experience. Like all other gifts of God, it is by grace and not something we can do us deserved. The Holy Spirit fills us to help us live it christian life; it is not a reward for a perfect life.

Et another important point is that all Christians already have the Holy Spirit. He is who has reborn us and given us a new life as children of God (Rom 8,9;14–16). The baptism of the Spirit is about him being able to fill us with his power, love and gifts.

Jesus first talked about the new life as a spring of living water inside (Joh 4,14), and later about rivers of living water as an image of the Spirit (John 7,37–39). So we can grow in our experience of the Holy Spirit!

Open to the Spirit

Next step is to open yourself to the Spirit. Speaking in tongues is not the only sign of The baptism of the Spirit, but it is perhaps the first and most concrete.

Wha does that mean speaking in tongues? It simply means speaking a language you do not understand, but as the Spirit gives you. On Pentecost this was a language from which people different countries understood (Apg 2.4ff), which there are also many examples of later, but as a rule one speaks « secrets by the Spirit» (1 Cor 14,2).

Tongue speech can also be deciphered in the congregation, and then it is like a prophecy (et directly message from Gud). Most often, however, speaking in tongues is a « prayer language», an aid to to pray and express our heart before God. The Holy Spirit helps us express what we can't find words for, or know how to ask for (Rom 8,26–27).

Use the new the language

When we have asked for the gift of the Holy Spirit and opened ourselves to the Spirit, we must open our mouths and use the new language God gives us. My experience is that many are waiting for God will do something dramatic, so that they start speaking in tongues. But the Holy One Spirit does not force you, it is you who speaks in tongues «ally as the Spirit gives you to talk» (Apg 2.4 BGO).

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Du decides for himself about and when you speak in tongues; the miracle is that you speak a language you don't know!

The Bible says we build our faith when we speak in tongues (Jud 20). It gives us power, reminds us of the presence of the Spirit and helps us in our prayer to God. Let's therefore seek and raise awareness of the baptism and fullness of the Spirit!