BAPTIZED WITH FIRE? by Steve Finnell

Found here. Reproduced here for fair use and discussion purposes. My comments in bold.

----------------------------

Finally Mr. Finnell takes on a new topic. Unfortunately, he once again fails basic Bible knowledge. He isolates a passage of Scripture from its context,  infers a conclusion, and then deems baptism with fire to be a bad thing.

I cover this in some depth with another post, so some of this will be a duplication.

---------------------

John the Baptist said Jesus will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. There are some who believe that being baptized with fire is something Christians should desire.

Matthew 3:10 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.

Being thrown into the fire is not a baptism I care to seek.

Matthew 3:11 "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.

Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fork is in 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."

(As is frequently the case, those who try to make the case for their aberrant doctrines will ignore the context of the verses, leave out ones that are, shall we say, inconvenient, or fail to consider the whole counsel of Scripture. Therefore, it falls to me to provide context and thus understanding.

Let's consider the whole passage. The scene is where John the Baptist is baptizing:

Mt. 3:6-10 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, `We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 

John relates the same incident, with some additional helpful information:

Jn. 1:24-27 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 “I baptize in water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

Notice what's happening. The Pharisees and Sadducees came to challenge him (Jn. 1:24-25), while pretending to come to be baptized. He excoriates them for their false repentance (Mt. 3:7-8). He then explains his ministry, and how much greater Jesus' ministry will be. 

John leaves it there, but Matthew relates more of the story. Matthew goes on to explain that it isn't enough to be a Jew. The Jews considered themselves to be God's chosen people. You might remember an argument that took place in John Chapter 8, where the Pharisees claimed to be Abraham's sons. Jesus answered them: Jn. 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. Clearly John the Baptist and Jesus both were intent on explaining a new kind of order for those who will be considered God's children, where they will be of a different kind than those who are genealogically related to Abraham.

John the Baptist then smacks them down with a warning, that if they don't bear fruit they will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Mt. 3:10). So now they have heard what is necessary to be truly repentant, and their biological relationship to Abraham isn't it.

Now John the Baptist addresses those who are being baptized:

Mt 3:11-12 I baptize you in 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. 12 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.

Everyone who receives the baptism of Jesus will receive the Holy Spirit and fire. There is no pause in the sentence, no distinction of good versus bad. 

With that understanding, let's press on.) 

Being burned up with an unquenchable fire is not the kind of baptism I desire. 

Lk. 3:17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The word fire used in verse 10 and 12 is used to express an undesirable result. It seems obvious the word "fire" used in verse 11 is not meant as a blessing.

(Hmm, the verse does not say that, does it? Notice it is the CHAFF that is burned. This is presented in the context of a threshing floor, where the valuable wheat is separated from the dirt, leaves and stems (chaff). This baptism of fire is a sanctifying fire! Paul explains it for us:

1Co. 3:13-15 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.  If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved,  but only as one escaping through the flames.

Peter also explains it: 

1 Pe. 1:6-7:"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 

The purifying fire of God isn't a pleasant thing. But it is a necessary thing.) 

I THINK I WILL DECLINE THE BAPTISM WITH FIRE!

Mr. Finnell says he wants no part of this fire. I am sad for him.