Baptized by Water or Fire?

Prayer – Baptizing. Purify my heart, Lord.   

Baptism in the Jordan River - Israel

I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3:11

 

Meditate. Baptism. Water or Holy Spirit?

 

Baptism has early roots in other religions and in the Levitical rituals for purification. Here is an example of an early Jewish ritual for cleansing.

All those who touch a dead human body will be ceremonially unclean for seven days. They must purify themselves on the third and seventh days with the water of purification; then they will be purified. But if they do not do this on the third and seventh days, they will continue to be unclean even after the seventh day. Numbers 19:11-12

Paul and Peter both wrote about baptism expressing the Christian view of this ritual and the sacrament we Christians follow.

For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Romans 6:4

 

And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:21

Water and fire. I think it is interesting that John the Baptist said that he baptized with water, and that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Fire. The fire of the Holy Spirit purifies. Similarly, judgment will result in fire…and then destruction. We don’t often think of fire destroying the ungodly people…but that is just what Peter is conveying in God’s word in 2 Peter 3:3-7.

Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, "What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created." They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. 2 Peter 3:3-7

 

That is the fire of hell in the Day of Judgment. Only the unbelievers, the ungodly people, will have to face that just like the ungodly of Noah’s day went through the flood that cleansed the world of sin. Something to think about. Water and fire. During Noah’s time life went on just like normal—people partying and living their lives until the deluge of water covered the earth. That is what will happen again…up until the time that Jesus returns for His church. Life will go on. Work, marriages, parties, and then the believers will be removed before the evil is let loose. Then later fire will ensue and wipe out the ungodly. Are you ready? Which group will you be in? Those who are Raptured…or those who are left behind to face God’s cleansing fire? The choice is totally yours. No one else can make that decision for you. Not your Mom or Dad, Grandma, spouse, children, friends, neighbor, coworkers—even God Himself. You choose. 

 

Verses of Salvation ~ And remember, our Lord's patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:15-18 (Underlined for emphasis.)

 

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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