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Baptism
Of The Holy Spirit And Fire
I indeed baptize you with water unto
repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than
I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize
you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." Matt. 3:11.
This passage of Holy Writ has been the object of much
speculation and around it have been erected many
fabricated structures foreign to the truth. Some have
thought that it teaches a baptism of fire subsequent to
the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Others have thought it an
excellent foundation upon which to base the theories of
effusion and sprinkling. All of these theories are alike
false, and were far from the mind of the prophet when he
spoke these sacred words, so full of esteem for Christ and
His mission, and so non assuming on the part of himself.
The prophet has no reference here to either the mode of
water baptism or the mode of Holy Spirit baptism. He only
means to compare the mission of Christ with that of his
own; hence he says, "I baptize with water: he shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." The
real object of speaking is summed up in these words:
"He that cometh after me is mightier than I."
In another place John says,
"He must increase, but I must decrease." The Old
Testament is comparatively silent on the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, and we hear but little of it till this
sublime statement falls from the lips of John the Baptist.
"He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with
fire," was entirely a new statement, and doubtless
fell with surprise on the ears of the eager listeners to
"the voice of one crying in the wilderness." It
was not the mission of John to set forth doctrine, but to
prepare the way of the Lord; neither was he assuming to do
so, and to suppose that he was setting forth the mode of
baptism is utter folly. While John gave the preeminence to
the baptism of the Holy Spirit he did not mean to speak
lightly of his own baptism. It was ordained for a specific
purpose and accomplished that for which it was intended.
Neither should we overlook water baptism, as it has a
special place in the gospel system. However, water baptism
is only the outward form of inwrought work, the ceremonial
death and burial; while the baptism of the Holy Spirit is
the crowning grace of the redemption plan.
The baptism of John was unto
repentance. It had no significance farther than this. The
baptism of the Holy Spirit is not directly connected with
repentance; it reaches much farther and accomplishes
purification and the bestowment of power. This is proved
by the use of the word fire. It is a process that acts
upon its subject like fire on the precious metals. This
beautifully agrees with the words of the prophet Malachi.
"But 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 fuller's soap: and 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."
Mall 3:2, 3. It is said that in purifying precious metals
the purifier heats the metal in a crucible, over a fire,
till the dross is skimmed off and thrown away. This
process is continued till the refiner can look into the
heated metal and see his image. How beautifully this
illustrates the purging we receive in sanctification, or
the baptism of the Holy Spirit till all our dross is
purged away, and then the purifier, the Son of God, can
look into our purified hearts and see reflected there His
own dear image, which is righteousness and true holiness.
Eph. 4:24.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit, and
of fire, are not, as some suppose, two different baptisms,
one of the Spirit and the other of fire; but they are
different phases of the same baptism. That this is true
needs but little proof. After Jesus had been resurrected
from the dead He appeared unto His disciples, "and,
being assembled together with them, commanded them that
they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the
promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of
me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be
baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
Acts 1:4, 5. "Ye have heard of me"; that is, you
have heard of me that I shall baptize with the Holy Ghost
and with fire, which shall take place not many days hence.
Where had they heard this but from the prophet John? In
exact fulfillment of this, we read that on the day of
Pentecost "there appeared unto them cloven tongues
like as of FIRE . . . And they were all filled with the
HOLY GHOST." Acts 2:3, 4.
What could be plainer? All that
John prophesied of was here fulfilled, both Holy Ghost and
fire, all in one glorious outpouring of divine power. Dr.
Clarke speaking on this subject says, " 'WITH THE
HOLY GHOST AND WITH FIRE.' That the influences of the
Spirit of God, are here designed, needs but little proof.
Christ's religion was to be a spiritual religion, and was
to have its seat in the heart. Outward precepts, however
well they might describe, could not produce inward
spirituality. This was the province of the Spirit of God,
and of it alone; therefore He is represented here under
the similitude of fire, because He was to illuminate and
invigorate the soul, penetrate every part, and assimilate
the whole to the image of the God of glory."
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