I have not been fire baptized. I have no desire to be baptized with fire. I shall, by the grace of God, never be baptized with fire. I know that some sing, “Tell ‘em I’m saved, sanctified, Holy Ghost filled, and fire baptized!” Nonetheless, I have not been fire baptized.
These statements will undoubtedly shock some of my readers. This baptism of which John the Baptist spoke, that is, the baptism with fire, is possibly one of the most misunderstood teachings of scripture. In 1895, there was a movement which sprung from the Methodist movement. They were the “Fire-Baptized.” Even today, there are some groups who still identify themselves as the “fire-baptized.” Those who are part of these groups are not baptized with fire, though they claim to be.
What is this baptism with fire? Who is, or who will be, baptized with fire? These questions can be answered clearly from the word of God.
Matthew 3:11 – “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.”
As we begin our study, it will benefit the reader to know five facts. First, it was John the Baptist who spoke of being baptized with fire. As a matter of fact, John the Baptist was the only individual in the Bible who used the words, “baptize with fire.” Second, John spoke, not only of being baptized with fire, but also of being baptized with the Holy Ghost. Third, John’s declaration that some would be baptized with the Holy Ghost is found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Fourth, John’s declaration that some would be baptized with fire is found only in Matthew and Luke. Please note that in the gospel of Mark, John the Baptist declares that some would be baptized with the Holy Ghost, but he says nothing of anyone being baptized with fire. Fifth, Jesus Christ never used the term, “baptized with fire,” although He did use the term, “baptized with the Holy Ghost.”
Since John the Baptist was the only individual in the scriptures who used the term, “baptize with fire,” let us look at John’s ministry. First, we will look at his ministry from the books of Matthew and Luke, where John speaks of Christ baptizing with the Holy Ghost AND WITH FIRE. Then, we will look at John’s ministry from the book of Mark, where John speaks of Christ baptizing with the Holy Ghost, but does not mention any baptism of fire.
The Ministry of John the Baptist – Matthew’s Gospel
Earlier in this post, I used Matthew 3:11 as a text. In Matthew 3, there are two distinct groups of people present, listening to the preaching of John the Baptist. This is a very important point. I encourage the reader to read Matthew 3:1-12 carefully.
The first group of people who are present and listening to John’s message is John’s disciples.
Matthew 3:5-6 – “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.”
Do you see it? The first group that is present in Matthew 3 is the disciples of John – the ones who WERE BAPTIZED OF HIM IN JORDAN, CONFESSING THEIR SINS.
But these who confessed their sins and were baptized were not the only ones present. There was a second group present. This second group did not confess their sins. This second group was not baptized by John. This second group was not John’s disciples. Look at the next verse:
Matthew 3:7 – “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”
So, in Matthew 3, there are two groups listening to the preaching of John, and consequently, there are two baptisms mentioned – the baptism with the Holy Ghost, and the baptism with fire. The first baptism mentioned, the baptism with the Holy Ghost, pertains to the first group, the disciples of John who would go on to believe on Jesus Christ. The second baptism mentioned, the baptism with fire, pertains to the second group, the Pharisees and Sadducees, who would go on to reject Jesus Christ.
John’s message is simple – those who accept his message, receiving the One who is to come after him, will be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Those who reject the One coming after him will be baptized with fire.
The Ministry of John the Baptist – Luke’s Gospel
In Luke’s account of the ministry of John the Baptist (Luke 3:1-22), John speaks of both a baptism with the Holy Ghost and a baptism with fire. Just as in Matthew’s gospel, there are two groups present in Luke 3. In Luke 3:7, John speaks to the Pharisees and Sadducees, referring to them as a “generation of vipers.” In Luke 3:21, we are told of others who were baptized of John. So, as in Matthew’s gospel, we have the same occurrence in the gospel of Luke. In Luke 3, there are two groups of people listening to the preaching of John. Consequently, there are two baptisms mentioned:
Luke 3:16 – “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.”
Again, John is speaking to his disciples, who would go on to believe on Jesus Christ, saying that Christ would baptize them with the Holy Ghost. John is also speaking to the “generation of vipers,” who would go on to reject Jesus Christ, promising that Christ would baptize them with fire. There are two distinct baptisms for two distinct groups.
The Ministry of John the Baptist – Mark’s Gospel
I have asserted that the baptism with the Holy Ghost, of which John spoke, is for John’s disciples, who would go on to believe on Jesus Christ. The baptism of fire, on the other hand, is for the “generation of vipers,” the Pharisees and Sadducees, who would go on to reject Jesus Christ.
Mark’s gospel bears this out further. In Mark 1, the ministry of John the Baptist is given in only a few verses (Mark 1:3-8). Watch carefully. In this passage, John’s disciples, those who confessed their sins and were baptized by John, are present.
Mark 1:5 – “And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.”
However, in Mark’s account of John’s ministry, there is no mention of the “generation of vipers,” the Pharisees and Sadducees who would go on to reject Christ. In Mark’s gospel, there is only one group present – those who confessed their sins and were baptized of John.
It is no surprise, then, that in Mark’s gospel, where only John’s disciples are present, John does not mention a baptism with fire. The baptism with fire is reserved for the “generation of vipers,” who are not mentioned in Mark’s gospel. Therefore, in Mark’s gospel, John mentions a baptism with the Holy Ghost, but not a baptism with fire.
Mark 1:8 – “I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”
Jesus and the Baptism with the Holy Ghost
At this point, it is noteworthy that while Christ mentions a baptism with the Holy Ghost once, Christ NEVER mentions a baptism with fire.
Acts 1:5 – “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
In the above verse, to whom is Christ speaking when He says, “YE shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence”? The answer can be found three verses prior, in verse 2 – “the APOSTLES whom He had chosen.” Christ told His apostles that they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost shortly. Why did He not tell them that they would be baptized with fire also? Did He forget? No, He did not forget to mention a baptism with fire. Christ did not tell His apostles that they would be baptized with a baptism of fire because the baptism with fire was not reserved for them. The baptism with the Holy Ghost was reserved for them. The baptism with fire is reserved for Christ-rejecters, and is only mentioned when Christ-rejecters are present. In Acts 1, Christ is speaking to His apostles, not to Pharisees, Sadducees, or any other Christ-rejecters. Consequently, Christ does not mention a baptism with fire.
What is the Baptism with Fire?
I have shown clearly that the baptism with the Holy Ghost is reserved for those who accept Christ, while the baptism with fire is reserved for those who reject Christ. But what is the baptism of fire?
I started this post with Matthew 3:11. I want to show that verse again, but this time, I want to you to see it with the verse before it and the verse after it. Please read all three verses carefully:
Matthew 3:10 – “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
Matthew 3:11 – “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.”
Matthew 3:12 – “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
In verse 11, John states that Christ will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire. In verse 10, what is the last word of the verse? FIRE. In verse 12, what is the last word of the verse? FIRE.
In verse 10, what is the fire about which John is speaking? Is it a “Holy Ghost” kind of fire? Not at all. It is a fire of judgment. John tells us that there are two types of trees – those with good fruit and those with bad fruit. John tells us that there is a time coming that the trees with bad fruit will be cut down, separated from the rest of the trees, and cast into the fire. The fire of verse 10 is hell fire.
In verse 12, what kind of fire do we find? Again, we find two groups – the wheat and the chaff. John again tells us that there will be a time of separation, when the chaff will be separated from the wheat, and then burned. This fire, like the fire of verse 10, is the unquenchable fire of hell.
In verse 11, the verse between these two verses, what is the fire with which Christ will baptize? In the context of Matthew chapter 3, it is clear that there are two groups in verse 11. Christ will baptize the first group – the “trees with good fruit” of verse 10 and the “wheat” of verse 12 – with the Holy Ghost. He will baptize the second group – the “trees with bad fruit” of verse 10 and the “chaff” of verse 12 – with unquenchable fire. The baptism of fire is the casting into the unquenchable fire of hell, reserved only for those who reject Christ.
