Fire Baptism


Sanctification


Mat 3:8 - 12 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the ax 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. 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: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.



To be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire is to be convicted concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.



The fire is to burn up impurities.



A) bad fruit
B) chaff



To be free from contamination, pollution, or dirt.



God's presence is as fire, which represents God's judgment and purification. To be in God's presence is to be in the presence of absolute holiness where no sin or unrighteousness can stand.



Lets look at the aspect of purging, the chaff.



To purge = to cleans or purity



The wicked are as stubble before the wind



Job 21:16 - 18 Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me. How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.



Ungodly are like the chaff which the wind driveth away



Psa 1:1 - 4 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.



So here we see that the wicked are as stubble or chaff.



Why are the ungodly like chaff?



It is because they are led by their fleshly desires and live in disobedience and in unbelief.



Woe unto them



Isa 5:20 - 24 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.



From this passage we see several aspects of chaff and stubble.



Woe unto them . . . .


A) call evil good, and good evil
B) put darkness for light, and light for darkness
C) put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter
D) wise in their own eyes
E) prudent in their own sight "prudent = wisely cautious"
F) mighty to drink wine
G) mingle strong drink:
H) justify the wicked for reward
I) take away the righteousness of the righteous
J) they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts
K) Despise the word of God



God's word is like a fire?

The Truth devooreth the stubble



Jer 23:25,26 28 - 32   I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.  What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.  Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.  Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.



2 Tim 2:4 - 7 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.



2 Pet 3:15 - 17 NLT And remember, the Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved. This is just as our beloved brother Paul 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 around to mean something quite different from what he meant, just as they do the other parts of Scripture--and the result is disaster for them. I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends, so that you can watch out and not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people. I don't want you to lose your own secure footing.



2 Tim 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.



The precious from the vile



Jer 15:18,19 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail? Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.



The word of God can be abused or distorted; we are to study the word of truth. We are to correctly handle the word, not to add to or take away from.



2 Tim 3:13 - 16 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:



2 Tim 2:25,26 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.



To not speak God's word faithfully is chaff



Be followers of God, as dear children



The fire is to burn up impurities, to make us free from contamination, pollution, or dirt; to be clean in word and deed.



Eph 5:1 - 7 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.



Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.



We are to walk in love; love is a fruit of the Spirit which is to flow throw us to others.



Let not be named among you:


A) fornication
B) uncleanness
C) covetousness
D) filthiness
E) foolish talking
F) jesting



These things are evil fruit, unclean things, chaff, and stubble and they shod not be named among us as believers.



Eph 5:8 - 11 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.



2 Cor 6:16 - 18 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.



We are not to be linked with evil. Commitment to Christ calls for purification "from everything that contaminates body and spirit."



We are to be renewed in the spirit of our minds.



Put off the former way of life



Eph 4:22 - 24 NLT throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception. Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God's likeness--righteous, holy, and true.



Luke 9:23 - 25 NLT Then he said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process?



To follow Jesus faithfully,
we must give up self-interest and die to sin daily.



Rom 6:17,18 NLT Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you have obeyed with all your heart the new teaching God has given you. Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness.



Prove all things



1 Th 5:21 - 23 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.



Quench not the Spirit Fire,
grieve not the holy Spirit of God,



1 Th 5:19 . . . Quench not the Spirit.



Eph 4:17 - 32   This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil


Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.



To grieve the Spirit and not to quench the Spirit both refer to the way of life into which the Spirit leads us. We should be in communion with the Spirit, and responsive to His leadership. We should submit to the Fire of God, and not quench the Spirits Fire with sin and disobedience. We are to put off the old man and put on the new man which is created after God, We are to be like God in righteousness and true holiness.

Thing to put away:


A) put away lying
B) be angry and sin not, "Neither give place to the devil"
C) steal no more
D) no corrupt communication
E) put away bitterness
F) put away wrath
G) put away anger
H) put away clamour "clamor a noisy uproar"
I) put away evil speaking
J) put away malice "malice desire to cause harm or pain to another/enmity"


Be ye:


A) kind
B) tenderhearted
C) forgiving one another



Gal 5:16,17 and 22 - 26 NLT This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.



Rom 6:1, 2 and 6,7 kjv What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.



and 12 - 14 NLT Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires. Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer subject to the law, which enslaves you to sin. Instead, you are free by God's grace.


(Rom 6:16 KJV) 

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?


(Rom 6:16 NLT) 

Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.


(John 8:34,35 KJV) 

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

(John 8:34, 35 NLT) 

Jesus replied, "I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin.


A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.      

(Gal 5:18 KJV) 

But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

(Gal 5:18 NLT) 

But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.




Sin is not to be your master any longer, we are to be following the direction of the Holy Spirit. When we follow the guidance of the Spirit of God we are no longer under the law but under God's grace. The Holy Spirit influences our hearts, instructing us to turn from ungodliness and sinful pleasures. He empowers us through the unadulterated Word of God, we read in John 8:32  "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

When you follow the sinful pleasures of your flesh you grieve the Holy Spirit, and put your self back under the law. The Holy Spirit will reprove you for your sin, by bringing the Word of God the law to show you that sin is exceeding sinful, bringing you into condemnation. When you obey the conviction of the Holy Spirit and mortify the deeds of the body, that is through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from the sin in repentance to God.

We read in 1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.


The Fire of God, respond to it, do not run from it but summit to it, the Fire of God


(1 Th 4:4 KJV)  That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;


(1 Th 4:4,5 NLT)  Then each of you will control your body and live in holiness and honor--  not in lustful passion as the pagans do, in their ignorance of God and his ways.