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Baptism of Fire

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Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Aug 9, 1883

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 9, No. 30.

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Baptism of Fire.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

PLEASE explain Matt. 3:11: "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire."
The query is, of course, in regard to the baptism of fire, as there is no question in regard to the baptism of the Holy Ghost. We think the explanation is found in the context. John was speaking to two classes of people, as well as of two baptisms. One class consisted of those who would bring forth "fruits meet for repentance," the other, of those who would continue to merit the appellation, "brood of vipers." This distinction is clearly made in verse 12, in which he continues, "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." Verse 12 is explanatory of verse 11. Fire is the agent by which the wicked are to be destroyed; and the propriety of calling this destruction a baptism is apparent when we read that the wicked are to be consumed in a "lake of fire." Rev. 20:10.
The first instance of the baptism of the Holy Ghost occurred on the day of Pentecost, in fulfillment of the promise of Christ in Acts 1:5. The disciples were immersed in the Spirit, because "it filled all the house where they were sitting." There was nothing on this occasion, however, that could be called a baptism of fire. It is true that there appeared tongues parting asunder "like as of fire," but these tongues merely "sat upon" each one of them.
Those who claim that the baptism of the Holy Ghost and of fire are the same, must also claim, to be consistent, that the wicked Pharisees were promised the baptism of the Holy Ghost; for the words of John were addressed to them as well as to those who were repentant.
This no one will hold for an instant. Wicked persons do not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which prepares its recipients for the garner of Heaven; but they will receive the fire from Heaven, which rids the earth of the worthless chaff. E. J. W.