NOTE: Before trying to understand the
context it is necessary to start back at verse
7, paying careful attention to the narrative, as in the following:
Matthew 3: 7-8, 10
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath
to come? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. The ax is already at the
root of the trees, and every tree
that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and cast into the fire
(Cp. Luke 3: 7,-8, 9).
Matthew 7: 16a, 17, 19
By their fruit you will recognize
them. Likewise every good tree bears good [fresh] fruit, but a bad tree bears
bad [rotten] fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Luke 3: 17
His winnowing fork is in His hand to
clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire.
NOTE: What has been presented so far is a
series of contrasts: baptism of the Holy Spirit/fire; good fruit/bad fruit; and
wheat/chaff.
Acts 1: 3-5
After His suffering, He showed
himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He
appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of
God. On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command:
“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift My Father promised, which
you have heard Me speak about (Cp. Luke
24: 49). For John baptized with water; but in a few days you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit (Cp. Acts
11: 16).
NOTE: Jesus did not say that they would
be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, too.
Acts 2: 2-3
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of
a violent wind came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were
sitting. They “saw” what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and
came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in other tongues [languages] as the Spirit enabled
[empowered, directed, guided] them.
CONCLUSION: In all due respects to my
Spirit-filled, tongues-speaking Christian brethren it is all a matter of
rightly dividing the word of truth (Cp. 2
Timothy 2: 15). Jesus mentioned to His disciples (apostles) before His
ascension back to heaven that they were to tarry in the city (Jerusalem) until
they be imbued [clothed] with power from on High. Jesus said that John baptized in water
but that they would be baptized by the Holy Spirit, and there was no mention
about fire. What the apostles experienced on “Pentecost” was a unique and
extraordinary gift of divine grace that was given to them as the special emissaries of the LORD Jesus
and messengers of His gospel to the world. Other believers subsequently spoke
in tongues but the scriptures does not have any record of a person or group who
heard a violent rushing wind or sound [perhaps like that of a hurricane,
whirlwind, or tornado] and actually “saw” some kind of supernatural
manifestation described as “tongues of fire” that afterward separated and
quantities or aspects of that ‘something’ came and rested upon any of them. Lastly,
this accounts for the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit part to which all believers
experience presently, however, in a different way from the ‘original’ apostles but the
remaining “fire” [baptism] will occur at the end of the Age.
Revelation 20: 11-12, 15
Then I saw a great white throne and
Him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from His presence, and there was
no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the
throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of
Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done according to the
books. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of Life, he was
thrown into the lake of fire.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11Tacoma, WA 98402
May 19, 2013
robertrandle51@yahoo.com
