{"id":68,"date":"2011-07-10T02:06:31","date_gmt":"2011-07-10T02:06:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/?page_id=68"},"modified":"2011-07-10T02:06:31","modified_gmt":"2011-07-10T02:06:31","slug":"step-11-baptism-with-fire","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/?page_id=68","title":{"rendered":"Step 11 Baptism with Fire"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Instruction about <\/strong><strong>Baptism with Fire<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">from<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The Fourth of Six<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8220;Elementary Teachings about Christ&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">from Hebrews 6:1,2<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We are studying Hebrews 6:1-2:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Therefore let us leave <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the elementary teachings <\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">about Christ<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em> and go on to maturity, not laying again <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">foundation<\/span> <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 of repentance from acts that lead to death, and <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 of faith in God, <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">instruction<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em> about <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">baptisms<\/span><\/em><\/strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><em>, <\/em><\/strong><\/span><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>the laying on of hands, <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the resurrection of the dead, and <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 eternal judgment.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Topic Headings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0<strong>Fire \u2013 Baptism \u2013 Cup \u2013 Cross<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>How to Handle Fiery Ordeals<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Is It Worth It?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>What Should You Do?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken <\/strong>(a hymn)<strong><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Fire \u2013 Baptism \u2013 Cup \u2013 Cross<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[Before His suffering and death the Lord Jesus said:] <strong><em>&#8220;I have come to bring <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">fire<\/span> on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! \u00a0But I have a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">baptism<\/span> to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! (Luke 12:49-50)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Jesus came to bring some kind of <strong>\u201c<\/strong><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">fire<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u201d<\/em><\/strong> on the earth, but this fire had not yet been kindled.\u00a0 First, He had to undergo some kind of <strong><em>\u201cbaptism.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 Most Christians seem to agree that the <strong><em>\u201cbaptism\u201d<\/em><\/strong> to which He refers here is His suffering and death.<\/p>\n<p>What the <strong>\u201c<\/strong><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">fire<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u201d<\/em><\/strong> is, is not so clear.\u00a0 This author believes that it is the fire of persecution against Christians.\u00a0 Whether <strong>\u201c<\/strong><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">fire<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u201d<\/em><\/strong> means that here or not is not very important.\u00a0 It <strong>IS<\/strong> important for Christians to know that <strong><em>\u201c<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (2 Timothy 3:12)\u00a0 Peter does refer to such persecutions as <strong><em>\u201c<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>fiery ordeal<\/em><\/strong>(s)<strong><em>\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (1 Peter 4:12 NASB)<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Mark 10:37-39<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>[James and John requested of Jesus:]<strong><em> &#8220;Let one of us sit at Your right and the other at Your left in Your glory.&#8221;\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;You don&#8217;t know what you are asking,&#8221; Jesus said. &#8220;Can you drink the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">cup<\/span> I drink or be <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">baptized<\/span> with the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">baptism<\/span> I am <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">baptized<\/span> with?&#8221;\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 &#8220;We can,&#8221; they answered. <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jesus said to them, &#8220;You will drink the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">cup<\/span> I drink and be <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">baptized<\/span> with the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">baptism<\/span> I am <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">baptized<\/span> with, . . . \u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Again, Jesus refers to a <strong><em>\u201cbaptism\u201d<\/em><\/strong> that is neither with water nor with the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 The <strong><em>\u201cbaptism\u201d<\/em><\/strong> with which He was baptized was a baptism of suffering for standing up for the truth.\u00a0 Finally, this <strong><em>\u201cbaptism\u201d<\/em><\/strong> resulted in His death.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus prophesied that James and John would be baptized with a similar <strong><em>\u201cbaptism\u201d<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 Indeed, both were persecuted for their Christian faith.\u00a0 James was finally executed by Agrippa I for the faith in about 44 A.D.\u00a0 As for his brother John, some traditions state that he was thrown into boiling oil before the Latin Gate, which did not kill him but probably left him scarred for the rest of his life.\u00a0 It is certain that John suffered exile for being a disciple of Christ on the Island of Patmos toward the end of his life.<\/p>\n<p>Please notice that Jesus introduces another image of this <strong><em>\u201cbaptism\u201d<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 that of a <strong><em>\u201ccup.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 This <strong><em>\u201cbaptism\u201d<\/em><\/strong> and <strong><em>\u201ccup\u201d<\/em><\/strong> are the same thing.\u00a0 We see this image of a <strong><em>\u201ccup\u201d<\/em><\/strong> again in the next passage:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>[The night before His crucifixion Jesus was in a garden with His apostles.]\u00a0 <strong><em>And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0And He was saying, &#8220;Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">this cup<\/span> from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.&#8221; (Mark 14:35-36)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Clearly, <strong><em>\u201c<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>this cup\u201d<\/em><\/strong> is the persecution that he would suffer in the coming hours, resulting in His death on a cross.<\/p>\n<p>Jesus expects His followers to be willing to suffer the same thing:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Then He said to them all: &#8220;If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">cross<\/span> daily and follow me. <\/em><\/strong>(Luke 9:23)<\/p>\n<p><strong>How to Handle Fiery Ordeals<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what Peter taught about such <strong><em>fiery ordeals<\/em><\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>12\u00a0 Beloved, do not be surprised at the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">fiery ordeal<\/span> among you, which comes upon you for your <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">testing<\/span>, as though some strange thing were happening to you; <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>13\u00a0 but to the degree that you share <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the sufferings of Christ<\/span>, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>14\u00a0 If you are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">reviled for the name of Christ<\/span>, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>15\u00a0 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>16\u00a0 but if anyone <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">suffers as a Christian<\/span>, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.<\/em><\/strong> (1 Peter 4:12-16)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is It Worth It?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Consider the following and then you decide:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>28\u00a0 Peter said to him, &#8220;We have left everything to follow you!&#8221;\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>29\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>&#8220;I tell you the truth,&#8221; Jesus replied, &#8220;no one who has left home <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">or<\/span> brothers <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">or<\/span> sisters <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">or<\/span> mother <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">or<\/span> father <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">or<\/span> children <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">or<\/span> fields for Me and the gospel <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>30\u00a0 will fail to receive <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">a hundred times<\/span> as much in this present age &#8211; homes <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">and<\/span> brothers <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">and<\/span> sisters <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">and<\/span> mothers <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">and<\/span> children <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">and<\/span> fields\u2014<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">and<\/span> with them, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">persecutions<\/span> &#8211; and in the age to come, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">eternal life<\/span>. <\/em><\/strong>(Mark 10:28-30)<strong><em> <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>What Should You Do?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0Understand well what Jesus suffered for you.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Understand that Jesus suffered unjustly and so will you.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Be mentally prepared to suffer for Jesus and His\u00a0words also.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Do not be surprised when fiery ordeals come.<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Know that whatever we may suffer in this world,\u00a0such suffering is small and\u00a0 insignificant when\u00a0compared with eternal life with our loving God in\u00a0the new creation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Jesus, I my cross have taken,<\/p>\n<p>All to leave and follow Thee;<\/p>\n<p>Destitute, despised, forsaken,<\/p>\n<p>Thou from hence my All shalt be.<\/p>\n<p>Perish every fond ambition,<\/p>\n<p>All I\u2019ve sought or hoped or known;<\/p>\n<p>Yet how rich is my condition!<\/p>\n<p>God and heav\u2019n are still mine own!<\/p>\n<p>Let the world despise and leave me,<\/p>\n<p>They have left my Savior, too.<\/p>\n<p>Human hearts and looks deceive me;<\/p>\n<p>Thou art not like them, untrue.<\/p>\n<p>And, while Thou shalt smile upon me,<\/p>\n<p>God of wisdom, love and might,<\/p>\n<p>Foes may hate and friends may shun me;<\/p>\n<p>Show Thy face and all is bright!<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 copyright 2011<\/p>\n<p>Lyra Publications<\/p>\n<p>Preston, Minnesota<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Instruction about Baptism with Fire from The Fourth of Six &#8220;Elementary Teachings about Christ&#8221; from Hebrews 6:1,2 \u00a0 We are studying Hebrews 6:1-2: Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings \u00a0 about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the foundation \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 of repentance from acts that lead to death, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/68"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=68"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/68\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/68\/revisions\/70"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=68"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}