" 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"
(King James Bible, Matthew 3:11)
Could both water and fire have symbolical meanings. ? Both are opposites. If the meanings are symbolical. Why do people insist on using the water and not the fire?
2007-01-10 06:46:01 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Fire is the Holy Spirit, it burns within us, It is symbolic.
2007-01-10 06:51:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Baptism of the holy spirit is like a fire that burns away the impurities, sort of like smelting until you get pure metal. That is the work of God and not man. Water baptism is done by man, Holy Spirit/fire is done by God.
Here is a similiar comparison:
1 Corinthians 13:11-15
11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
2007-01-10 07:11:54 · answer #2 · answered by Emperor Insania Says Bye! 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Baptizing with water is just what it says - being completely immersed under water, then rising out, sinless. (for a minute anyways - so that is like being "born again" because you are perfect until you sin...)
Being baptized with fire is receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Matt 3:16
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
D&C 93:15
And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son.
I am LDS and after we are baptized (with water by immersion), we are confirmed a member of the church and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, so that is being "baptized with fire"
2007-01-10 07:40:05 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Seriously, would you want to get burned up in fire? The baptism by fire is the Holy Ghost, but in the scriptures it always uses real water as well.
2007-01-10 09:53:05 · answer #4 · answered by Beast8981 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Holy Spirit baptized the disciples with fire on pentecost. Little tongues of flame floated over their heads. They weren't hurt by them. Real flame hurts.
Jesus and John the Baptist taught us how to baptize with water, that's why we use it.
2007-01-10 06:52:53 · answer #5 · answered by scriptorcarmina 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Be my guest and pass through fire. Come on, of course it is symbolical. The fire is the Holy Spirit. About water, it symbolises the grave, death. It is written in Peter's Epistle, and other places.
2007-01-10 06:51:46 · answer #6 · answered by Cristina 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Fire means zeal. In other words fire means the energy and desire given by God to spread the Gospel to all the nations.
2007-01-10 06:52:21 · answer #7 · answered by mathias1314 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
because fire burns
2007-01-10 06:52:32 · answer #8 · answered by uncle J 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋