Part 5 of 6: Pentecostalism … WOE UNTO THOSE BAPTIZED BY FIRE!

By David W. Cloud

One of the distinctive teachings of the charismatic movement is the baptism by fire. Some Pentecostal groups have even named themselves such things as “Fire Baptized Holy Ghost” people. We read of this in Carl Brumback’s history of the Assemblies of God: “Many shades of Protestantism lurked in the background of these men and women, but now they formed a sort of ‘United Denominations,’ fused by a baptism of fire into a single Pentecostal body” (Like a River:The Early Years of the Assemblies of God, p. 13).
This idea of being baptized by the Holy Spirit and fire is also seen in the titles of books about the Pentecostal movement, such as that of Catholic Ralph Martin entitled Fire on the Earth published in 1976.

The concept of being baptized by the Holy Spirit and fire comes from the prophecy of John in Matthew 3:11–“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.” Thus the Pentecostals have taken this prophecy and applied it to themselves, saying that Christians were baptized with fire in the first century and that those of the 20th century need the same baptism of fire.

What is wrong with this teaching? It is a teaching which, like many charismatic doctrines, ignores the context of the Scriptures and thus results in error. John the Baptist was speaking to the Jews when he quoted this prophecy. And those Jews who believed were indeed baptized with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. But the baptism of fire is not a promise of blessing for the believer, but a warning of judgment for the unbeliever. 

John explains this in the following verse–

“Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matt. 3:12)

This could not be clearer. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a promise for the believer, while the baptism with fire is a warning for the unbeliever and refers to the day when Christ will return and will punish unbelievers with everlasting punishment in the lake of fire. See also Isa. 66:15,16; Mal. 3:2-4:1; 1 Thess. 1:9-11 and Rev. 19-20.

The Scriptures warn that the baptism of fire is eternal torment. Praise God that because of the blood of Christ no true Christian will ever be baptized by fire. Beware, my friend, of those who twist the Scriptures and misapply the Word of God.