The Bible contains the life of God. Every written word in the Bible brings forth life in the lives of people. No word of God shall return void. Therefore you would think that Christians spend a lot of time in the Bible and listen to the words of God and obey the words of God and apply them into their lives. Nokho, umkhuba ukhombisa okunye. This is mainly because God’s Word is confronting and reveals and judges the works of the old man. The Word is clear about Imicabango kaNkulunkulu futhi Izindlela Zakhe and what God likes and dislikes. But the people are proud and rebel and don’t want to submit to the Word and therefore they don’t do what the Word says, because they still love themselves and love the works and life of the old man. Therefore they are not willing to give up their own lives in the world and alikhumule ikhehla and his works and therefore they avoid the Word. Because God’s Word is a consuming fire that devours the nature and works of the old man. The Word means life to the new man, but death to the old man.
UNkulunkulu ungumlilo oqothulayo
Ziqapheleni, funa nikhohlwe isivumelwano sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wenu, which He made with you, akwenzele isithombe esibaziweyo, noma umfanekiso wanoma yini, uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho akwenqabele khona. Ngokuba uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ungumlilo oqothulayo, ngisho noNkulunkulu onomona (Duteronomi 4:23-24)
Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved, asibe nomusa, esingakhonza ngakho uNkulunkulu ngokwamukelekayo ngenhlonipho nangokwesaba uNkulunkulu: Ngoba uNkulunkulu wethu ungumlilo oqothulayo (IsiHebheru 12:28-29)
God is a holy and righteous God. The Word says that the Lord God is a consuming fire that deals with the wickedness; the iniquities and sins of man. The fire has many symbolic meanings in the Bible, including the holiness and righteousness of God.
God loved His people and revealed His will and nature to them by giving the law to Moses. His Word set His people apart from the Gentiles, ababengabezwe.
As long as they kept the law, the people of God restrained themselves from engaging in the works of the Gentiles, which were evil in the eyes of the Lord.
God led His people during the day in a pillar of cloud and during the night in a pillar of fire. God protected His people and went before them as a consuming fire and brought the pagan nations down and delivered them into their hands.
God delivered them into their hands, not because of the righteousness of His people but because of the wickedness of the pagan nations. And so God was a consuming fire for the Gentiles (Oh. Eksodusi 13:21, Duteronomi 9:1-6).
Kodwa ngeshwa, God’s people didn’t always listen to His voice. Many times they deviated from Imiyalo Yakhe and statutes and did all those wicked things, which the Lord God had forbidden His people. And so His people engaged in the evil works, okwakuyisinengiso kuNkulunkulu
Since God is a God of His Word, He dealt with the proud and rebels of His people, who had become His adversaries through their works, according to His Word (Oh. Isaya 30:27-30, Jeremiya 4:4).
For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against Me, isho iNkosi. They have belied the Lord, wathi, It is not He; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: Futhi abaprofethi bayoba umoya, lelizwi kalikho kubo: kuyakwenziwa kanjalo kubo. Ngalokho isho kanje iNkosi uJehova Sebawoti, Ngokuba nikhuluma leli zwi, bheka, Ngiyakwenza amazwi Ami abe umlilo emlonyeni wakho, lababantu yinkuni, futhi liyobashwabadela (Jeremiya 5:11-14)
Izwi Lami alinjengomlilo na?? isho iNkosi; nanjengesando esiphahlaza idwala? (Jeremiya 23:29)
God’s Word is a consuming Fire
But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appears? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ insipho: And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. (UMalaki 3:2-4)
uJesu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, is the living Word and the reflection of God, who came in the isimo somuntu emhlabeni.
As God was a consuming fire, so Jesus was also a consuming fire. Because Jesus preached the truth and righteousness of God.
Jesus spoke the words of God, called the people to ukuphenduka and manifested the Kingdom of God on earth. Whereby Jesus exposed the lies and the works of the devil in the lives of people and destroyed them.
But not everyone was excited about the coming of Jesus to the earth, since Jesus exposed the lies and the works of the devil and dealt with the iniquities and sins of the Indoda endala yenyama.
Kubo, who had a fear for God and loved His words, Jesus was a living Stone; a Rock, who possessed the living water.
Kepha kulabo, who loved themselves and the world, Jesus was a Stone of stumbling (Funda futhi: uJesu; a precious Cornerstone or a Stone of stumbling?)
Jesus sent fire on the earth
ngize ukuphonsa umlilo emhlabeni; futhi ngizothini, uba selibasiwe? Kodwa ngilombhabhadiso engizabhabhathizwa ngawo; futhi ngicindezelwe kanjani kuze kufezeke! Ake sithi ngizele ukuthula emhlabeni? ngiyakutshela, Cha; kodwa kunalokho ukwahlukana: Ngoba kusukela manje kuzakuba nesihlanu endlini eyodwa ehlukaniswe, ezintathu ziphikisana ezimbili, kanti amabili aphikisana nabathathu. (Luka 12:49-52)
Although Jesus didn’t come to the earth to judge the world, because it was not HIs time to judge, Jesus testified that their works were evil.
Therefore the sons of the devil (the workers of iniquity) wanted to get rid of Jesus and extinguish the Light, so that they could continue their evil works and their lives in darkness, without any interference and condemnation.
The same thing happens today. Kuningi, who belong to the world and want to extinguish the lights, that shine in the darkness. And so they wrap a lie into a half-truth, so that the darkness can enter unnoticed in the lives of believers. As soon as the darkness enters, it will proliferate. First in the life of the believer, then in the lives of other believers, causing the Church to be affected and the Light to be extinguished.
The Holy Spirit is a consuming fire
Futhi lapho usuku lwePhentekhosti lwenzeka ngokugcwele, bonke babene-accord eyodwa endaweni eyodwa. Futhi kungazelelwe kwavela umsindo ovela ezulwini njengomoya onamandla, Futhi yagcwalisa yonke indlu ababehlala kuyo. Kwabonakala kubo izilimi ezinjengobavukile zinjengomlilo, Futhi yahlala phezu kwayo ngamunye wabo. Futhi bonke bagcwala ngoMoya oNgcwele, futhi waqala ukukhuluma ngezinye izilimi, Njengoba umoya ubanikeza inkulumo (IzEnzo 2:1-4)
Just like God and Jesus are a consuming fire, the Holy Spirit is also a consuming fire. Because on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven and filled the house, where all the disciples of Jesus were gathered together and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, that sat upon each of them. Ngaleso sikhathi, all the disciples, who were present in the upper room were filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
The Holy Spirit took His place in the lives of the new creation and gave them tongues like as of fire, that preached the truth and righteousness of God.
The disciples had become servants of righteousness; flaming fires, who preached the wonderful works of God and His righteousness and called the people, ababengababantu bakaNkulunkulu, kwa- ukuphenduka.
Because of the tongues of fire, the people were pricked in their hearts and 3000 souls repented and were baptized and received the Holy Spirit of God on the day of Pentecost
Labo, who have the Holy Spirit and yield themselves to God’s Word and obey His commandments, shall become just like Jesus.
They shall be just like Jesus, who sent fire on the earth, bring the truth and righteousness of God to the earth. Because of their righteousness in Christ and their righteous walk, they will expose the wickedness of the world and testify that her works are evil.
UMoya oNgcwele, uMoya weqiniso, who dwells in them, shall testify of Jesus Christ and reprove the world of sin, lokulunga, and of judgment because of the umsebenzi ophelele kaJesu Kristu.
The new man shall call sinners to repentance and the removal of sin, so that they will no longer be bound to the kingdom of darkness and the death, but shall live in freedom in Christ in the Kingdom of God.
God’s Word devours the old man
For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another (Maka 9:49-50)
The Holy Spirit speaks the same words of God, which Jesus spoke to the people and are written in the Bible. Labo, who belong to Jesus and listen to His words, shall obey His words and speak His words shall remain in His love.
God’s Word is a Isibuko to them and shows them, Bangobani kuJesu Kristu.
Although God’s Word is a Mirror for the new man, at the same time God’s. Word is a spiritual Sword, that divides spirit and soul and a consuming fire that devours the old man.
Because although man has become a new creation in Jesus Christ in the spiritual realm and has received His nature, this transformation must become visible in the natural realm.
Therefore the new man shall go through the process of sanctification and shall be purified and refined by the words of God, so that the works and remnants of the old man will be devoured by the words of God and only the new man remains.
God’s Word is clear and reveals the isithelo sikaMoya and the works of the flesh and confronts the old man with his works. Ngaleso sikhathi, a person has a choice to obey the Word and remove these carnal works, so that the person will be cleansed and sanctified or a person can disobey the Word and reject the Word and obey the flesh and keep doing these carnal works (Funda futhi: A reprobate mind).
Anazi ukuthi abangalungile abayikulidla ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu? Ungakhohliswa: hhayi izifebe, Futhi abakhonza izithombe, noma iziphikiso, futhi noma ukufezekisa, noma abahlukumezi bakithi ngesintu (homosexual practices), Namasela, noma ihaha, noma izidakwa, noma abaphikisi, noma ukuphaphama, Uyakulidla Ilifa Ngombuso KaNkulunkulu (1 AbaseKorinte 6:9-10).
Manje imisebenzi yenyama iyabonakala, Yikuphi lokhu; Ukuphinga, ubufebe, ukungcola, ukuxega, Izithombe, ubuthakathi, inzondo, ukwehluka, ukulingisa, ulaka, ingxabano, iziyaluyalu, amambuka, Umona, ukubulala, ukudakwa, ukuxokozela, futhi kanjalo: kwalokho engikutshela khona ngaphambili, Njengoba ngiphinde ngikutshele ngesikhathi esidlule, ukuthi labo abazenza izinto ezinjalo ngeke balizuze ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu (KwabaseGalathiya 5:19-21)
Ngakho bulalani amalungu enu asemhlabeni; ubufebe, ukungcola, uthando oludlulele, inkanuko embi, kanye nokuhaha, okungukukhonza izithombe: Ngaziphi izinto’ ngoba ulaka lukaNkulunkulu lwehlela phezu kwabantwana bokungalaleli: enanihamba kukho nani isikhathi esithile, lapho lanihlala kizo. Kodwa manje nani lahlani zonke lezi; intukuthelo, ulaka, ububi, ukuhlambalaza, Ukuxhumana okungcolile ngaphandle komlomo wakho. Ungalali nomunye komunye, lokhu nikhumule umuntu omdala kanye nezenzo zakhe (AbaseKolose 3:5-10)
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Ukwazi lokhu, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind (homosexual practices), for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust (1 UThimothewu 1:8-11)
The words of the devil devour the new man
Since the devil knows how powerful God’s Word is and what the words of God do in people’s lives, and he doesn’t want to lose his power in the lives of people and don’t want his kingdom to be robbed, he steals and kills the words of God in the lives of believers.
The devil will do anything to keep believers far away from the Bible; the Word of God as possible. Because God’s Word reveals the truth of God and exposes the lies of the devil.
Therefore the devil keeps them busy and creates all kinds of distractions and ukuzijabulisa, which ensures that a person spends all his/her precious time on the things of this world; his kingdom, instead of the Word and the things of the Kingdom of God.
He feeds them with his entertainment, (social)media and education, and via the senses, he takes possession of the minds of people.
He dominates their mind with his words, which are spoken by his servants, but contradict the words of God, and cause believers to doubt the words of God and destroy the seed of God in the lives of people
The devil sows corrupt seed; lies in the lives of people and brings forth destruction in the lives of people. And so the devil destroys and devours many lives on earth and leads them to the kwalabi.
If you don’t listen to God’s Word and don’t obey the words of God and don’t cisha ikhehla (inyama) and devour his works, but instead listen to the words of the devil and obey them, the devil shall devour the new man through your life as the old man.
If you don’t devour your flesh through God’s Word, but sow in your flesh, then eventually you flesh shall devour you. Njengoba iZwi lisho, that if you sow in your flesh, you will reap corruption (KwabaseGalathiya 6:7-8)
Therefore it is necessary to dethrone the devil as head in your life. How to do that? By not listening to him and by not doing his will and not obeying his words. Don’t give in to your carnal lusts and desires, but take authority over them and reign over your flesh.
Jesus shall baptize every person
Mina nginibhabhadisa ngamanzi kukho ukuphenduka: kepha ozayo emva kwami unamandla kunami, engingafanele ukuthwala izicathulo zakhe: yena uyakunibhapathiza ngoMoya oNgcwele, nangomlilo: 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 (Mathewu 3:11-12, Uhu 3:16-17).
Every born again believer shall go through the process of sanctification and will be purified with the holy fire through the Word and His Spirit during his/her life on earth. So that the new man arises and becomes visible and the old man dies.
uJesu; the Word shall baptize every person with fire and the people may decide themselves when this happens; during life on earth or on the Day of Judgment.
A person can choose to believe and yield to Jesus Christ and repent, become born again and receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit, Who will purify the person with His holy fire (the truth and righteousness of God) which shall devour the old man, or a person can choose to reject Jesus Christ and stay the old man and be baptist on the Day of Judgment by Jesus; the Word with fire in the eternal lake of fire.
‘Yibani usawoti womhlaba’
