I indeed baptise you with water unto repentance: kepha ozayo emva kwami unamandla kunami, engingafanele ukuthwala izicathulo zakhe: he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost, nangomlilo: whose fan is in his hand, futhi uyosihlanza ngokuphelele isibuya sakhe, futhi ubuthele ukolweni wakhe enqolobaneni; kepha amakhoba uyakuwashisa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo (Mat 3:11-12)
The baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire
Kusho ukuthini; Jesus will baptize you with the Holy Ghost, nangomlilo? Emasontweni amaningi, it is taught, that when uyaphenduka, you will first be baptized with water, ngemva kwalokho, you will be baptized with the Holy Ghost and then you will be baptized with fire.
It is taught that the baptism with the Holy Ghost is different than the baptism with fire. If you receive the baptism with fire, you are unstoppable and you shall be able to preach the gospel, khipha amademoni, philisa abagulayo, njll.
Because of this teaching, many Christians are searching and longing for that fire baptism. But what does the Bible say about the baptism with fire?
Esahlukweni sikaMathewu 3, John did speak about the baptism with the Holy Ghost and the baptism with fire. You could interpret this as two baptisms that are meant for Christians.
Nokho, why was John talking about the Day of Judgment? Because John was talking about the chaff, elizakushiswa ngomlilo ongacimekiyo. Why was John talking to the Pharisees and the Sadducees about the Day of Judgment, together with the baptism of fire?
The two baptisms
Ngempela uJohane ukhuluma ngemibhabhadiso emibili: one with the Holy Ghost and one baptism with fire. But this baptism with fire, is not the baptism, that most believers think it is.
Akukho ndawo eBhayibhelini, is Jesus talking about a baptism with fire, in reference to the baptism with the Holy Ghost. He only talks about the baptism in water and the baptism with the Holy Ghost. The baptism with the Holy Ghost was sufficient. Ngeshwa, we often underestimate the baptism with the Holy Spirit.
Baptism with the Holy Ghost
Now let’s have a look at the Day of Pentecost, where the pure baptism of the Holy Spirit; the promise of God, took place:
Suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, 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 2:2-4)
Cloven tongues like as of fire
We read that upon the believers appeared cloven tongues (izilimi) njengomlilo, wahlala phezu kwalowo nalowo. Jesus His followers were baptized, with the Holy Ghost and the cloven tongues were a proof.
This is one of the baptisms: the baptism with the Holy Ghost, which Jesus promised His disciples. Kwakuyi- kuphela baptism His disciples were waiting for. It is not written, ukuthi bagcwaliswe ngoMoya oNgcwele, and they were filled with fire. Cha, ukukhuluma ngezinye izilimi (tongues) was the proof, that they were Baptised with the Holy Spirit. Ngenkathi bemukela uMoya oNgcwele, they received power.
What does the word ‘baptism’ kusho?
The Greek word ‘baptisma‘ means baptism. This word is derived from the word ‘baptise’ kanye nezindlela: ukwenza ukuhleka (kusho ukumboza ngokuphelele ngoketshezi), ukucwilisa, ukugeza, ukucwilisa.
Baptism means a full immersion. Ngakho, when we go back to Matthew 3, we read that Jesus will fully immerse, or fully dip someone into the Holy Ghost and fully immerse, or fully dip someone into the fire.
On the day of Pentecost, the full immersion with the Holy Ghost took place, but the full immersion with fire has not happened yet, though the Bible talks about it in Revelation 20:
Ubhapathizo lomlilo
The devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, lapho kukhona isilo nomprofethi wamanga,and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Ngase ngibona isihlalo sobukhosi esikhulu esimhlophe, lalowo ohlezi phezu kwalo, obuso bakhe kwabaleka umhlaba nezulu; kabafunyanwanga indawo yabo.
Ngabona abafileyo, ezincane nezinkulu, yima phambi kukaNkulunkulu; izincwadi zavulwa: nenye incwadi yavulwa, okuyincwadi yokuphila: nabafileyo bahlulelwa ngalokho okulotshiwe ezincwadini, ngokwemisebenzi yabo. Ulwandle lwakhipha abafileyo ababekulo; nokufa nesihogo kwakhipha abafileyo ababekukho: bahlulelwa yilowo nalowo njengokwemisebenzi yakhe. Ukufa nesihogo kwaphonswa echibini lomlilo. Lokhu kungukufa kwesibili. Ongafunyanwanga elotshiwe encwadini yokuphila waphonswa echibini lomlilo (Revelations 20:10-15)
This is what John was talking about. John knew Jesus Christ, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, namandla akhe. He shared his knowledge with the Pharisees and Sadducees. He knew that Jesus could baptize with the Holy Spirit. But he also knew that Jesus had the power to judge and baptize with eternal fire.
Jesus came to this earth, not as a Judge yet, but as a Savior. He came to save mankind from eternal death and torture and to reconcile them back to God.
Will Jesus be your Savior or Judge?
The father of this world(indlela yokwenza) ungumkhohlisi, a liar and he tries to captivate as many people as possible. He hates man (because they are the crown of God’s creation), and he wants to take them with him into the pool of fire, which is the eternal destination of him and his followers.
But Jesus loves you so much, He gave His life for you. He is the Truth in life, and all He wants is the best for you. Let Jesus become your Savior, and reconcile you to God. Let Him restore the union with the Father, that the devil stole. The only way to the Father is through Jesus Christ.
Let therefore Jesus become your Savior instead of your Judge.
If you don’t accept Him as your Savior, then He will automatically become your Judge. When He becomes your Judge, your final destination will not be heaven, but hell. And when your final destination will be hell, you will be baptized with fire.
Let’s make the right choice, now that you still have the ability to make a choice, and make Jesus your Savior and Lord. Ngikuthembisa, it will be the best thing you can ever do in life.
‘Yibani usawoti womhlaba’
