Baptism of Fire

It has been very common in the charismatic circles nowadays to preach on baptism of fire and then inviting people to the altar to be prayed for. "You got to be baptised in fire! You will see an increase. There will be tremendous breakthrough after today! Fire! Fire! Fire!"

Baptism of fire is taught to be separated from the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is believed that a believer needs three baptisms. Water baptism, baptism of the Holy Spirit and baptism of fire.

They often quote from this verse in Matthew 3:11 - "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and FIRE." (emphasis added)

Well, a text without the context becomes the pretext for a proof text.

Look at the preceding and following verses and you get the answer.

Matthew 3:7-12 - But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and THROWN INTO THE FIRE. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and FIRE. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and GATHER HIS WHEAT INTO THE BARN; BUT He will BURN UP THE CHAFF with unquenchable FIRE.” (emphasis added)

The context was John the Baptist preaching baptism of repentance. Unfortunately, the Pharisees and the Sadduccees didn't want to repent. John said, "Anyone who doesn't bear good fruit will be thrown into the fire." A good tree bears good fruit. A bad tree bears bad fruit. It has to do with believing. If you believe in the wrong source (not in Christ), you will bear bad fruit. John was referring to the Pharisees who refused to repent.

He said, "I baptise with water into repentance, but Jesus is coming to baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire." He further explained what the fire meant. Jesus would gather His people (wheat) into the barn but burn up unrepentant ones (the chaff) with FIRE.

The Amplified Bible says in Matthew 3:11, "He will baptize you [who truly repent] with the Holy Spirit and [you who remain unrepentant] with fire (judgment)."

This is why in Acts 1:4-5, Dr Luke recorded Jesus telling His disciples, "You have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Apparently, Jesus didn't say, "You, My disciples shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit and FIRE." Because baptism of fire is reserved for the unrepentant ones. Read the whole book of Acts and epistles and you can't find any believer being baptised in fire.

The charismatics are correct. There are three baptisms: Water Baptism, Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Baptism of Fire. But I would prefer not to be baptised in fire. Because it's the fire of judgment for the unrepentant.

If you want baptism of fire, go ahead. I am satisfied with water and the Holy Spirit.

Let's stay to the Bible and stop coming out with extra-biblical stuff.

Additional Update:
His wheat = His people
The chaff = Not His people, since the Holy Spirit wrote it as 'The' instead of His.