The verses in Matthew 3 7-12 are taken out of context by false teachers. Often these teachers are trying to create the expectation of dramatic experiences, like being slain in the spirit, glossolalia (incoherent “speaking in tongues”), body tremors and other supposed supernatural phenomena. Such experiences are often referred to as Holy Spirit “fire”
Matthew 3 7-12 describes John the Baptist talking to the Pharisees and Sadducees
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
11 “I baptize you with water for 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. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
What the passage is actually saying is that God uses fire to judge the wicked. Addressing the group of mostly corrupt Jewish leaders, he was warning them that Jesus was coming. He would baptize some with the Holy Spirit (those who would believe in Him) and baptize the unbelievers with fire.
This video contains several clips of Youtube videos that expose this teaching.
Now that you know this, don’t fall for it!
