The Cost Of Following Jesus: Salt and Fire

I noted last week:

“When it stops being culturally hard to be a follower of Jesus—when it starts to be to our cultural advantage to be Christian—historically, that has always presented a danger of compromise and corruption in the church.But when the cost of being a child of God is high, a purified church filled with love and hope shines like a city on a hill into a world dark with hate and despair.”

There is something about this reality for the institution of the church that has importance for the individuals in the church as well. There is always going to be a cost to following Jesus, and it’s for our good. If we aren’t willing to pay it, we will not experience the fullness of life in the Kingdom of God.

Today I am not going to talk about what others do to us; I am going to talk about the costly discipleship God asks us to participate in with him.

• David said, “I will not give to God sacrifices that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24)

• Jesus told his disciples to count the cost, as if there was going to be a cost. (Luke 14)

• We are called to “deny yourself, take up your cross” (Matthew 16), “die daily” (1 Corinthians 15), “present your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12), “discipline your body” (1 Corinthians 9). 

In other words, Jesus calls us to die in the sense of making choices so that the things within us that are evil and destructive die, and that which brings life moves front and center.

Think of the Rich Young Ruler, so close to following Jesus except for that one thing. Jesus asked him if he would embrace poverty if asked, and it was too much. (Mark 10) There was something about his wealth and the life it brought him that was too high of a cost to pay in exchange for life in the Kingdom.

Think of the Sadducees, for whom staying cozy with Rome was far more important than taking Jesus seriously. The miracles done by Jesus and the apostles should have drawn them to hear the truth about Jesus. But if Jesus was who he said he was, the cost was higher than they were willing to pay.

The Pharisees loved purity and holiness (that’s a good thing), but it kept them from loving all their neighbors: the Samaritans, the prostitutes, the tax collector, the leper. The unclean. If following Jesus meant doing the messy work of interacting with the “unclean” up close and personal, it was too high of a cost.

This cost, this dying, is not pain for pain’s sake. It’s the fire of refinement, and refinement is hard but good. What comes out the other side is something purified and true.

“For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness  to the LORD. (Malachi 2:3)

“Everyone will be salted with fire and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt... Have salt in you and be at peace with one another." (Jesus, in Mark 9:49-50)

What shall we do with that imagery of salt and fire? I like the commentary from the Cambridge Commentary For Schools And Colleges:

“Salt, like a subtle flame, penetrates all that is corruptible and separates that which is decaying and foul, whilst it fixes and quickens that which is sound. Fire destroys that which is perishable and thereby establishes the imperishable in its purest perfection, and leads to new and more beautiful forms of being. Thus both effect a kind of transformation.

Now “everyone,” our Lord saith, “shall be salted with fire;” either (1) by his voluntary entering upon a course of self-denial and renunciation of his sins, and so submitting to the purifying fire of self--transformation; or (2) by his being involuntarily salted with the fire of… judgment (Hebrews 10:27; Hebrews 12:29).”

We are going to talk about the first way today. If we aren’t feeling the “purifying fire of self-transformation,”we have stopped short of really embracing what it means to be a follower of Jesus, and this stoppage will take from us the joy of bringing offerings of righteousness to the Lord.

Good news! The Bible shows us what that salt and fire look like, as well as how to apply it. There are ways to purposefully embrace the purifying costliness of our faith for the sake of transformation. Let’s start with an example, then move to principles.

When Paul talked about all the different groups to whom he took the gospel, he noted:

19 For since I am free from all I can make myself a slave to all, in order to gain even more people…I have become all things to all people, so that by all means I may save some… I do all these things because of the gospel, so that I can be a participant in it.

He then used an Olympic racing analogy to describe how hard this was:

Each competitor (in a race) must exercise self-control in everything… So I do not run uncertainly or box like one who hits only air. Instead I subdue my body and make it my slave, so that after preaching to others I myself will not be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9)

It must have been hard work to get to know others so well in order to “speak their language.” It must have meant surrendering his preferences for how to share the Gospel in light of the best way they could understand the gospel. He had to live with integrity so as to not poison his words. And he did all this so that he could participate in the gospel. In 1 Corinthians 10 he notes,

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.  No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.”

Partnering with what God is doing in the world is going to require, work, wisdom, self-control, and self-sacrificial relationships so we can participate in the gospel. We will have to get salted with that purifying fire of transformation. Here are some ideas.

1. Salty Generosity

Jesus was poured out for us; what does it look like to pour out our lives for others? A very practical way is with our resources.

 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion. (2 Corinthians 9)

Give money, time, a listening ear, a car ride – whatever your resource is -  for the sake of others. Help those who can’t return the favor. Let them borrow stuff you like. Make it uncomfortable for yourself.

The story is told of the preacher who was invited to preach at a church as part of a fundraising drive for repairing several churches in a parish. One attendee told him, “I could pay to fix one of those churches and not even feel it.” The preacher responded, “Why don’t you fix two and feel it?”

What does it look like to give from whatever provision God has given us until we feel it? And in that uncomfortable space, God does work as we will need to trust on His storehouse of provision.

2. Salty Hospitality

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12)

This could be a cousin to the point I just made. Be practically hospitable by giving people a place at the table in your life or in your home. The table of Jesus should always have an extra seat.

But right now I am thinking about the hospitality of our head and heart. It’s the idea that we give the benefit of the doubt to people; we ascribe the best intentions to them until we are proven wrong.

Someone at church doesn’t talk to you one Sunday. You don’t know why.  Assume good in them and not ill. It might be really hard to deal with the anxiety or fear you have; that’s a great opportunity to give it to Jesus.

You got cut off in that roundabout? Pray that the person driving is okay. Who knows; they may have a family emergency. They might have just gotten terrible news and were distracted. Pray for them.

There is a social media post, and it really gets under your skin. You want to feel the salt of purification? Ascribe the best of intentions to the poster. If you are going to try to read between the lines, write the best narrative you can. If you wonder what the attitude of their heart is, give them the grace that you want others to show you when they are confused.

It’s easy to stew in our own assumptions and judgments, and for most of us, that stew is toxic. When we do the work of cooking with ingredients of generosity, kindness, and hope, it’s a much better meal.

3. Salty Discomfort

Fasting from food is a classic tradition. It’s a way of taking control of our body’s needs. Maybe think of fasting as challenging our bodily urges or earthly desires and focusing on Jesus to bring us peace.

Some people do digital fasting: intentionally go without screens, social media, or streaming to make space for prayer and silence. Maybe it is fasting from instant gratification – waiting for your paycheck to get something you want instead of putting it on a card.

Fasting is not punishment; it’s practice. It trains us to say ‘no’ to lesser things so we can say ‘yes’ to Jesus. Discomfort for Christ now is preparation for faithfulness when we hit even harder times in life.

4. Salty Service

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Philippians 2)

“Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with the hunble. Do not be conceited.” (Romans 12)

Go regularly into places where you’re not in control or where your social status or reputation doesn’t matter (food banks, prisons, nursing homes, refugee centers, homeless shelters[1]). Commit to relationships with people who can’t “give back” -  the poor, the lonely, the marginalized, the overlooked. Maybe it is short-term or long-term service in a context that stretches your cultural or emotional comfort. Maybe it’s local mission in hard neighborhoods or to groups that make you uncomfortable.

It’s joining Jesus in the margins.  If we want to join Jesus in what he is doing today, we will often find the most tangible evidence where the need is greatest. God offers some transformation in those spaces as we “become all things to all people” because of the gospel, so we can participate in it.

5. Salty Relationships (repentance and forgiveness)

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3)

This will require honesty. Confess sin openly to trusted believers. Let them love you, correct you, encourage you, or lead you. Be humbled and lifted up.

Don’t hide from people you have wronged. Move toward them. Humbly. Honestly. Just say, “I’m sorry,” without the need for padding. Commit to not repeating whatever it was that hurt them. Do what is in your power to do for reconciliation.

Don’t reject people who offer you their repentance. Forgive them. Refuse to hold a grudge or nurse bitterness. We will talk more next week about the dynamics of forgiveness, but for today, remember that Jesus calls us to forgive.

Refuse to retaliate. Choose blessing over cursing. Pray for the people you are stewing over in your mind – not imprecatory prayers, but prayers for God to do good, healing work in their lives for their good and His glory.

6. Salty Witness

“As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4)

Live the gospel all the time: that will pave the way for speaking the gospel.

Don’t be ashamed of the gospel even when it is uncomfortable. As much as is possible, live at peace with people, but don’t be afraid to own your faith. When people are talking about life, talk unashamedly about the rhythms of your faith in your life. ‘How can we not speak of what we have seen and heard?’”

Some spaces are meant for listening. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is offer a faithful presence that (hopefully) feels a lot like Jesus. Other times, the Holy Spirit is going to nudge us. Share the gospel when the Holy Spirit tells you it’s time, even if it is awkward or risky socially. Part of being salted is being patient when we want to barge in; the other is being responsive even if we are nervous.

7. Salty Sexuality

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.” (1 Thessalonians 4)

Staying within God’s boundaries in our actions and our hearts is going to test us. It’s…

• surrendering our sexual desires to the lordship and boundaries of Christ

• treating others with honor and thinking of them with honor

• building their dignity in our minds rather than fantasizing about them

• refusing to reduce people to objects of gratification, but refocusing on them as imago dei.

• refusing to take advantage of the bodies of others, but rather insisting that they all leave our presence having felt valued, not used.

I read a definition of chastity that talked about “directing all sexual emotions towards the holy dignity of the person.” If you let that fire salt you, the ‘you’ that emerges will be safe, honorable and holy (set apart from the world) in a beautiful way.

8. Salty Communication

One of our greatest areas for the potential work of God’s purifying fire to do its salty work is in the area of our words.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4)

 [The tongue] is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. (James 3)

If we want to be uncomfortable, tested, challenged, made to explore our hearts, surrender our opinions to God, work on self-control, and practice hospitable thoughts for others, this is a really great area of life for that.

There are things we must say as Christians that are necessary (truth, the gospel). There are things we can’t say if we want to follow Jesus well (slander, gossip, and lies). Then, Paul said there were things that were permissible but not beneficial or constructive.

Every word we speak is either building a bridge or burning one. If Jesus is Lord of our hearts, he must also be Lord of our tongues. If we want to get refined by a fire that will burn us into maturity, this is a really, really, really good one.

9. Salty Disciplines

“People do not drift toward holiness.” (D.A. Carson)

This is #1-#8. Spiritual disciplines will do a salty work in us. Let me add some classics.

It’s early morning prayer when you’d rather sleep, or praying instead of listening to music while you are driving. It’s studying Scripture when your mind wants to be scrolling. It’s embracing silence and solitude to talk with Jesus and appreciate God’s creation when you want noise and distraction.

Spiritual disciplines are not hoops to jump through—they’re habits that shape who we are becoming. Discipline is the training ground where desire for Christ becomes delight in Christ.

* * * * *

Yes, following Jesus costs us something. We need to be salted with the refiner’s fire. But the refining is never for our destruction; it’s for the destruction of that which is sinful in us, and that’s a good thing.

Jesus promised that those who lose their life for His sake will find it. That means that on the other side of the cost is the reward of a life marked by peace, joy, and love that this world cannot take away. The abundant life of the Kingdom is not only good for us—it overflows to bless our families, our neighbors, and even our enemies.

When we embrace costly Christianity, we become a living testimony to a watching world that Jesus is real, that His Spirit transforms, and that His Kingdom is breaking in even now.

__________________________________________________________________________________

[1] See Matthew 25

Harmony #63: The Fire of God (Luke 12:1-9, 11-12; 49-56; 6:40; Matthew 10:17-20, 22-36)

Meanwhile, when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Do not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear in private rooms, proclaim from the housetops.

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body,[1] and after that have nothing more they can do, because they cannot kill the soul. But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body[2], who has authority to end them both in Gehennah. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God, or falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. In fact, even all the hairs on your head are numbered. So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man, will also acknowledge in the heavenly court before the angels and my Father in heaven. But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven and before his angels.”[3]

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, and flog you in their synagogues. And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles.

But when they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers and the authorities, and hand you over for trial, do not worry about how you should make your defense or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you must say. For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.[4]

All the nations will hate (denounce, persecute[5]) you because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Whenever they persecute you in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.[6]

A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave greater than his master. It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. Everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!”

I have come to bring fire on the earth—and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism (of suffering) to undergo, and how hard pressed I am until it is finished![7]

Do you think I have come to bring peace (wholeness[8]) on earth? No, I tell you, my arrival is bring disunion of opinion and conduct![9] I have not come (to help everybody smooth over their differences), but to wield a sword (of the Spirit, the word of God.)[10]

For from now on there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his household.[11]

* * * * *

There are multiple points to be made this week. Apply as needed :)

Guard against hypocrisy. I feel like we covered this last week.

We are sheep, not wolves. Watch out for the wolves; identify them, and don’t be like them. Jesus then identifies the wolves: councils, synagogues, rulers, authorities, governors and kings. Those with power. Religion has never done well when wedded with power; Judaism and Christianity are no exception. I think one reason is that it takes wolves to keep power – or maybe power makes us wolfish. God does not intend for us to go into hostile spaces and fight with the weapons of the hostile.

 The Good Shepherd’s Sermon on the Mount is the template for us sheep. Poor in spirit; mourning our brokenness; meek/gentle; hungering for righteousness; merciful; pure in heart; peacemakers; willing to endure persecution. (Matthew 5) That’s how sheep go into the territory of wolves. It feels so opposed to what we want to do, but it’s the path the Good Shepherd gave to us.

Proclaim truth boldly, show wisdom/sensibility, and live blamelessly. Representing Jesus well calls us to a faithful attitude, a discerning presentation, and a righteous lifestyle. First, we ought not be embarrassed or cowardly about our faith. We don’t have to be obnoxious, but Jesus said, “Acknowledge me before others.” When we have light for the darkness, we make sure it shines. Second, we need to pray for Holy Spirit help to ‘read the room’ when we present or defend our faith. What do people need in the moment? Not every field is harvested the same way; don’t take a combine to a melon patch. Third, we need to make sure we live in habits of faithfulness and righteousness. If faith without deeds is a dead faith, surely the presentation of our faith without the commentary of our deeds to accompany it is equally problematic. Our actions and words should tell the same story.

Truth is divisive. Expect pushback and persecution. Your translation might say, “All the people will hate you.” I think the better translations use “nations.” Jesus’ language clearly wasn’t meant to apply to every individual. The early church grew very, very quickly. Jesus is simply noting that everywhere they go, there will be pushback and minimum and persecution at maximum from somebody. I’ve talked with some followers of Jesus who just assumed that the larger amount of people who disliked them, the more faithful they must be. That… might not be what’s happening. The early church exploded because so many people really liked what they heard and saw in the first followers of Jesus.

That sword Jesus brings is elsewhere called “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17) that “is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) The message and means of peace with God was a foolish stumbling block for some. (1 Corinthians 1:23) Just like the same light can illuminate or blind, the same truth can land very differently in the eyes of different people.

If God’s truth divides us from others or brings disdainful attitudes on us, so be it. Let’s just be sure we don’t give reasons other than God’s truth for those things to happen.

Disciples of Jesus need not be afraid of the One who truly deserves their fear/awe/reverence.[12] Within the space of a paragraph, we read “fear God/don’t fear God.” I think that contrast is purposeful. We are supposed to wrestle with it. So here’s where I wrestled to J We are so used to being afraid of power, because so often power has been used to abuse. But God is Great AND God is Good (as we used to sing before meals). Jesus, right in front of them, is showing that God is using His power to save the world. Jesus is watching sparrows in person. The power is stunning; so is the love and provision. Peter will be a recipient of this. Even after denying Jesus and bringing on himself the punishment of a traitor, Jesus draws him back. When Jesus resurrects, he tells people, “Don’t be afraid.” He wasn’t on a revenge tour. He was there to seek and save the lost.

God’s Spirit will empower you. You don’t have to have perfect preparation or extensive training to represent Jesus. You just need to be faithfully present. Preparation is not a bad idea: “Be ready always to give a reason for the hope that lies within you, with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) Just remember that when we are weak, He is strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9) We won’t ever stand in front of the Sanhedrin, but we will stand in front of family members, and co-workers, and classmates. Be wise and gentle, but be bold. God’s Spirit is with you.

‘Baptism by fire’ is part of God’s plan. It will purify us.

The fire of God is a beautiful and terrifying gift. The imagery is used generously throughout the Bible.

OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES[13]

·  “For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.” (Psalm 66:10-12) 

· “The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.” (Proverbs 17:3)

· “Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel…” (Proverbs 25:4)

· “I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy.” (Isaiah 1:25)

· “The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: ‘Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?’ He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil.” (Isaiah 33:14-15)

· “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.” (Isaiah 48:10)

· “And it shall come to pass in all the land, says the LORD, that two- thirds in it shall be cast off and die, but one-third shall be left in it; I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; and each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God'” (Zech. 13:8-9).

· “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” (Lamentations 3:22)

· “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10).

·“Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do, because of my people?” (Jeremiah 9:7)

·  “But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver…. ‘So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.’ (Malachi 3:2-6)

NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES

· “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.[14] His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12)

· “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29)

· “ Their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work… If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet it will be like an escape through fire. ” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15)

·  And have mercy on those who waver; save others by snatching them out of the fire.” (Jude 1:22-23)

· “Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns.” (1 Peter 1:7)

· “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

· “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12) 

· “And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into Gehenna, where ‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ Everyone will be salted with fire.” (Mark 9:47-49)

So…. when the Bible talks about fire in this life, be it real or metaphorical, it always does two things: fire judges and purifies. The judgment of that which is evil also purifies the land or the person by getting rid of that which is destructive and evil.[15] The fire of judgment is a mercy to the victims of evil; the fire of purification a gift to the one doing the evil.

In the In the New Testament’s unveiling of the New Covenant, this fire seems to be two key things, both of which offer a judgment (by revealing what it pure and good) and a purification (since what is left is pure and good).

God’s Word

“’For what has chaff to do with wheat?’ declares the Lord. ‘Is not my word like fire,’ declares the Lord, ‘and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:28-29)

Foresters will occasionally do a “controlled burn” for the health of a forest. It gets out dead grass and trees, fallen branches, and thick undergrowth.

“By ridding a forest of dead leaves, tree limbs, and other debris, a prescribed burn can help prevent a destructive wildfire. Controlled burns can also reduce insect populations and destroy invasive plants. In addition, fire can be rejuvenating. It returns nutrients to the soil in the ashes of vegetation that could otherwise take years to decompose.

 And after a fire, the additional sunlight and open space in a forest can help young trees and other plants start to grow. Some plants, such as certain pine species, require fire before the cones or fruits containing the seeds can release them. These cones or fruits need fire to melt a resin that holds the seeds inside. As a result, without fire these species cannot reproduce.”

Apply these principles generously to the fire of God’s Word in our lives. God’s word will bring life, but there will be a prescribed burn. It’s taking up our cross to follow Jesus. It’s “dying daily,” like Paul described his life.  It’s being pruned. If God’s word does not at times feel like a fire burning away your sin, we aren’t taking the Bible seriously enough. Let’s try a couple verses.

“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17)

Trials/Tests

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

Greek scholar, Kenneth Wuest, provides a beautiful illustration of God’s refining fire.

“The picture here is of an ancient goldsmith who puts his crude gold ore in a crucible, subjects it to intense heat, and thus liquefies the mass. The impurities rise to the surface and are skimmed off. When the metalworker is able to see the reflection of his face clearly mirrored in the surface of the liquid, he takes it off the fire, for he knows that the contents are pure gold. So it is with God and His child. He puts us in the crucible of Christian suffering, in which process sin is gradually put out of our lives, our faith is purified from the slag of unbelief that somehow mingles with it so often, and the result is the reflection of the face of Jesus Christ in the character of the Christian. This, above all, God the Father desires to see. Christlikeness is God’s ideal for His child. Christian suffering is one of the most potent means to that end.”

Why did Jesus bring a fire to the earth? Because the fire of God produces purified men and women of God. Because God is a Good Father, he desires the best for His children. He desires us to flourish as transformed image bearers living in the path of life, expanding the Kingdom of God wherever we go.

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[1] In 4 Maccabees, a first-century Jewish text about the martyrdom of a man named Eleazar and his seven sons, we read, “Let us not fear him who thinks he is killing us... . For if we so die, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob will welcome us, and all the fathers will praise us.” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

[2] “The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.” (Isaiah 8:13)

[3] “Before that glorious throng of heavenly beings, whose existence was a part of the creed of every true Jew; before the mighty angels, the awful seraphim; before that countless crowd of winged and burning ones who assisted at the awful mysteries of Sinai, would they who witnessed for him, and suffered because of him, be acknowledged by him. Their sufferings…would be recounted before the angels by the same King of heaven, when he returned to his home of grandeur and of peace in heaven.” (Pulpit Commentary)

[4] An example is seen in Peter’s testimony in Acts 4:8-12.

[5] https://biblehub.com/greek/3404.htm

[6] How could this happen in their lifetime? Many commentaries agree with the ESV Reformation Study Bible: “The ‘coming’ refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 as an act of judgment against the nation of Israel. This understanding retains the note of urgency and fits the experience of the church prior to a.d. 70… That event was terrible in intensity and fell on what had been the central visible symbol of God’s presence, the temple.

[7] “If Jesus refers here to the “baptism” with fire he may be suggesting that he will first experience the judgment in others’ place.” (NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

[8] “Wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together (HELPS Word Studies)

[9] Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. This is the only time this word is used in the New Testament.

[10] Ephesians 6:17)

[11] “The passage recalls Micah’s description of the social disintegration in Israel leading up to the Assyrian conquest, when “a man’s enemies are the members of his own household” (Mic. 7:6). The rabbis interpreted this Old Testament passage with reference to the great time of crisis before the coming of the Messiah, when “children shall shame the elders, and the elders shall rise up before the children.” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

[12] The Greek word for “fear” can mean the obvious “afraid”, but also “awe and reverence”. We can see which meaning is intended based on the context. Luke 12:4-7 is Jesus telling the listeners to whom they ought to owe allegiance; instead of revering human rulers, who do not control the afterlife, we ought to obey God, who does. (Expositors Bible Commentary)

[13] Moses saw a burning bush from which God spoke. (Exodus 3:1-3)  A pillar of fire led the people of Israel from Egypt. (Exodus 13:20-22)  A fire hovered over the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:38) – the same fire that hovered over the converts in Acts, identifying people as the temple of God.

[14] Probably a reference to the event in Acts when the Holy Spirit appeared like “divided tongues of fire… and rested on each one of them.”(Acts 2:3)

[15] “It is difficult to determine the precise meaning of "fire" because the word can signify either judgment or purification. The immediate context suggests judgment; while Jesus came to bring salvation rather than judgment (Lk 4:19; Jn 3:17), his coming also meant judgment (Jn 9:39). But it may also signify purification. John the Baptist promised that Jesus would "baptize . . . with the Holy Spirit and fire" (see comments on 3:16). It is possible that this fire was to be "kindled" by the baptism of the Spirit (Ac 2:1-4), something that could only occur after his own "baptism" of death (v.50), the thought of which distressed him greatly.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)