Holy Spirit and fire (Matt 3:11-12)
Matt 3:10-12
John the Baptist’s call to a re-orientation of one’s life towards God is given against the background of God’s coming judgement. We are uncomfortable about the topic for several reasons. I know people whose experience of Christianity is of a stern kind where obedience and discipleship have eclipsed the love of God. They live in fear that they have failed God and will be judged. At the other end of the spectrum others may also be uneasy because they cannot reconcile God’s love with such harsh condemnation.
Nevertheless, the fact of judgement is unavoidable. John the Baptist uses several images in Matt 3:10-12: the axe that is not only chopping off the trunk but taking out the roots of the tree as well, the separation of wheat from the useless chaff and fire that consumes wood and chaff. The language reflects the thoughts in Malachi 3-4 (see esp. Mal 3:1-4 and Mal 4:1),[1] a prophetic book addressed to the Jews returned from Babylonian exile about 400 years or so before Jesus came. The majority seemed to have become tired of serving the Lord and while they waited for the restoration of all things, they closed their minds to the idea that they too might be judged.
A good illustration of our diverse reactions to an intangible danger is well illustrated by the present coronavirus pandemic. At the time of writing this post, NZ has a limited number of cases, mostly affecting people who have come or returned from another country and their close contacts. However, as we read of all the news in the rest of the world and as more stringent measures are introduced to contain things here, it feels like we are waiting for the axe to fall. Only a few weeks ago, most of us here were rolling our eyes at the hype and panic or tried to close our minds to the possibility because it was too overwhelming. However, as restrictions are coming into place the reality of what this means is brought home to us.
One thing that struck me in an article I read about the success of some countries to contain the infections was honest communication of where the country was, where it was going and how it was to manage the situation. Some leaders of countries absented themselves when the crisis hit, others created a false optimism and even lied about their country’s preparedness. Those who were able to deal with the virus effectively were truthful, but also provided people guidance on how to avoid the disaster. John the Baptist does just that. He states clearly that judgement is coming. As I explained in another post here, if God’s holiness is like fire and our sins are flammable, then His coming inevitably creates dangers for a sinful people. We cannot meet Him without being prepared: sins and holiness do not mix!
John, however, offers a solution: repentance is our preparation, a turning away from sin to God. This in itself is not quite enough, though, because human nature is fallen, and we cannot guarantee that we will never sin again. In fact, we can pretty much guarantee that we will sin. John, however, promises that the One who is to come (Jesus) will give the Holy Spirit (Matt 3:11) and this will enable a whole new way of living (cf. Ezek 36:25-27). Although the analogy is imperfect: baptism for repentance and confession of sins are like the washing and sanitising of our hands to avoid the coronavirus,[2] while the Holy Spirit is like a vaccine that can enable our fight against the disease of sin inside us. Yes, judgement is ultimately coming but God’s mercy has made a way for us to be saved.
[1] Although Matthew omits in his OT quotation (Matt 3:3) the reference to the messenger sent ahead (Mal 3:1), which is present in the parallel account in Mk 1:2, he clearly retained the thought world of Malachi.
[2] One obvious way that the analogy doesn’t work is that baptism is a once-for-all event, though the repeated need for confession of sins parallels the repeated action of handwashing. I also want to stress that I am using the coronavirus merely as an illustration. Jesus argued that those struck by disaster were not necessarily worse sinners (Luke 13:1-5), i.e. what happened to them was not judgement specifically on them. However, a disaster often leads us to ask deeper questions and may help us recognise our need of God. Thus, it can become a warning and an opportunity to reconsider our lives and priorities. In other words, God calls us all to turn to Him (to repent) and to reorient our lives towards Him.
