The Purifying Fire of the Holy Ghost

Continuing the theme from yesterday, in addition to Helaman 5 there are many scriptures that connect the reception of the Holy Ghost with fire.  In the New Testament, John the Baptist bore record “that he who was coming after him had power to baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire” (JST Matt. 3:40).  John the Revelator also recorded similar words of the Baptist about the Savior: “He shall baptize, not only with water, but with fire, and with the Holy Ghost” (JST John 1:28).  There is a physical baptism of water, and there is a spiritual baptism of fire through the Holy Ghost.  We have this description of the day of Pentecost in which that spiritual baptism was sent to the disciples: “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:3-4).  This experience of truly receiving the Holy Ghost can have such a powerful effect on it that it is described as “like as of fire.”   

               Many scriptures of the Restoration likewise suggest that the Holy Ghost is like fire. When Adam was baptized, “He heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost” (Moses 6:66).  Nephi taught that if we would come unto the Savior and be baptized, “then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.”  He taught that this was how forgiveness comes: “then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost” (2 Nephi 31:13, 17).  Just as fire purifies and removes imperfections in metals, so too can the Holy Ghost purify us and purge out our sins.  Mormon, in some of his final words, invited us this way: “If it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day of judgment” (Mormon 7:10).  This reference to that which the Savior “hath commanded us,” likely refers to the Savior’s teaching to the Nephites in which He similarly spoke of fire and the Holy Ghost: “Whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost” (3 Nephi 9:20).  He promised again to the Nephites, “Whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy Ghost” (3 Nephi 11:35).  And He repeated again this idea shortly thereafter, “After that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost…. Blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins” (3 Nephi 12:1-2).  The Lord promises that with our true repentance and baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost should so change us that it will be like fire has purged and cleansed us. 

               The Lord again emphasized that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is like fire in our dispensation.  To Martin Harris He gave this command, “And of tenets thou shalt not talk, but thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the Savior, and remission of sins by baptism, and by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost” (D&C 19:31).  He also taught that an apostle’s duty is to “confirm those who are baptized into the church, by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, according to the scriptures” (D&C 20:41).  Missionaries are to preach these words, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost” (D&C 33:11).  And to James Covel He summarized, “This is my gospel—repentance and baptism by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost” (D&C 39:6).  Missionaries are to teach that there is a baptism of water and a baptism of fire, and those are available to all.  The baptism of water is a literal purification attests to our sins being washed away, but the baptism of the Holy Ghost is a spiritual purification that actually changes us so those sins are indeed removed.  Perhaps the important question for us who have been baptized is this: has the Holy Ghost been like a fire for us personally?  Have our sins been not only washed away put completely purged away by fire?  And before we answer in the negative, we should consider the Savior’s description of the Lamanites who “because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not” (3 Nephi 9:20).  Unlike real fire whose influence cannot be hid, the fire of the Holy Ghost may come upon us in such a way that we don’t immediately realize that the “refiner’s fire” has been upon us (Malachi 3:2).  The Savior’s promise is that if we indeed come to Him with a broken heart and contrite spirit, that purifying fire will surely come.