to pass out to new believers
The priests had the Torah the Writings and the Prophets. The New Testament was just being written so, not a lot of books and letters, but there was fire. John the Baptist said there would be fire. “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12 NASB)
Saints are baptized by Jesus with the Holy Spirit and fire. The word of God is the fire that burns away the defilement of sin. Jesus loves His church and sacrificed Himself for her. “So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:27-28 NASB) Saints believe what other saints believe about their Lord. They know the fire that burns away the chaff and the healing of the Holy Spirit.
“There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven—” (Ecclesiastes 3:1 NASB) And there are matters on this earth that are due to be resolved before Jesus presents His church before God’s throne.
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;“ (Revelation 7:9 NASB)
“I said to him, ‘My lord, you know.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'” (Revelation 7:14 NASB)
Baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire.
“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9 NASB)
His Family Table 