"Everyone will be salted with fire." Mark 9:49
Baptism -- what's it mean? Depending on your church background it may mean a dunk in a river or baptismal tank; or maybe it means being sprinkled with water as an infant or adult.
Baptism is an initiation. People can be baptized into all sorts things. If you replace the word baptize with initiate that first verse is interesting: He will initiate you (in the faith) with the Holy Spirit and fire.
"Salted" means to treat, provide, season, preserve or enrich something.
Also, the Hebrews writer calls God "a consuming fire." (Hebrews 12:29).
That makes it more interesting doesn't it? What do we get when we put these three thoughts together?
This fire isn't a camp fire, but it does mean something spiritual is happening that has properties similar to fire.
What does fire do?
It can purify, stimulate growth, transfer heat from one source to another; give light, give heat, help things become what they are supposed to be come (such as in baking or cooking pottery in a kiln).
If God is a fire, if we are treated with fire and initiated with fire, what could all this mean to Believers?
Isaiah 43:2 talks about fire too. The New Living Translation says: "When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you."
Fire could be all different kinds of trials God uses to purify us. The Fire is also Himself. When He enters our life He will burn away the things that aren't of Him (if we allow Him too).
So much can written on this. Any thoughts?