The full passage is Matthew 3:1-12.
It seems we sometimes prefer to think that some of us are wheat and some of us are chaff. But if we are honest, we all have a little chaff on our souls.
When John was talking to the Pharisees and Sadducees he mentions ‘the wrath to come.’ Typically when we think of wrath, we think of a severe, out of control anger. If this wrath to come is from God, we should probably think about His wrath from a different perspective. Since God is always in control, we know his anger is controlled as well. Unlike ours, God’s anger is never misdirected.
So, I am suggesting that we think about this passage as God battling with the devil for your soul. God is in control, He’s going to win, as long as you let Him remain in control. God will win as long as you hang on to him in faith, trusting him through the battle. It is the Lord who leads us out of patterns of self-destructive behavior and onto paths of a more constructive manner.
Once God burns the chaff off your life, it no longer exists. It doesn’t matter whether or not other people want to talk about what your life used to be like or how you used to live or behave. It’s over! The battle has been won! Your past has been purged from your life and to God, you are like a brand new baby. To the Lord, you are the finest wheat he has ever made. He loves you so much that he gathers you into his arms and his family. Of course, the process of having the chaff burned off might be uncomfortable, might cause a little pain, but, like childbirth, the end result will be well worth the experience.
Think about the pain that exercise and sports enthusiasts endure. You know the adage, ‘no pain, no gain.’ Perhaps as Christians we could say, ‘no flame, no gain.’
I believe the heat of God’s unquenchable fire helps people bear fruit that is worthy of repentance. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2) Only the chaff will be burned, you will live through the baptism of the Holy Spirit because it is from the Lord. You will live through the process of being refined like silver and your light for Christ will shine all the brighter.
Let us pray;
Lord God, Thank you for all that you have given us and all that you promise to give us. Thank you for the gift of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for the baptism of repentance and for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Help us to not be afraid of your refining fire in our lives. Thank you that you consider us worthy to receive these baptisms. Thank you for considering us worthy of becoming fine wheat and gathering us into your granary and making us part of your body on earth. AMEN
