Unquenchable Fire

What would have happened if John the Baptist hadn't been so bold?

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased." - Luke 3:15-22

Do you think John believed Jesus would overthrow Herod? Is that why he was so critical of the king, challenging him regarding taking his brother's wife as his own?

We can not know for certain what John expected of Jesus, whether he thought the Messiah would herald in a change in power in a traditional sense, or of he understood that the change would be something quite different.

To this day, we struggle with the image of Jesus burning the chaff with unquenchable fire.

We assume this will happen at the end time, when Jesus returns to pass judgment on us.

Those of us who don't make the cut will be cast aside and eliminated, which I assume means we will not have eternal life with God.

To just disappear sounds like a better end than spending an eternity in unquenchable fire, doesn't it?

So, do we live our lives in fear of eternal damnation, or do we trust in the love and compassion of Jesus who chose to die for us so that we could live?

I like to think the latter is the better way, but maybe I should try to be good anyway, just in case.

More to come...