Fire is perhaps the most destructive
force in nature. Certainly, wind and
water can cause tremendous damage on a large scale, but nothing is as
devastating to a single entity as fire.
Fire alters the basic chemical composition of materials so that they
change form and cease to exist. Nothing
in the world is immune to fire, for even rocks are liquefied by the intense
heat beneath the earth's crust. Injuries
inflicted by fire are the most painful known to man, and the scars often last
for a lifetime. Because of these things,
fire is one of the most fearsome forces known to man. Indeed, man should fear, for fire will
destroy every worldly thing at the end of time (2Peter 3:7, 10).
While everything in this world is susceptible
to destruction by fire, God has made fireproof the things that are not of this
world. First and foremost, God's holy
word cannot be destroyed by fire or anything else. Throughout history, men have attempted to
eliminate the word of God by burning Bibles, but all have failed. Even the Roman Catholic Church burned Bibles
because they did not want God's word to be translated into the common languages
of people. Despite these efforts, the
word of God survived the fire, and it abounds to this day.
One potent example of the fireproof word
of God is found in Jeremiah 36. When God
sent a scroll containing His word about the coming Babylonian invasion, King Jehoiakim
of Judah "cut it with a scribe's knife and threw it into the fire that was in
the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the
brazier" (v. 23). Undeterred, God
commanded Jeremiah to prepare another scroll with the same message plus an additional
message that would promise to cut off Jehoiakim's descendants from the throne
and to send Jehoiakim to a shameful death (vv. 27-32). The fire of Jehoiakim had done nothing to
harm God's word, but it did condemn his own soul.
Indeed,
the word of God is fireproof, and so also is its fruit. In 1Peter 1:23-25, the Bible tells Christians
that...
...you have been born
again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the
living and enduring word of God. For, "All
flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass
withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord endures forever." And this is the word which was preached to
you.
As
the offspring of God begotten by the imperishable seed of His word, Christians
have an opportunity for faith that is fireproof. Consider 1Peter 1:6-9:
In this you
greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have
been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more
precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be
found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus
Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not
see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and
full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your
souls.
Of
course, Peter speaks figuratively of testing by fire, but faithful people of
God have withstood literal fire before.
Remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar's
golden statue and compromise their loyalty to God (Dan. 3). The penalty for their refusal was death by
fire in a blazing furnace. In their
case, God miraculously intervened and preserved their lives, but let us not
forget their brave and faithful words to Nebuchadnezzar before they knew
whether they would be saved. They said,
"If it be so, our God
whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He
will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not
going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up"
(Dan. 3:17-18).
Of such persons, God's word says that by
faith they have "quenched the power of fire" (Heb. 11:34), which is true even
for those whose bodies have been consumed by the flames of persecution. Their bodies may have perished, but the power
of fire to take away their lives has failed, for they live forever in Christ.
What
about you? Will your faith stand up to
the fire, whether it is the figurative fire of trials and temptations or the
literal fire of persecution? Consider
the message of 1Peter 4:12-13:
Beloved, do not be
surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing,
as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you
share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the
revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
Therefore, prepare your heart,
strengthen your mind, and make your faith fireproof through Jesus Christ our
Lord.
