Restoration by Baptism and Fire

The Restoration of All Creation

by Baptism and Fire

Since writing the previous essay “Why Restoration,” in which I note that mankind has been looking forward to a restoration with God since the Fall of Man in the Book of Genesis, a question has arisen: “What exactly is being restored?” I have written about the restoration of mankind, but in reality, all of Creation is being restored. The word restoration itself alludes to the fact that something existed before and is now being remade or restored to its original state. Although I have used restoration in the context of God and the individual, the concept of restoration is much broader in scope, encompassing all of Creation.

The birth of humanity is a portion of the Creation narrative within the Book of Genesis. Let's consider how the Creation narrative points toward a final restoration of Creation. Mankind appears on day six of Creation, near the end of the Creation story, yet the story spans a seven-day cycle. One can consider the creation of days, first night (darkness), then day (light) as one full 24-hour cycle or one complete chapter of time. In the Jewish interpretation, days, as outlined in the Creation story, are complete chapters of time and hold a prophetic meaning. Night, or darkness, always precedes the dawn of day or light -- a reminder that darkness, which also represents evil, ultimately ends, when light and goodness arrive to take their final place, at the end of time. In other words, darkness, or evil, only has a set amount of time, at which point light and goodness will arrive and usher in a new era, or restoration, i.e., the Kingdom of God. Time always ends with light and goodness. The order of night and day, as the parameters of the cycle of life, is significant. Today, we think of the beginning of our day as the dawn of light. Thus, we have lost the concept of the night preceding the light, in which light ends one’s day. Today, Orthodox Jewish observers view nightfall as the beginning of the next day, not the end of the previous day. It is important to note that the Creation narrative always ends with goodness and light, a sign of the final restoration of God’s Kingdom on earth.

The Creation narrative offers one a glimpse not only into the past, but ultimately points one into the future, toward restoration. I have noted in a previous essay that the Sabbath day, or the seventh day of Creation, also represents the Kingdom of God. It is all outlined within the concept of Holy Years, but also within the Creation narrative, in which the seventh day represents the final reality for all mankind, the ushering in of the Kingdom of God, the Sabbath Day of Rest. The final restoration of Creation leads to rest, freedom, and restoration, i.e., the Kingdom of God.

At one time, in the beginning, God once walked with mankind in the Garden of Eden and spoke with us directly. There never was a need for separation or barriers between God and man; they both talked face to face. This depiction, communicating with God directly, represented an extension of our prior pre-mortal condition. In the past, I have alluded to this breach, of communicating with God face to face, as a focal point for restoration, yet this is not the only aspect of Creation in need of restoration. When man fell, all of nature was affected. God not only changed His relationship with mankind --- all of nature was broken.

Let's look at Creation as a whole and see how the Fall of Man affected all of Creation and not merely mankind. When man fractured His relationship with God, God cursed the ground. Where once the ground yielded its fruits spontaneously, without any help from mankind, now mankind would need to participate in this endeavor of farming to produce food. The curse that God placed on the earth would affect all of Creation -- the entire ecosystem. When one portion of the ecosystem is knocked out of balance, the rest of it is affected. Let’s take a look at Romans 8:18-22: “18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.” The verse puts forth the idea that all of Creation is looking forward to a future in which it will be restored. The present earth is not in the same condition as when Adam and Eve dwelled on it, prior to the Fall. The earth was cursed, along with mankind. Thus, all of Creation, humanity, and the entire planet are in need of restoration.

I’m writing in broad terms only to make the point that all of Creation is affected by the Fall of Man, i.e., Creation is one whole narrative, and when one aspect is changed, the entire order of Creation is transformed. I have written plenty about the restorative nature of God toward mankind, but what about the rest of Creation? How will it be restored? Well, that will lie within the same process in which mankind is restored, through the process of baptism and fire, leading toward restoration. By understanding what is being restored, we gain a better understanding of how and why restoration is necessary. Understanding that all of Creation is in the process of being restored to its original state before the Fall of Man is important. By understanding the restoration and why it is needed, one can begin to contemplate how restoration will be elicited.

It is important to note that Creation will have similar redemptive and restorative aspects, along with mankind, following the process of baptism and fire. How one understands baptism and fire will help one understand the redemptive process that God will use to elicit restoration. Thus, if you have a flawed understanding of baptism and fire, you will not comprehend the means that God will use to elicit the restoration of Creation. I note this fact because I had the wrong concept of baptism and fire at one time. My Protestant and Catholic background only taught me that confession to Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, and baptism were necessary for salvation and restoration a one step process. However, that is wrong, as there is a second step needed, which is fire. In reality, one needs two very distinct acts to bring about restoration -- baptism and fire -- and those must be administered by someone ordained by God into the priesthood. Creation and mankind need to be restored by God, God will directly impact Creation and God’s priesthood will impact mankind. God’s authority on earth, His priesthood, will administer the necessary restorative ordinances for the restoration of mankind.

Let’s connect baptism to both mankind and Creation. What is baptism? The word baptism itself means “to immerse, to completely put under.” Baptism, in the biblical sense, is when one is immersed or wholly put under water. Baptism signifies a cleansing of sorts. Creation has experienced baptism through the biblical flood story of Noah. This narrative recounts the baptism of the earth, which was once cursed by God before being entirely immersed by the waters of baptism. Thus, the flood story accounts for the baptism necessary to bring Creation back into its restored relationship with God, but not totally, because we still need to consider fire. As I mentioned earlier, both baptism and fire are necessary for restoration. Thus, the earth still needs to undergo fire. Of course, mankind undergoes baptism by water within a baptismal font. To properly execute this process, the believer is immersed entirely under the baptismal waters by one ordained by God into the priesthood. It is necessary for this process to be done precisely, by total immersing the believer under the waters of baptism. Both earth and mankind must undergo the exact same process of full-water immersion. As I mentioned before, the process of redemption is similar for the earth and mankind. Baptism is the first step. Let's now consider fire.

Fire is the final step in the process of restoring Creation. Fire within Scripture can be divided into two central themes. The first is judgment. Fire usually represents the judgment of God and of Jesus. Judgment often is associated with those who willingly violated the commandments of God and are unwilling to return to God, or repent. The second theme is purification. Both themes, judgment and purification, are necessary to restore both man and the whole of Creation. Judgment leads toward purification, but let’s consider both themes separately. Let's discuss the theme of purification, which also can mean sanctification, the process of being made holy. To be restored toward our original purpose, we must note the restorative aspect of sanctification. Within the process of purification, we are being set apart for holiness and brought back toward our original intended purpose in life. As noted in my earlier essays, the commandments are God’s instructions for holiness. One needs God’s commandments to commune with God and participate in the restorative narrative.

For humanity, the process of the laying on of hands, by someone within the proper priesthood, confers on an individual the Holy Ghost, often considered to be fire. The Holy Ghost is the agent that elicits the process of sanctification of the believer. The earth also will undergo a similar process. In the Book of Revelation, we note the use of fire to elicit judgment upon humanity, but also a consuming fire that also is scorching the earth and cleansing (purifying) it. Fire is the final act necessary to elicit restoration. In the Book of Revelation, one might note that after the judgment and the scorching of the earth, the Kingdom of God is ushered in, eliciting restoration.

Yet there are a couple of aspects to restoration that need to be considered. Restoration lies beyond our control or influence, but we can choose whether to participate in it or not. Let me explain by first noting that God is eliciting restoration, just as mankind did not have a say as to whether to participate in the Creation story mankind does have a choice of whether to remain within God’s Creation order or to opt out. Mankind had the chance to remain in the original state of Creation simply by following God’s commandments. They were simple: Exercise dominion over Creation, marry and have children, and eat from every tree in the Garden of Eden except the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. As long as mankind followed these general rules, he could remain in the original state of Creation. Mankind chose to violate God’s commandments, leading to fragmentation of their relationship – and a fragmentation of all Creation in the process.

Ultimate redemption, or restoration, is for the whole created world. Just as mankind had no part in the initial Creation narrative, it has no role in the redemption or restoration of all of Creation. Within the process of Creation and ultimate restoration, mankind does have a choice, however: It can choose to obey God’s commandments or reject them. By accepting God’s commandments, one is wanting to be a part of the restoration of the created order. When one rejects the commandments of God, one is choosing, as Adam and Eve did, to no longer participate in the original order of Creation. Mankind has a choice at this moment to participate in the restoration of Creation before it has come to its final fruition while undergoing the process of sanctification. We often call this method “enduring to the end.”

Through the process of baptism and confirmation (baptism by fire), we make a covenant to follow Jesus, take upon His name, and obey His commandments. By doing this, one will notice that he or she is also saved from the judgment reserved for those who reject God’s commandments. In the Book of Revelation, once the tribulation begins, and Jesus elicits judgment by fire, the true believers who have been baptized and confirmed by fire will not be present on the earth. Why? Because they already have gone through the fire -- the second step necessary for restoration -- and are spared the judgment, which is reserved for those who have rejected Jesus and God’s commandments. Once the earth has gone through the final step of the restorative process (i.e., fire), the Kingdom of God is ushered in, and His saints will join Him on the restored earth, a restored creation.

Restoration is for all of Creation, and all of Creation is undergoing the same process necessary to elicit this restoration. Both mankind and the rest of Creation are in the process of being baptized by water and purified/sanctified by fire. It is important to note that all of Creation will be restored by God’s will. It is within each individual to choose to participate in this restorative process or reject it. How an individual understands how redemption and restoration are elicited makes a real difference. One must realize how restoration is elicited through the process of baptism and fire, two very distinct acts. If one has the wrong understanding, then one will not have completed the necessary work to participate in the final restoration of humanity and all of Creation. It is important to note the proper process and where that method is currently being administered. One also needs to understand that God is the one eliciting this restoration of mankind and nature. God is the one initiating the restoration. As I mentioned before, God has always worked within humanity through the order of the priesthood, a vehicle for participating in the process of restoration. Because God is eliciting this restoration, we must use God’s instruments here on earth to fulfill the requirements of baptism and fire. Simply put, we need the priesthood instituted by God to perform the ordinances of baptism and confirmation into God’s restored church. God is the one eliciting restoration, so God must be the one administering the ordinances, which He does through the priesthood. Therefore, when one goes through the process of baptism and fire, performed by one who holds the proper priesthood, the believer then becomes part of the restored Church of God. Those within the restored Church have made a covenant to participate in the restoration process of all of Creation. By accepting the atonement of Jesus Christ, taking upon His name, and obeying His commandments, these believers will participate in the final restoration of the Kingdom of God.

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