How Do we Know the Gospels are Historical?

http://www.strangenotions.com ^ | Fr. Dwight Longenecker

[NKP_Vet]

Among Catholics and atheists, is easy to exchange convinced assertions: “The gospels are 100% God’s holy Word and every bit is historically accurate!” or “The gospels are fairy tales!” However there is a discipline called “Biblical scholarship” in which scholars do some very interesting work determining just which parts of the gospels they think are reliable and which they think are not. Their conclusions are, of course, debated. That’s what scholars do. Their work is fascinating and it is worth taking some time to look at just a smidgen of their methodology and conclusions.

Bible scholars are most interested in trying to determine whether the original gospels record eyewitness accounts, and whether those original versions have been transmitted accurately. To do this scholars consider several factors: 1) authorship and date of composition, 2) intention and genre, 3) gospel sources and oral tradition, 4) textual criticism, 5) historical authenticity of specific sayings and narrative events.

One of the difficult aspects for modern people to understand is just what kind of document the gospels are. Everyone can admit that they are not written as purely historical documents, but neither are they simply fabulous fables, myths, or fairy tales. In continuity with the Old Testament, and consistent with their Jewish origins, we have documents which are presented as history and have plenty of historically verifiable details, but which also have supernatural and otherworldly elements to them

[fabian]

where is it written that they studied and depended on the old testament as they went from town to town saving people? with and without Jesus....you are simply wrong. Bible idolatry is what you have done..shame on you.

[Elsie]

the Lost Books of the Bible....sold at your local book store is one such evidence..with plenty of good facts that back up it being legit scripture that was left out.

You mean the REJECTS books; don't you?

What (or who) determines what is 'legit'?

Everyone of those 'lost' writings has some peculiar problem with them.

Have you read what they are?

[Elsie]

where is it written that they studied and depended on the old testament as they went from town to town saving people?

H1>Well...

---

NIV Matthew 2:5
"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:

NIV Matthew 4:1-11
1. Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
2. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
3. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
4. Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "
5. Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
6. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "`He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' "
7. Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "
8. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
9. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
10. Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' "
11. Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

NIV Matthew 11:10
This is the one about whom it is written: "`I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'

NIV Matthew 21:13
"It is written," he said to them, "`My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a `den of robbers.' "

NIV Matthew 26:24
The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him.

NIV Matthew 26:31
Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: "`I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

NIV Mark 7:6-7
6. He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "`These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
7. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'

NIV Mark 9:11-13
11. And they asked him, "Why do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?"
12. Jesus replied, "To be sure, Elijah does come first, and restores all things. Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?
13. But I tell you, Elijah has come, and they have done to him everything they wished, just as it is written about him."

NIV Mark 11:17
And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "`My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' ? But you have made it `a den of robbers.' "

NIV Mark 14:27
"You will all fall away," Jesus told them, "for it is written: "`I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.'

NIV Luke 1:1-4
1. Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2. just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4. so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

NIV Luke 4:17-19
17. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18. "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
19. to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

NIV Luke 7:27
This is the one about whom it is written: "`I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'

NIV Luke 10:26
"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

NIV Luke 18:31-33
31. Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.
32. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him.
33. On the third day he will rise again."

NIV Luke 20:17-18
17. Jesus looked directly at them and asked, "Then what is the meaning of that which is written: "`The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone ' ?
18. Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed."

NIV Luke 21:22
For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.

NIV Luke 22:37
It is written: `And he was numbered with the transgressors' ; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."

NIV Luke 24:44-47
44. He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
45. Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
46. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
47. and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

NIV John 2:17
His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me."

 

NIV John 6:31
Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "

NIV John 6:45
It is written in the Prophets: `They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.

NIV John 12:14-16
14. Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written,
15. "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt."
16. At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that they had done these things to him.

NIV John 15:25
But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: `They hated me without reason.'

NIV John 20:30-31
30. Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
31. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

NIV Acts 1:20
"For," said Peter, "it is written in the book of Psalms, "`May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,' and, "`May another take his place of leadership.'

NIV Acts 7:42
But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: "`Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?

NIV Acts 13:29
When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.

NIV Acts 13:32-33
32. "We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers
33. he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: "`You are my Son; today I have become your Father. '

NIV Acts 15:15-18
15. The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16. "`After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
17. that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things'
18. that have been known for ages.

NIV Acts 23:5
Paul replied, "Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: `Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.' "

NIV Acts 24:14
However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets,
and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

NIV Romans 1:17
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

NIV Romans 2:24
As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

NIV Romans 3:4
Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."

NIV Romans 3:10-12
10. As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;
11. there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
12. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."

NIV Romans 4:17
As it is written: "I have made you a father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed--the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.

NIV Romans 4:23-24
23. The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone,
24. but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness--for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

NIV Romans 8:36
As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

NIV Romans 9:13
Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

NIV Romans 9:33
As it is written: "See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

NIV Romans 10:15
And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

NIV Romans 11:7-10
7. What then? What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did. The others were hardened,
8. as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day."
9. And David says: "May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10. May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever."

NIV Romans 11:26-27
26. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
27. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins."

NIV Romans 12:19
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

NIV Romans 14:11
It is written: "`As surely as I live,' says the Lord, `every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'"

NIV Romans 15:3-4
3. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me."
4. For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

NIV Romans 15:7-12
7. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
8. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs
9. so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name."
10. Again, it says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people."
11. And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples."
12. And again, Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him."

NIV Romans 15:21
Rather, as it is written: "Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand."

NIV 1 Corinthians 1:19
For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."

NIV 1 Corinthians 1:31
Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

NIV 1 Corinthians 2:9
However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" --

NIV 1 Corinthians 3:19-20
19. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight. As it is written: "He catches the wise in their craftiness" ;
20. and again, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile."

NIV 1 Corinthians 4:6
Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another.

NIV 1 Corinthians 9:9
For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned?

NIV 1 Corinthians 10:7
Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."

NIV 1 Corinthians 10:11
These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

NIV 1 Corinthians 14:21
In the Law it is written: "Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord.

NIV 1 Corinthians 15:45
So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being" ; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.

NIV 1 Corinthians 15:54
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."

NIV 2 Corinthians 1:13-14
13. For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that,
14. as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

NIV 2 Corinthians 4:13-14
13. it is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak,
14. because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.

NIV 2 Corinthians 8:15
as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."

NIV Galatians 3:10
All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."

NIV Galatians 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

NIV Galatians 4:22
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.

NIV Galatians 4:27
For it is written: "Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband."

NIV Hebrews 10:7
Then I said, `Here I am-- it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, O God.'"

NIV 1 Peter 1:15-16
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

NIV 2 Peter 3:16
He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

NIV 1 John 2:12-14
12. I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.
13. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father.
14. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

[Elsie]

All that stuff posted above is called EVIDENCE...

[fabian]

Yes...it was more important in the old testament times and those scripture are pointed out as proof and amazing evidence that Jesus was the messiah. My point and fact is that now, after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is the dominate force. Period. Obvious. He is so powerful, that there is no need for the bible...still good to reflect, but real Christians could write new insight similar to what the apostles wrote. Problem is, you are just a learned and memorized “Christian”, not the real thing, sadly.

[metmom]

Yes...it was more important in the old testament times and those scripture are pointed out as proof and amazing evidence that Jesus was the messiah. My point and fact is that now, after Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is the dominate force. Period. Obvious. He is so powerful, that there is no need for the bible...

Words, right from the lips of Satan. He HATES the word and would love nothing more than to keep people from it.

*Did God REALLY say....?*

And he's STILL getting mileage from that tactic from gullible fools.

[GarySpFc]

Oh no..I am talking about way way back. The was plenty of very good texts excluded.

Mr. WayWay Back, Please list them? I'm a theologian, and know quite a bit about the subject.

[fabian]

you are so full of yourself...”Words, right from the lips of Satan. He HATES the word and would love nothing more than to keep people from it.”
I help lead people to real salvation, like the original Pentecost, when they were not in need of the written word after that point. It was still useful, of course, but the holy spirit took over. You guys are stuck like the Jews of old..in the written word and missing the spirit...all the while judging people like me.

[boatbums]

That is so ludicrous.... Why would someone put themselves in the position to be CRUCIFIED to death?

I remember hearing one skeptic actually say Jesus "got to thinking he was God and got killed before he could change his mind."! It is pretty humorous all the explanations they can come up with to reject the truth.

[boatbums]

I help lead people to real salvation, like the original Pentecost, when they were not in need of the written word after that point. It was still useful, of course, but the holy spirit took over. You guys are stuck like the Jews of old..in the written word and missing the spirit...all the while judging people like me.

"Real salvation" is when people HEAR the gospel of the grace of God, how Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins and that by believing in Him - that He is our Savior - we can be saved from an eternity separated from God in hell to eternal life in heaven. Any other salvation you may be "leading" them to is accursed if it is not what the Bible says.

You sure are one to talk about "judging people". That's all you have done since you popped up on this thread - which is about how we can KNOW the Gospels are historical. You trash talk anyone who disagrees with you and automatically condemn everyone by assuming you know what is in each ones heart - you don't. If there was "no need for the written word" after Pentecost, then what was the whole point OF the New Testament? Every one of the books that make up the NT were written AFTER Pentecost, so explain why you can just discount the twenty-seven books that ARE God-breathed Holy Scripture? Did Paul not have the leading of the Holy Spirit to write his epistles to the various Christian churches scattered throughout the region? Did Peter just take it on himself to write his letters? Did John? Did James? If these Apostles SAID they were led by the Holy Spirit to write what they did and that these writings were to be obeyed, followed, taught and perpetuated by and to all future Christians, then were they smoking something funny and just imagined it all?

I think the REAL people "missing the point" and "stuck" are those such as yourself who swallow whole every word that squeaks out of the mouth of gurus like Roy Masters without EVER bothering to objectively investigate whether or not what he claims is true. There are people on this forum better versed in Christianity and the sacred Scriptures than Masters EVER thought he was. What amazes me is how easily he can sway seemingly earnest people into a hodgepodge of doubts, questions and confusion over beliefs they may have held all their lives. It's like their foundation of faith is so flimsy that a slight wisp of foul air is enough to knock them over - like heretical halitosis - and they don't even see it coming. Jesus Christ is the rock that will never fail. HE is the WORD, the LOGOS, and His WORDS will never pass away. Roy Masters' words? I doubt he will be remembered even a decade from now. You'd better choose wisely.

[Elsie]

Problem is, you are just a learned and memorized “Christian”, not the real thing, sadly.

Once again; How does one get to be the Real Thing?

[Elsie]

I help lead people to real salvation,

You've said this a lot; but I've still yet to be led.

What's taking you so long?

[Elsie]

all the while judging people like me.

So?

You are judging us.

Well; ACCUSING us.

Where is your EVIDENCE that we are so...

1. Apostate...
2. Stuck like Jews...
3. Missing the Spirit...

All we have from you are accusations.

If you are a leader; do so.

We've enough armchair generals on FR.

[WVKayaker]

you are so full of yourself...

Yes, fabian, you are...

You talk quite a bit about the Spirit, but continue to rant against God's Word. There is little reason to continue any discussion with you. You think you hold the truth. I stand with the Word...

Hebrews 4: 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

[metmom]

I help lead people to real salvation, like the original Pentecost, when they were not in need of the written word after that point.

But did you lead people to Jesus? Or some spirit that claims to make them feel good.

Scripture has this to say about where faith comes from.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

It's not about the Holy Spirit. It's about Jesus. Jesus is the one who died for us. It's our faith in HIM, not whatever spirit that Masters is preaching.

Cause it sure ain't the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit directs people back to Jesus.

[metmom]

You talk quite a bit about the Spirit, but continue to rant against God's Word.

Which is the only way we know about God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, sin, redemption, etc.

Funny how people reject the very basis for their beliefs. If it's not authoritative, or accurate, or inspired, then why believe ANY of it?

It's an all or nothing proposition. Either it's all true and truth, or ditch it all. Cause if some of it isn't right, there's no way of knowing that all of it isn't right, and you can't even be sure of the parts you think are.

[fabian]

“be still and know that I am God!”
You won’t be still nor really want to know the way to God. You only want to think you have what your intellect tells you you have. You have made that clear with your cult judg.ents of me and the church that I love and that has the real silent prayer that helps sooooo many people. You guys areclokeclegalisit Jews ofvold, dependent o vscriptures when really,the holy spirit is the dominate one now. You just will not get it...too busy being full of self-righteousness and misrepresenting what a Christians is. Apostate cult is where you guys live...sadly.

[metmom]

Genesis 3:15 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ...?

The work of the enemy is to cast doubt on the word of God.

It's the thing that defeats him and if he can keep people away from it, they have no defense against him.

Being an experience junkie is no way to live the Christian live.

If God didn't think His word was important, He wouldn't have written it in stone.

[tired&retired]

We are not in disagreement..... We are both saying the same thing. Fear, anger, guilt, or any other low frequency consciousness cannot exist in the presence of God’s Divine Love. You could say that we are being judged by “fire.” However, we are healed (purified) by that same “fire.”

If we have any wounds from sin in our soul, we must cleanse and heal them in order to be as pure as a child. Only then can we approach our Father. Just as a dense object placed in a microwave heats up and catches on fire, so will a person holding on to material things or low frequency thoughts. This is the reason that perfect Love (God’s Love) casts out fear. It is also the reason that a prayer said to an evil person is like placing hot coals upon their head. It’s also the reason that the weeds will be burned in Matthew 13.

I personally was severely burned when hot oil caught on fire and exploded. As I was preparing to go to the hospital, the Holy spirit entered me and healed the wounds instantly. (scared the heck out of me as I did not even say a prayer for healing) The skin that was burnt away was replaced instantly, no blisters, no redness. Threw my logical ego a curve ball that changed my life!

When the Holy Spirit is working through me, the demonic cannot come close enough to harm me as they are afraid of the fire radiating through me. They come charging at me and stop a few feet away and growl,hiss and spit while they swing their arms to try and hit me. It gets real interesting when they take over someone’s body to do this. I’ve experienced this many times when removing dark spirits or ghosts. The same Holy Spirit generates the words that come from my mouth... it is not me, but through me.

When the Holy spirit working through me has healed people, they often exclaim that it feels like a hot knife is within them. This is what happens when the fire of the Holy Spirit transmutes low frequency dense illness. The healing is actually in their soul, but they feel it in their physical body. You could say that the healing is God removing the obstacles to Love that exists within their soul.

After visiting Barcelona’s beaches and being in the sun too long, I was severely sunburned. The next day I was itching and peeling so bad it felt as though thousands of ants were on my skin. I sat down in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris and prayed. Again the Holy Spirit fell upon me and I was healed instantly. The same fire that heals the humble, burns the proud. I am an empty vessel not worthy of His blessing, but for some reason it is bestowed on me in spite of me.

Here are a few scriptures that indicate this process at work. There are many, many more.

Leviticus 10
The Death of Nadab and Abihu

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:

“‘Among those who approach me
I will be proved holy;
in the sight of all the people
I will be honored.’”

Deuteronomy 4:24
For the Lord your God is a consuming fire,

Deuteronomy 4:36
From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire.

Deuteronomy 5:4
The Lord spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.

1 Kings 18:24
Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”

2 Kings 1:10
Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.

2 Kings 2:11
As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

Psalm 21:9
When you appear for battle, you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and his fire will consume them.

Psalm 68:2
May you blow them away like smoke— as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God.

Isaiah 66
15 See, the Lord is coming with fire,
and his chariots are like a whirlwind;
he will bring down his anger with fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For with fire and with his sword
the Lord will execute judgment on all people,
and many will be those slain by the Lord.

Daniel 3
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”

They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Luke 3:16
John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

1 Corinthians 3:13
their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.

Luke 12
Not Peace but Division

49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth?

2 Thessalonians 1
5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.

2 Peter 3
7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.[b] That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Hebrews 12

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.

My point is that merely being in the presence of
God is judgement as the impure cannot exit there. I totally agree with what Jesus said... “I have not come to judge, but to save.” He is teaching us how to swim in the fire if we follow His teachings. If you can’t swim in the fire, you will be burned up. Is the water drowns you judging you if you can’t swim and end up drowning?

We are entering the times Jesus spoke of(I prefer to call them new beginning times not end times). The only reason I can do these things is that Peter’s quote of the prophet Joel in Acts 2 is coming true right now. We are in “Global
Warming” due to the increased presence of the Holy Spirit on earth. Just as there was global warming for Sodom & Gomorrah, earth will get a lot hotter.