[Biblestudent]

I tend to vary from the belief that "baptism with fire" is to be cast into the lake of fire forever.

If baptism WITH the Holy Ghost is the "pouring" of the Holy Ghost, it appeas to me that the baptism WITH fire doesn't match with being immersed into eternal fire. I think the baptism with fire matches closer to the "pouring" of fire in the Tribulation period, the pouring out of God's wrath.

I don't have a ready reference now (I'm out-of-town.), but the context of Matthew 3 seems to fit the pouring of fire (and of God's wrath) at the end of the Tribulation period, as well as at the end of the Millennium. OT references on the pouring out of God's wrath and the pouring of fire in Israel's "last days" are abundant. That is, if they refuse to be "baptized with the Holy Ghost" (pouring out of the Holy Ghost), they will be "baptized with fire" (pouring of fire and God's wrath).

Of course, I believe the unsaved will finally be cast into (immersed) the lake of fire; but the phrase "baptized with fire" (I believe) particularly refers to the pouring of fire, just as being "baptized with the Holy Ghost" is the pouring of the Holy Ghost.

In other words, I am of the opinion that the term "baptized WITH", as defined in the context, should be taken to mean "pouring". Of course, "baptism by...INTO", "put into" or "cast into" has to be immersion.