Baptism Of Fire

[inquiringmind]

Is it true that Joseph Smith described the baptism of fire as the Holy Ghost entering onto a man's being and literally burning out the "old man," and purging all of his sins once he has proven to the Lord that he will serve Him at all costs and at all hazards?

I was told he said this somewhere, but I can't find the quote, and I'd like to read it in context.

[Kate]

This is the quote I found resembling what you are talking about, but it is from Bruce R. McConkie.

"Fire is a cleansing agent. Filth and disease die in its flames. The baptism of fire, which John promised Christ would bring, means that when men receive the actual companionship of the Holy Spirit, then evil and iniquity are burned out of their souls as though by fire. The sanctifying power of that member of the Godhead makes them clean. In similar imagery, all the fires on all the altars of the past, as they burned the flesh of animals, were signifying that spiritual purification would come by the Holy Ghost, whom the Father would send because of the Son. On that first Pentecost of the so-called Christian Era such fires would have performed their purifying symbolism if the old order had still prevailed. How fitting it was instead for the Lord to choose that very day to send living fire from heaven, as it were, fire that would dwell in the hearts of men and replace forever all the fires on all the altars of the past. And so it was that 'when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.'" (Acts 2:1-4.) [bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah, p.426]

[Freedom]

This is doctrinaly significant because many members believe that the ordinance of baptism is what washes away sins. The ordinance of baptism is simply a symbolic gesture as we enter into a covenant. It is the Gift of the Holy Ghost that cleanses us from our sins. The gift of the holy ghost gives us access to this purifying power if we repent. Sanctification, it could be argued, is the separation of us from sin. Wickedness is separated from us and burned while we are preserved. Those who do not repented are in a sense, burned along with their sins.