To winnow the grain is to separate the grains of wheat from the worthless chaff. The chaff of our personality, that which is worthless in the Kingdom, will be burned up with unquenchable fire. We are to hold steady in the Lord, continuing to do good, as the Lord tosses us on the winnowing fork so the chaff can be removed from us.

Is that happening to you today? If so, don't quit. Good things are ahead for you, one of which is the strength to resist temptation during the age of moral horrors we are entering, if you do not turn away from the Lord.

One of the greatest gifts you ever will receive from God is the strength to say no to the invitations of Satan, the strength to close the doors in your personality that are permitting Satan to keep a grip on you.

I do not believe the reader will have any trouble perceiving that salvation, which is our deliverance from the person and ways of Satan, the cleansing of our flesh and spirit from worldliness, lust and passion, and self-will, and our entering untroubled rest in the center of God's Person and will, results from many Divine operations. Notable among these operations is the suffering that is sent to us to cause us to choose to turn away from sin and to press into the Presence and will of God.

God has spoken through the Prophets that He intends to purify His people by a baptism of fire.

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, And the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the LORD, as in days gone by, as in former years. (Malachi 3:3,4—NIV)

Silver is refined and purified by fire.

It is easy to see why Satan has encouraged today's teachers of the Bible to view the new covenant as a "special Gentile dispensation of grace not found in the Old Testament." If we think the new covenant is a special Gentile dispensation of grace, then we will perceive Malachi 3:3,4 as applying only to Jews after the flesh.

The truth is, it is we Christians who are the priesthood of God, the holy nation that is to be cleansed by fire.

You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (I Peter 2:5—NIV)

And note:

It was revealed to them [the Hebrew Prophets] that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. (I Peter 1:12—NIV)

Remember, when John the Baptist was speaking of the baptism of fire that would cleanse God's people, he was addressing Jews under the Law of Moses—those who would consider themselves to be the people whom Malachi was addressing. But through the cross of Christ we Gentile believers have been made one with the Jews, receiving the same baptism of the Holy Spirit, receiving the same baptism of purification by the fires of Divine judgment.

To be continued.