“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us hold on to grace. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:28-29‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

If we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken why are we being shaken? Or why do we think we can be shaken and God extends grace to us without a call to repentance. Once again grace is extended to those who are trying to serve God. For by grace we are saved and by it, we may serve God with reverence and awe, and not freedom in sin. 

“For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift — not from works, so that no one can boast.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-9‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/eph.2.8-9.hcsb

What will God do to everyone? He will consume everyone in fire, either a fire of judgment or a fire from the Holy Spirit. 

So what does a consuming fire look like?

“He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw that smoke was going up from the land like the smoke of a furnace. So it was, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, He remembered Abraham and brought Lot out of the middle of the upheaval when He demolished the cities where Lot had lived.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭19:28-29‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/gen.19.28-29.hcsb

Sodom was an evil city doing whatever it pleased, and God allowed it to live this way for a while. But when the sin of the city reached its full tolerable limit God sent a judgment fire upon it and it became a burnt ruined city even to this day. There was only one man found righteous in the whole city and God spared him, his wife, and two daughters. But Lot’s wife turned to see either the destruction or even she longed for the sin she was leaving behind in Sodom. We must be careful to look to Jesus and not long for our former lives before Christ.

If that is God’s consuming judgmental fire, then what does His consuming accepting fire look like? 

“Then Yahweh’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.”

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭18:38‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/1ki.18.38.hcsb

Here on the Mount of Carmel Elisha is challenging the prophets of Baal to a fire challenge and the god who answers by fire is The living God. And God answered not by just burning up the sacrifice, but also the wood, the rocks, the water, and the dust. So it is with the Christian who will submit to the whole consuming fire of God. He will consume your worship, energy, heart, sin, and flesh and leave nothing but a holy vessel ready for use. 

Are we willing to let our sinful nature be burnt up by God’s consuming fire to leave a living sacrifice for His use? Or are we content to live in our sins hoping that the measure of our sins never reaches its full potential of death?

“Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:1-2‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/rom.12.1-2.hcsb

“But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:14-15‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/jas.1.14-15.hcsb