Spirit Baptism

1 Corinthians 12:12-13

INTRODUCTION

Lessons from Scripture vary a great deal because the Scripture varies in its style. Some lessons are by nature very practical, and some are very theological. Some are more exciting to listen to than others, simply by virtue of what you know or don't know. The context of this lesson is centered on a very theological statement made by the Apostle Paul. He does not interpolate it into practical areas, he simply makes a very straightforward theological statement in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13. It is an important statement and one we must understand.

The subject of Paul's statement is the baptizing by the Holy Spirit. Today, this is a very misunderstood and controversial subject. In any controversy, you need to take a side and have an opinion. And it better be that your opinion is defensible biblically. So, our approach to this passage of Scripture is to read it and determine what it means by what it says, theologically. What I say is not an attack on any individuals, but simply an attempt to honestly and with as much integrity as possible understand what the Spirit of God is saying. From this we can then apply it.

REVIEW

Paul's theme throughout 1 Corinthians 12-14 is to help the Corinthians deal with carnality as it manifested itself in the area of spiritual gifts. First Corinthians 12:12-13 becomes the very core of Paul's argument. In verses 1-3 he says that he doesn't want them to be ignorant about spiritual gifts. There were two basic things he wanted them to understand: One, the diversity of gifts. The Spirit of God does not want everyone to do the same thing in the same way. There is a tremendous and beautiful diversity. That is Paul's message in verses 4-11. We have learned that every believer is unique and possesses a unique combination of divine enablements that make him a spiritual snowflake. In that uniqueness and individuality of giftedness that God has given to every believer, there is a marvelous ability to minister to the body. This ability is so unique that no one else can minister to the body in the same way if you don't. That is why it is critical for you to minister in the energy of the Holy Spirit because you are irreplaceable.

Now, two, as he comes to verses 12-13, he talks about the other side of this dichotomy -- the unity of the church. The church is not only diverse, but it is one. There is a basic unity that we must be committed to. It is fine to have diverse gifts, but we must always remember that there is a oneness that has to be maintained in practice because it exists in position.

In order to help us understand this statement of unity, Paul gives an illustration. The illustration is in verse 12 and the statement of reality is in verse 13. Let's look first at...

I. THE ILLUSTRATION (v. 12)

"For as the body [the physical body]is one [a unit], and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ."

A. The Unity In The Body

Here is Paul's simple statement: The body is one, but it has many parts. The many parts function diversely and yet they are one. Now, every organism -- every organic whole -- possesses diversity and unity. In the body there is diversity -- diversity of the members and diversity of the functions. But there exists one whole body and one life energy that makes the body an organic unit.

1. The Common Designation

This is a common designation on the part of the Apostle Paul. In 1 Corinthians 10:17 he referred to us as one body. In Romans 12:4-5, where he also discusses the theme of spiritual gifts, he says, "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another" (cf. Eph. 1:23; 2:16; 4:4, 12, 16; Col. 1:18, 22). So, for Paul, the single, most clear illustration of the unity of the believer with Christ, is to see the believers as a body and Christ as the head -- the source of the body's life.

2. The Creative Design

The human body is amazing -- surely the most amazing organic creation of God. It is the highest of His creation. It is the pinnacle of His creation. It is sublime, beautiful, and valuable beyond understanding. The life principle that makes up a man has tremendous value beyond what could be measured. The body is much more than the sum of its parts; it is a fantastic creation of God that manifests diversity and unity.

3. The Contrasting Duplication

Even your duplicated parts are unique and function differently. You have two feet, but when you try on shoes you often find that they are not the same size. You may also find that you can do certain things better with your right foot than your left foot. You have two arms and two hands, but you are either right-handed or left-handed. I wear glasses because even my eyes are different; one has one problem and the other has another problem. They can't even agree. So, there is a diversity in my eyes. Even those members that are duplicated are diverse and have unique functions.

4. The Culminating Diversity

There is one organic whole that makes up the body. The body is the most perfect illustration of diversity and unity in perfect combination and function. You can see that this is true in anyone who does something with dexterity (e.g., an athlete or an artist who has a beautiful touch with a brush or chisel). There is a common life principle that ties all this diversity together so that it becomes a unit. And the church is no different. Basically, it is one organic whole -- a plurality of members with a common life principle.

B. The Universality of Members

There are not now, there never has been, and there never will be two different kinds of Christians -- there is only one. Verse 13 says that we were all baptized into one body no matter who we are -- Jew, Greek, bond, or free. There are no Christians who are out of the body. We are all in the body of Christ; we are all members of His body; we are all a part of the organic whole through which pulses the very lifeblood of Christ Himself; and we all have the common energy of the living Christ, who dwells in us. The body, then, is one organic whole. And it is the illustration that Paul uses to refer to the church.

C. The Unity with Christ

The illustration becomes clearer at the end of verse 12 in the little statement: "...so also is Christ." I would have expected Paul to say, "So also is the church." But when you think of the church, what do you think of? You normally think of many disconnected people. So Paul, in keeping with his metaphor, says, "...so also is Christ." To say that we are Christ is the same as saying that we are the church.

1. One Life in Christ

What does "so also is Christ" mean? Why doesn't he say, "So the church is one body"? The church is Christ, and he wants to emphasize the fact that you and I, as believers, are one with the living Christ. We are one living organism through which pulses the eternal life of God by the Spirit of Christ living in us.

a. Biological Life

You are not just someone with bios -- the Greek word for biological life. Biological life simply means being alive as opposed to being dead. You are still working; you are still functioning.

b. Abundantly Alive

We are not just bios, we are also zoe -- not just alive as opposed to being dead, but we are really alive! For example, if I say, "This person is alive," that could mean one of two things: one, he is almost dead and is barely pulling through; or two, he is really turned on. The Greeks had the same concept, only they used two different words.

c. Eternally Alive

But there is another step for the Christian. We are not just biologically alive, we are not just turned on, we are eternally alive. Why? The life of God is in us. The one common denominator that all believers possess is the life of God in the soul of man. That is what Jesus meant when He said, "...Because I live, ye shall live also" (Jn. 14:19b). That is what John meant when he said, "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (1 Jn. 5:12). The one without Christ is stuck with either bios or zoe -- he might be biologically alive, and he may be turned on, but he doesn't know what it is to have real life.

2. One Body in Christ

We are Christ. The only Christ the world is going to see is us. Christ became incarnate once in a single body. He has become incarnate once again in all of our bodies, making us the one body that is Christ in the world. Paul is emphasizing the fact of the incarnation of Jesus in His church -- in His body. It is a living incarnation. Christ is alive in me; He is alive in you. He is alive in every believer. That is what salvation means. All of us are one in Christ Jesus.

3. One Life Source

First Corinthians 6:17 says, "But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." Thus he is one with every other person joined to the Lord. Paul is saying to the Corinthians, "I know there is to be diversity, but that doesn't mean you should continue fracturing the fellowship; there is also to be unity." I have one personality. I have one life source. The church, the one body made up of all of us, is pervaded by one life source, one personality, and that is Christ. We are literally flesh and bones manifesting the living Christ.

As a result, it is so ridiculous and incongruous when we exalt self. It would be no different than if Christ, in His incarnate body, had to fight someone else. He should be freely manifested through us. When we operate and minister our spiritual gift, it is Christ ministering and manifesting His life.

We possess the common life of Christ. He lives in us. Paul says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me..." (Gal. 2:20a). Paul also says, "For to me to live is Christ..." (Phil. 1:21a). The same is true for you. The life of Christ is in you -- God's eternal life. That is why when you die, you don't die -- you already have eternal life. You are not going to get it, you have it! What you are now, you are going to be forever. When you die, it is less of a change for you than your salvation was. You already have eternal life. Dying is simply leaving the physical body so you can enjoy life in its fullness. So, we have eternal life. Christ is alive in us.

Now, do all Christians have this life? Yes. Do all Christians possess the life of Christ? Yes, that is salvation -- to receive Jesus Christ, to have Him enter my life. That is Paul's illustration. Now, he goes on to explain the significance of this theologically in verse 13. We go now from the illustration to...

II. THE REALITY (v. 13)

"For by one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Greeks, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."

This is a tremendous verse that is, unfortunately, greatly misunderstood today. What does it mean to be baptized into one body by the Holy Spirit? Paul gives us two thoughts in this verse: first, the formation of the body ("...were we all baptized into one body..."); and second, the inner life of the believer ("...have been all made to drink [into] one Spirit"). The word "into" was added because it is not in the original manuscript. Unity is Paul's point. There are two unifying concepts: We have all been put into the body in the same way and we all possess the same inner life. Therein lies our unity. Let's begin by looking at...

A. The Formation of the Body (v. 13a)

1. The Beginning

"For by one Spirit..."

a. A Significant Translation

Many people are confused at this point. The Greek en heni pneumati could be translated "for, by, or with one Spirit." Some would translate it in. I don't feel that is a proper translation because those Greek prepositions are translated differently depending upon the case ending of the word following. The safest and most consistent translation in the context of the New Testament is to use the word by or with. We are baptized by or with the Holy Spirit.

One word that never could be used here is of. The phrase that you hear so often, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, appears nowhere in Scripture. That is not a scriptural term. In fact, I would go a step further and say that there is no place in the Bible where you can find that the Spirit does the baptizing.

b. A Significant Transformation

1) The Examples of the Baptizer

a) Matthew 3:11-12 -- "I, indeed, baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire" (v. 11). Who is the baptizer? Christ. The One who is coming who is mightier than John the Baptist, the One whom he came to announce is Christ. Later, Jesus will baptize with fire. Now, that is not the fire of Pentecost. You say, "What fire is it?" Verse 12 says, "Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the granary, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." It is the fire of hell.

If you are not baptized with the Holy Spirit, what is going to happen? You will be baptized with fire. I would add, then, that there are only two kinds of people in the world: the people baptized with the Holy Spirit and the people who go to hell. So, you can't be a Christian and not be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

b) Mark 1:7-8 -- "There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I, indeed, have baptized you with water, but He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit." Again, Christ is seen as the baptizer.

c) Luke 3:16 -- "John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to loose; He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." And in verse 17 he details what the fire means.

d) John 1:33, 34b -- "And I knew Him not; but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He who baptizeth with the Holy Spirit....this is the Son of God." Who is the baptizer? Christ is the baptizer.

e) Acts 2:32-33 -- "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear." Who is it that shed forth the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost? It is Christ, in fulfillment of the prophecy that John the Baptist gave.

2) The Element of the Baptism

The baptizer is Christ, not the Holy Spirit. People who say, "We have had the baptism of the Holy Spirit," think that the Holy Spirit does something to them. They even go so far as to say, "We have been baptized by Christ in conversion, but the baptism of the Spirit comes later." That is a misunderstanding of the Word of God. The element of baptism is the Spirit. The baptizer is Christ. Just as John was the baptizer baptizing people into water, so Christ is the baptizer baptizing us into the Spirit of God, the act which places us in the body. That is a very mystical concept, but we have to understand what the Bible is saying. Christ is the baptizer. He is the One who sends the Spirit. He is the One who had to go back to the Father in order to send the Spirit. And He is the One who baptizes us with the agency of the Spirit.

Could you say that we are saved by the Lord Jesus Christ? I think so; I was. Weren't you saved by the Lord Jesus Christ? But who was the agent of your salvation? You were born of the Spirit (Jn. 3:5). Christ and the Spirit are involved, and so is the Father. Somehow, when you are saved, the Lord Jesus Christ, by the agency of the Spirit of God, places you into His body. He is the baptizer!

c. A Single Spirit

Verse 13 says, "For by one Spirit...." How many Spirits are there? One Spirit.

2. The Baptism

"...were we all baptized into one body..."

a. The Recipients

How many Christians have had the baptism by the Holy Spirit? All Christians. When someone says, "Have you had the baptism of the Holy Spirit?" my first answer is, "There is no such thing as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If you mean the baptism by the Holy Spirit, yes." Paul's point is that all Christians have had the baptism by the Holy Spirit. This is the basis of which we are all one body, possessing the one life source, and indwelt by the one Christ. If you take away the baptizing by Christ by the agency of the Holy Spirit, you destroy the doctrine of the unity of the body because we then have some people who aren't yet part of the body. Then where are they? How can you be saved but not be a part of the body of Christ? How can you be a Christian but not be in Christ? That makes no sense. It is clear -- we were all baptized.

b. The Role

What does Paul mean by "baptized"? First, verse 13 is not referring to water baptism. There are some verses in the New Testament that do, but this isn't one of them. Some of Paul's theological passages cannot be simplistically interpreted in terms of water. But there are some people who say that when you are baptized in water, that is the baptism that imparts to you the Holy Spirit. No, that can't be. There are many people who have been baptized in water and haven't any idea of what has happened. Perhaps they were baptized as babies, or at some point in their life, but they don't believe in Christ, they don't practice the Christian life, and they know nothing of the changing power of Christ and the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God. Paul is not talking about water baptism.

1) A Spiritual Immersion

The Greek word baptizo is used in the New Testament to refer to a "spiritual immersing." Paul is saying that the same Spirit has immersed every believer in the same unity with Christ that constitutes His body. The baptism Paul is referring to is a spiritual reality that brings the believer into a vital union with Christ. The word means "to immerse." And as somebody could be immersed in water, so somebody could be immersed in the body of Christ. In other words, you are in a new environment, a new atmosphere, a new union, a new identification, a new oneness with Christ. That is the New Testament usage of the word. For example:

a) Baptism into Repentance

Matthew 3:11 mentions that there is the baptism unto repentance. What does that mean? It means you are immersed into a repentant heart and a repentant attitude.

b) Baptism into Moses

In 1 Corinthians 10:2 the nation of Israel left Pharaoh and the old land of Egypt to become immersed and identified with a new leader (Moses) and a new land (Canaan).

Baptism by the Holy Spirit is Christ placing you, by means of the Spirit's operation, into the unity of the body and giving you a common life principle. When you became a Christian you were joined to Christ, and when you were joined to Christ, you were connected up with everyone who is joined to Him (Gal. 3:27). We are all one.

2) A Superabundant Inheritance

I will never understand why people want to say that you have to wait for a second experience for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It just isn't so! They are tampering with the doctrine of salvation, and that is why it is so serious. They are saying that salvation doesn't really give you everything you think it gives you. I don't like to hear that about salvation. Spirit baptism unites you to Jesus Christ, and that means that all that He is and all that is His is yours. You say, "You mean it all becomes ours?" Yes.

a) John 7:37-39 -- Some people use this passage to refer to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They say, "Well, you may be saved and you may possess the Holy Spirit, but you don't have the rivers of living water flowing out of you." They claim that there is another step needed to receive the rivers of living water. Verse 37 says, "In the last day, that great day of the feast...." This is the Feast of Tabernacles. In this ritual, a priest would pour a pitcher of water. This was one reminder of God giving water to the children of Israel at Meribah (Ex. 17:6-7). They would quote Isaiah 12:3, "Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." It was a great ceremony. It was probably at this point that Jesus said, "...If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink" (v. 37b). In other words, "If you are really thirsty, it isn't that water that will satisfy you, it is the water I give." Who is a thirsty man? Someone who sees his need. Let him come to Christ and drink -- that is salvation. You know you have a need, you go to the source, and you take what He has. This is just an invitation for salvation.

Now you say, "Then what happens?" Verses 38-39 say, "He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spoke He of the Spirit, whom they that believe on Him should receive....)" Who receives the Holy Spirit? Someone who believes. And how much of the Holy Spirit does he receive? So much that out of his being flow rivers of living water. There is nothing lacking.

Now whether or not the river is flowing out of me is dependent upon my obedience and submission. But Jesus says, "Come and drink, and you will have the rivers of living water." There isn't any other condition given. Throughout Scripture there is only one single condition for the fullness of the Spirit of God in your life, one single condition for the rivers of living water, one single condition for the baptizing with the Holy Spirit, and that is to believe. That is saving faith.

b) Acts 11:15-17 -- Peter is reporting about the Gentile conversion, which was a great shock to him: "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how He said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Forasmuch, then, as God gave them the same gift as He did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ...." Who receives the baptism by the Holy Spirit? Anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.

3) A Synonymous Identification

The baptism by the Holy Spirit is not an experience. It is a fact that occurs at your salvation. It is the fact that when you believe God, He places you into the Son by His Spirit. That is the baptizing by the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 3:26-27 Paul says, "For ye are all the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." There are four parallel statements in those verses. Let me give you four definitions of a Christian: A Christian is a son of God. A Christian is somebody who has put his faith in Christ Jesus. A Christian is somebody baptized into Christ. And a Christian is somebody who has put on Christ. All of those are synonyms. "...as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ," and are the sons of God.

That is why there is no command in Scripture to be baptized with the Spirit. There is no exhortation to receive the Holy Spirit. Why? You already have the Spirit. That is the whole point of our unity in Christ. If this truth is removed, then a part of the doctrine of salvation is destroyed because that would mean Christians are saved but don't have all there is in salvation. But salvation is complete, according to Colossians 2:10: "And ye are complete in Him...."

4) A Scheduled Increase

In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul says that by one Spirit we all have been baptized -- past tense. It happened when we were saved. You don't experience it -- it's a fact. It is a union and an identification with the body -- the life principle of Christ coming to live in you.

a) For Pentecost

People say, "What about the book of Acts? People in Acts 1 believed, but they had to wait." Yes, they had to wait because the Holy Spirit hadn't come yet. They had to wait until the Spirit came the first time at Pentecost (Ac. 2:1-4). Anna (the prophetess who stayed in the Temple) had waited for the Messiah. People who believed had to wait for the Spirit. But that doesn't mean Pentecosts are going on all the time any more than Jesus is born in Bethlehem every two weeks. He came once and that was it. The Spirit came once and that was it.

b) For Samaritans and Gentiles

You say, "But why was there a gap in Acts 8 with Samaritans getting saved but not receiving the Spirit?" God's design was to have them wait to receive the Spirit until the Jews and the Apostles could see it, in order that the Jews and the Apostles would know the Samaritans (Ac. 8:16) and the Gentiles (Ac. 10:44- 45) had received the same Holy Spirit they had. God wanted them all to know that the church was one. But they never sought after the Spirit. The only people who ever waited for the Spirit were those in transition in the book of Acts.

c) For Disciples of John the Baptist

Some people say, "Well, what about Acts 19? Those people were asked, `Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?' And they said, `We don't even know about the Holy Spirit.'" And from that these people say, "There you have Christians without the Holy Spirit." No. They were not Christians; they were disciples of John the Baptist. When they found out about Christ, they received Christ and the Spirit at the same time (Ac. 19:1-6).

But from then on the statement of doctrine is clear: "For by one Spirit were we all baptized into one body..." (1 Cor. 12:13a). We have all been placed into the body. So, don't let anyone tell you that there are some Christians who have never been baptized with the Holy Spirit. We all have.

3. The Benefactors

"...whether we be Jews or Greeks, whether we be bond or free..."

It doesn't matter who we are. Religious background doesn't matter; social status doesn't matter. We are one church and God has made it clear that everyone is a part. Now you may not like the fact that we are all one, but we are. I am sure there are some young people who look at some of the older folks and say, "You mean we are in the same body with them?" Then there are some older folks who look at those kids and say, "It can't be, it can't be!" There may be some people who rub you the wrong way, but you might as well get used to them because you are going to spend eternity with them. We are all in the same body. This is the universal gift to all Christians.

Baptism or Filling

People who say that my salvation does not give me everything that God wants for me the moment I have it, are tampering around with the doctrine of salvation. That is serious business. There is no second Pentecost. These people have confused the baptizing (placing you into the body) with the filling of the Spirit of God (where the Spirit of God is released in your life to empower you for service). When you are filled with the Spirit, you are simply yielding to the Spirit within you. You are simply being obedient. Do you know how to be filled with the Spirit of God and see the energy of the Spirit in your life? You say, "Tarry." No, don't tarry. You say, "Get with a group of people who can teach you how to speak in tongues." No. In order to release the Spirit of God in your life, simply obey. When you walk in obedience to the Word of God, the Spirit of God is energized in your life. That is the basic principle of the New Testament.

So, we have seen the formation of the body by one Spirit placing everyone into one body. Now, the second thing to emphasize regarding our unity is...

B. The Inner Life of the Believer (v. 13b)

"...and have been all made to drink...one Spirit."

Not only have we been placed into something, but we have had something placed into us -- the Holy Spirit. I suppose there are some people who think we didn't receive all of the Spirit either. But He doesn't come in doses.

1. John 3:34 -- "...for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." You have the Holy Spirit.

2. 1 Corinthians 6:19 -- "What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom ye have of God...?"

3. 2 Corinthians 6:16 -- "...as God hath said, I will dwell in them...." God is in me and alive in me.

4. Romans 8:9 -- "...if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His."

I not only have been put into something, but something has been put into me. I am not only immersed into an environment of the life of God, but the life of God is in me. All of the resource is there, all that I need is there. I have received the promise of the Holy Spirit fully and totally. The Holy Spirit is yours the minute you believe. That is what 1 Corinthians 12:13 says: We have all been made to drink one Spirit. This is the common life principle. If you haven't received the Holy Spirit, you don't have eternal life because that life is in the Spirit who lives in you.

The Most Misunderstood Doctrine

The fact of the baptism by the Holy Spirit has to be the most confused, misrepresented, misunderstood doctrine among Christians today. It is a cause for continual controversy. People continually intimidate Christians by saying, "You haven't had something that God wants you to have. You have to seek for it, and here is how you can...."

I read ten different writers who gave ten different ways to obtain the baptism of the Spirit. That's incredible! I have read my Bible and I have read evangelical writers, and I have never read a true evangelical writer who ever gave more than one way to get saved. If this baptism of the Spirit is so important, how come we can't figure out what the key to it is? It's difficult because the Bible doesn't say. And the reason the Bible doesn't say how to be baptized with the Spirit of God is that Christians have already been baptized with the Spirit. It is very important for us to make these distinctions. It doesn't do any justice to the Holy Spirit to misconstrue His work, it only dishonors Him. It bothers me because it undermines the doctrine of salvation. It bothers me when someone tells me that I don't have some aspect of the Spirit because that tells me that the Spirit isn't what I thought He was. And He doesn't like that either. Now, I believe that these people are Christians, I just think that we all have to get back to the study of the Word of God.

You say, "Where did the idea of the baptism of the Spirit come from?" It has its roots in Catholicism. Some Catholic theologians have taught that when an infant is baptized, he receives salvation. Years later, when he is confirmed, he receives the Holy Spirit. So, this dichotomy is Roman Catholic.

It also has its roots in John Wesley, Charles Finney, R.A. Torrey, and others. In fact, Torrey has been one of the greatest contributors to the modern Pentecostal movement because he wasn't a Pentecostal. When he taught that the baptism of the Spirit was a later work, they quoted him because he was such a well-known evangelical, mainline theologian.

John Wesley taught that you were saved first and then later on there was a second work of grace subsequent to salvation. I think this might have been a holdover from the environment that he was in. John Wesley's biographers say that he died never having attained that second work.

Finney, Andrew Murray, and Watchman Nee are all proponents of this. The Holiness and Keswick movements had the same thinking. In 1901 in Topeka, Kansas, the modern Pentecostal movement was born and they fostered this teaching. The Pentecostal movement came out of the Holiness movement. Later, in 1906 in Los Angeles, it began on Azusa Street. This movement developed into the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, the Churches of God, the Assemblies of God, the United Pentecostal Church International, the Pentecostal Fire-Baptized Holiness churches, and many other denominations. They hold to this old, traditional viewpoint that you get something at conversion and something later. But it does injustice to the doctrine of salvation and it violates 1 Corinthians 12:13, which says you were placed into the body when you were saved. That is the baptism by the Spirit, and you receive the fullness of the Spirit at the same time. All Christians have received that fullness. I just want you to understand that you are not missing anything.

Focusing on the Facts

1. What is Paul's theme in 1 Corinthians 12-14? What are the two basic things he wanted the Corinthians to understand? 

2. What two things make up an organism? 

3. What is the most common designation used by Paul to describe the unity of the believer with Christ? 

4. What could be considered the most amazing creation of God? 

5. How many different kinds of Christians exist? Why? 

6. Why does Paul close 1 Corinthians 12:12 with "so also is Christ," and not with "so also is the church"? 

7. In what three ways are Christians alive? Which one is the most important? What is the one common denominator that all believers possess? 

8. How is Jesus Christ incarnate today? 

9. Why is it ridiculous for Christians to exalt themselves? 

10. What happens to a Christian when he dies? What kind of change takes place? 

11. What two thoughts does Paul present from 1 Corinthians 12:13? 

12. Explain why the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not the proper translation of the preposition in 1 Corinthians 12:13. 

13. Who is it that performs the baptizing of every believer? Support your answer with Scripture. (see p. xx-xx)

14. In what two ways does Christ baptize? How does He baptize a believer? How does He baptize an unbeliever? 

15. What part does the Holy Spirit play in baptism? What is His function? 

16. What would be destroyed if the Holy Spirit came to believers at some time other than salvation? 

17. What kind of baptism is Paul referring to in 1 Corinthians 12:13? Explain. 

18. What does immerse mean? How are Christians immersed into the body of Christ? Give some other examples. 

19. What is the one condition necessary to have the fullness of the Holy Spirit in an individual's life? 

20. Is the baptism with the Holy Spirit a fact or an experience? Explain. 

21. What are four definitions of a Christian, based on Galatians 3:26-27? 

22. Why is there no command in Scripture to be baptized with the Holy Spirit? 

23. Explain the three instances in the Book of Acts where it seems as if certain people did not receive the Holy Spirit right away. (Ac. 1:5; 2:1-4; 8:16; 19:1-6)

24. What part does religious background and social status play in who gets to be a part of the body? 

25. What is the difference between being baptized by the Holy Spirit and being filled with the Spirit? What must a Christian do in order to release the energy of the Holy Spirit in his life? 

26. Where is the life of God in relation to the believer? 

27. Why is the baptism by the Spirit one of the most misunderstood doctrines? 

Pondering the Principles

1. What are the three kinds of life that a Christian has?  What does eternal life mean? Look up the following verses: John 3:36; 4:14; 5:24; 10:27-29; 12:25; 17:3; Romans 6:22-23; Galatians 6:8; 1 Timothy 1:16; 6:17-19; 1 John 5:11-13. Based on these verses, make a list of all the things that are true about your eternal life in Christ. What happens to the people who die who only have bios or zoe? What happens to the Christian when he dies? According to 1 John 5:12, if you have Jesus Christ then you already have eternal life. Based on this, how should you live right now? Why will your physical death be less of a change for you than your salvation? In order to have the proper perspective of your present life and your future physical death, memorize Philippians 1:21: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

2. Why is it wrong for you to exalt yourself? Who are you fighting when you do? If Jesus Christ were to stand before you now, how much of an inclination would you have to exalt yourself? Where is Christ right now in relation to you? (see Gal. 2:20) Which is more significant: Jesus Christ standing in front of you, or Christ living inside of you? The next time you have the desire to exalt yourself, what will you do?

3. What do you think it means to "put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27)? Look up the following verses: Romans 13:12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:51- 57; Ephesians 4:22-24; 6:10-11; Colossians 3:8-14. When you put on Christ, what other things do you put on? What do you take off? What are some of the things that you have left on that you should have removed? If you are a Christian, you have put on Jesus Christ, according to Galatians 3:27. That is your position. But in your practice you may not have removed some of the things from your past and put on the new man you are. Spend this time in prayer with God, asking Him to reveal to you those things that you need to remove. Then, make the commitment to God to begin this week to put on Christ in practice.

4. In view of what you have learned from this lesson, how would you respond to those who believe that there is a second work of salvation, that being the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Write out your thoughts and organize them in a logical manner. Support your points with Scripture. What new things have you learned in regard to this doctrine? In what ways has your own understanding of the fact of your baptism into the body of Christ been enlightened?