Are all believers baptized into the body of Christ, or only a spiritual elite?
By one Spirit, all believers—Jew or Gentile, bond or free—are baptized into the one body of Christ, not merely a spiritual elite or those reaching a higher plateau. The Holy Spirit places every believer into that body, from the least to the greatest, regardless of spiritual maturity or station in life.
Les explains that whether a believer is in China, Europe, or America, all are members of that one body. He notes this was not true before. Reading verse 13, he emphasizes that by the Holy Spirit, not just the spiritual elite or those who reached a higher plateau, but all—from the least to the greatest—were baptized into the body. The Spirit placed them into the body of Christ when they became believers. Les acknowledges that some believers are far more unspiritual than others, but they are still members of the body. Using his imperfect pinky as an illustration, he says an imperfect member is still part of him, and likewise believers who are not all they should be are still in the body, and we cannot take that away. Whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, station in life makes no difference; all have been made to drink of that one body.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.