How does the Holy Spirit place believers into the body of Christ?
The Holy Spirit baptizes or places believers into the body of Christ when they believe the gospel of the grace of God—Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection—by faith alone, apart from the law. This occurs as men and women believe that message, making Jew and Gentile, bond and free, partakers of the one Spirit.
Les explains that the body of Christ came on the scene in the New Testament, and he is convinced it did not necessarily begin at Pentecost because Pentecost was strictly a Jewish holiday with a Jewish message. Instead, it began when the gospel went out to Jew and Gentile, especially at Antioch, where believers were first called Christians. When Paul began preaching Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection by faith alone without the law, and men and women believed, the Holy Spirit baptized or placed them into the body of Christ. Whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, all were made to drink of that one Spirit.