No. The Holy Spirit baptizes believers into the body of Christ—not with water.
In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul says that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. Les Feldick stresses that this baptism involves no water; the Holy Spirit places every born-again believer into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation. Water baptism cannot accomplish this and does not determine membership in the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — This is the key verse Paul uses to teach that the Holy Spirit baptizes believers into the body of Christ—with no water involved.
In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul writes: "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." The baptizer here is the Holy Spirit, and the place into which believers are baptized is the body of Christ. Paul also asks in Romans 6:3: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" This baptism identifies the believer with Christ Himself. The Scripture text in these passages does not mention water or a water ceremony.
Les Feldick draws a clear line between water baptism and the baptism performed by the Holy Spirit. He says the only time Paul teaches a baptism by the Holy Spirit is in 1 Corinthians 12:13, when the Spirit places a believer into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation. No water is involved. He repeatedly emphasizes that this is true of every born-again believer, not just the spiritually elite or those who have had a special experience. Water baptism, by itself, can make someone a member of a local church, but it cannot put anyone into the body of Christ. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is what counts for eternity.
In 1 Corinthians 12:13, Paul says by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. Les Feldick teaches that this baptism happens when the Holy Spirit immediately places the believer into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation. It is the believer's guarantee that he belongs to Christ, and it has nothing to do with water.
Les states plainly that water can't do that. Water cannot put anybody into the body of Christ; this has to be the work of the Spirit of God. People can be water baptized and still be unsaved, but no unbeliever is part of the body of Christ. Water baptism may make someone a member of a local church, but only Spirit baptism makes someone a member of the body.
Les emphasizes the word "all" in 1 Corinthians 12:13. It is not just the most spiritual or those who have had some kind of high experience. Every born-again believer, whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, rich or poor, is baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. There are no exceptions.
Les notes that in the early part of Acts, Jesus is the baptizer who baptizes believers into the power of the Holy Spirit. But Paul flips that in 1 Corinthians 12:13: the Holy Spirit becomes the baptizer, baptizing believers into the body of Christ. This body is the church, a term unique to Paul's writings.
Noah’s Ark & Your Salvation: A Deep Bible Study on Eternal Security
your servant. All right, now this is exactly how salvation works. Once we've come into the grace of God and we comprehend all that God has done for us, how can we help but want to serve Him? All right, now we're in Romans chapter 8. Come on down just a little further. Come down to verse 22. Now this is another whole thought in here, but I'm going to leave that for now.
No Water Involved
Les says the only baptism by the Holy Spirit Paul teaches is when the Spirit places us into the body of Christ—with no water involved.
Every Believer Baptized by the Spirit
Les says all born-again believers are baptized by the Spirit into the body, while water baptism makes people church members but not body members.
Not Just the Spiritual Elite
Les emphasizes that it isn't just the most spiritual who receive this baptism; every believer of whatever station in life is baptized into the body.
The One That Counts for Eternity
Les says being baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body is what counts for eternity; any water baptism makes no difference.
Water Cannot Do It
Les states plainly that water cannot put anyone into the body of Christ; it must be the work of the Spirit of God.
Not Water but the Spirit's Power
Les says all believers are baptized not with water but by the power of the Holy Spirit into one body.
Paul Flips the Baptizer
Les shows that Paul's teaching makes the Holy Spirit the baptizer into the body, using the body-of-Christ term unique to Paul.
1 Corinthians 12:13: 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.
This is the verse Paul uses to teach Spirit baptism into the body of Christ—the central text answering this question.
Romans 6:3: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Paul speaks of being baptized into Jesus Christ, not water, connecting baptism to His death.
No. The baptism Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 12:13 is performed by the Holy Spirit and places the believer into the body of Christ. Les Feldick notes that no water is involved in this baptism.
At the moment of salvation. Les says the moment a person is born by the work of the Spirit, he or she is baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.
Yes. Les says people can be water baptized and still be as lost as a dog. Water baptism makes them members of a local church, but it does not make them members of the body of Christ.
No. Les repeatedly stresses the word "all" — every born-again believer, of whatever station in life, is baptized into the body by the Holy Spirit.
Watch the Teaching: Noah’s Ark & Your Salvation: A Deep Bible Study on Eternal Security