Believers are baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, not by water baptism.
Every true believer is placed into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit at the moment of saving faith. Scripture says, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13), and Les Feldick emphasizes this is the Spirit's work, not a preacher's water baptism. No unbeliever is in this Body, even if they have been water-baptized.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — This verse directly states that by one Spirit all believers are baptized into one body.
In 1 Corinthians 12:12 Paul writes, "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." Then verse 13 directly answers how believers enter that 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." The verse names the Holy Spirit as the baptizer, says "all" believers are included, and mentions both Jews and Gentiles, bond and free, as part of the one Body. This is the central passage explaining the Spirit's baptism into the Body of Christ.
Les Feldick consistently teaches that the baptism of 1 Corinthians 12:13 is the Holy Spirit placing every true believer into the Body of Christ the moment they believe the gospel. He emphasizes that this is not water baptism—the Holy Spirit does not baptize with water. Water baptism can put people on church membership rolls, but it does not put anyone into the Body of Christ; you can baptize multitudes and they can still be lost. The only baptism that really counts for eternity is the Spirit's placement into the Body. Les also stresses the word "all" in the verse. It is not just the most spiritual believers, not just an elite group, but every born-again believer—whether in China, Europe, or America, from the least to the greatest. The Body of Christ is the universal, complex makeup of born-again believers, with Christ as Head in heaven and believers as members on earth. No unbeliever goes into this Body.
Les Feldick is emphatic that the baptism of 1 Corinthians 12:13 is not water baptism. He points out that the Holy Spirit does not baptize with water. Water baptism can make people members of local churches, but it does not make them members of the Body of Christ. He observes that you can baptize many people and they can still be unsaved and outside the Body. The only baptism that counts for eternity is the Spirit's placement of the true believer into the Body of Christ.
Les stresses the word "all" in the verse. It is not just the most spiritual believers, not just those who have reached a higher plateau, and not just a chosen few—every born-again believer is baptized into the Body by the Holy Spirit. He applies this to believers in China, Europe, and America, from the least to the greatest. Even believers who are less spiritual than others are still members of the Body.
Les uses the human body analogy from 1 Corinthians 12. Just as a human body has many parts—fingers, toes, eyes, ears—and is still one body, so the Body of Christ has many members and is one Body. The head and mind control everything, and in the same way Christ is the Head in heaven, connected to every believer. Some believers function like a little pinky or a little toe, but every member has a role in the Body.
According to Les, no unbeliever can be a member of the Body of Christ. The Body is composed only of true, born-again believers. People can be water-baptized and have their names on church rolls yet remain unsaved. Only those the Holy Spirit has placed into the Body—those who have believed the gospel—are in the Body of Christ.
Human Body Analogy
Les uses the human body to show that all parts are controlled by the mind/head, illustrating how believers are one Body under Christ.
Spirit Places Believers into the Body
Les says the Holy Spirit immediately places a new child of God into the Body of Christ, and that is what the word 'baptized' means here; even a little pinky or toe has a function.
How Believers Enter the Body
Les says believers did not sign up and were not water-baptized into the Body; the Holy Spirit automatically and immediately places them the moment they believe the gospel.
All Believers, Not Unbelievers
Les emphasizes that by one Spirit all born-again believers are baptized into the Body, not just the elite; no unbeliever enters, even if water-baptized into a local church.
Holy Spirit, Not Water
Les walks through 1 Corinthians 12 and asks whether the Holy Spirit baptizes with water—concluding this is not water baptism.
Every Believer Worldwide
Les says believers everywhere—China, Europe, America—are members of the one Body; all have been baptized into it by the Spirit, regardless of spiritual maturity.
All Baptized into One Body
Les notes the word 'all'—not a chosen few—and says every believer is baptized into the Body of Christ, connected to the Head.
The Only Baptism That Counts for Eternity
Les says only the saved are in the Body, and the Spirit's placement into the Body is the only baptism that really counts for eternity.
1 Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
This verse establishes the human-body analogy that sets up the Spirit baptism statement.
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 direct scriptural answer: all believers are baptized into one Body by the Holy Spirit.
No. Les teaches that water baptism can make you a member of a local church, but it cannot make you a member of the Body of Christ. Only the Holy Spirit's baptism places a true believer into the Body (1 Corinthians 12:13).
No. Les emphasizes the word 'all'—every born-again believer, from the least to the greatest, is baptized into the one Body by the Spirit. It is not for an elite group.
In the context of 1 Corinthians 12:13, Les teaches it means the Holy Spirit places the believer into the Body of Christ at the moment of salvation.
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