Yes — you become a member of the body of Christ by believing the gospel, and the Holy Spirit immediately places you into that body.
The Bible and Les Feldick both teach that membership in the body of Christ is not earned by water baptism, church membership, or good works. Instead, when a person believes that Christ died for their sins, was buried, and rose again, the Holy Spirit automatically and immediately baptizes that believer into the body of Christ. This is the work of the Spirit, not a human action.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — This verse directly states that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body — the body of Christ.
Romans 6:3 — Paul connects being baptized into Jesus Christ with being baptized into His death, explaining how the Spirit unites believers with Christ.
The Bible teaches that every believer is placed into one body by the Holy Spirit. 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.' This Spirit baptism is what makes a person a member of the body of Christ. Paul further explains in Romans 6: 'Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.' This baptism into Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection is the spiritual reality behind membership in the body. The gospel that must be believed is defined by Paul: 'For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.'
Les Feldick teaches that the body of Christ is an invisible organism with Christ as the Head in heaven and believers as members on earth. He emphasizes that no one signs up for this membership and no preacher baptizes anyone into it. Instead, the moment a person believes the gospel — that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again — the Holy Spirit automatically and immediately places that believer into the body of Christ. Les distinguishes this Spirit baptism from water baptism and church membership. He says the only baptism that really counts for eternity is the Holy Spirit's work of placing a genuine believer into the body of Christ. Church roles do not guarantee salvation; only those who are truly saved are in the body. Every true believer, from the least to the greatest, has been baptized into the body by the Holy Spirit, regardless of spiritual maturity (Clips 1, 4, 5, 7). Les also teaches that the body of Christ began when Paul began preaching the gospel of the grace of God and Gentiles responded by faith. At that point, the Holy Spirit began baptizing believers into the body. Through this Spirit baptism, believers are identified with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and become joint heirs with Him (Clips 2, 3, 6).
A person must believe the gospel as defined by the Apostle Paul: that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. Les Feldick points out that even familiar passages like John 3:16 need Paul's gospel to bring out the full meaning. The gospel is not merely a general statement about God's love; it is the specific message of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. Faith in that gospel is what the Holy Spirit uses to place a believer into the body of Christ.
No. Les Feldick is clear that no preacher baptizes anyone into the body of Christ and that water baptism is not the means of becoming a member. He also asks whether every person on a church role is a genuinely born-again Christian, implying that church membership does not make someone a member of the body. Only true believers who have believed the gospel are placed into the body by the Holy Spirit. Unbelievers cannot be members.
The Holy Spirit does this automatically and immediately at the moment of belief. Les says, 'the moment we believe,' the Holy Spirit places the believer into the body. It is not a delayed process or something achieved through spiritual discipline. Every true believer, regardless of where they live or how much they have experienced, is a member of the body because the Holy Spirit has baptized them into it.
The body of Christ is an invisible entity with Christ as its Head in heaven and believers as its members on earth. Les describes it as an organism rather than an organization. Believers are joined to Christ and are joint heirs with Him. This union begins as soon as a person becomes a child of God through faith in the gospel.
The Gospel Defined
Les explains that the full gospel is Paul's message — Christ died, was buried, and rose again — and that even John 3:16 needs this gospel to be properly understood. This is the message that must be believed for membership in the body.
How Membership Happens
Les teaches that you do not sign up for the body of Christ and no preacher baptizes you into it. You first believe the gospel, and then the Holy Spirit automatically and immediately places you into the body.
The Beginning of the Body
Les says the body of Christ began when Paul preached the gospel and Gentiles believed by faith alone. At that point, the Holy Spirit baptized them into the body of Christ.
Members Connected to Christ
Les explains that once we become children of God through faith in the gospel, we become members of the body and joint heirs with Christ, who is the Head.
The Spirit Baptizes Every Believer
Les emphasizes that every true believer, not just the spiritual elite, has been baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.
Only True Believers Are Members
Les teaches that church membership does not make someone a member of the body. Only saved, genuine believers are placed into the body by the Holy Spirit.
Baptized Into His Death
Les connects Spirit baptism to the gospel: believers are baptized into Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and by faith experience them spiritually.
All Believers Worldwide
Les teaches that all believers, from the least to the greatest, are members of the one body because the Holy Spirit has placed each of them into it.
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 verse is the clearest statement of how a person becomes a member of the body of Christ — through the Spirit's baptism.
Romans 6:3: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Paul connects Spirit baptism to Christ's death, showing that membership in His body involves identification with His sacrificial death.
Romans 6:4: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
This verse completes the picture of Spirit baptism: believers share in Christ's burial and resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This is the gospel that must be believed for a person to be saved and placed into the body of Christ.
No. Les Feldick teaches that no preacher baptizes anyone into the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit does that work the moment a person believes the gospel. Water baptism is a separate issue and is not the baptism that makes someone a member of the body.
No. Les asks whether every person on a church role is genuinely born again, and he says only saved believers are in the body. An unsaved person cannot be a member of the body of Christ, regardless of church membership.
At the moment of belief. Les says the Holy Spirit automatically and immediately places the believer into the body the moment they believe the gospel. It is not something that happens later.
Every believer. Les emphasizes the word 'all' — all believers, from the least to the greatest, are baptized into the one body by the Holy Spirit. Spiritual maturity does not determine membership in the body.
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