We become members of the body of Christ the moment we believe the gospel, when the Holy Spirit baptizes us into that one body — not by water, church membership, or any human act.
Paul states in 1 Corinthians 12:13 that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. Les Feldick emphasizes that the word 'all' means every believer, not just the most spiritual. This is the Spirit's invisible work at salvation, and no human hand or water baptism can accomplish it. We know it happened because the Book says it did.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — This is the key verse that directly answers the question: by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body.
Romans 6:3 — Paul connects baptism into Jesus Christ with His death, showing the Spirit's work is not water baptism.
In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the human body to explain the body of Christ. Verse 12 says, '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 reveals how believers become part of 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.' In Romans 6:3, Paul also speaks of believers being baptized into Jesus Christ: 'Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?' The Scripture presents this as a spiritual baptism that identifies the believer with Christ, not a water ceremony.
Les Feldick teaches that no one becomes a member of the body of Christ by signing up, joining a local church, or being baptized in water. Rather, the moment a person believes the gospel and becomes a child of God, the Holy Spirit automatically and invisibly baptizes that believer into the body of Christ. Les points to the word 'all' in 1 Corinthians 12:13 and stresses that this includes every believer — not just the most spiritual, not just the elite. He also clarifies that this is an act of God alone; there is no outward manifestation that we feel or see. The only way we know it has happened is because the Book says it did. No unbeliever goes into the body of Christ, regardless of water baptism or local church membership.
Les Feldick asks plainly: 'Does the Holy Spirit baptize with water? No. So this is not water baptism.' He explains that water cannot put anyone into the body of Christ. Being baptized into Jesus Christ and into His body has to be the work of the Spirit of God, not water. A person can be baptized in water and become a member of a local church and still not be in the body of Christ.
Les stresses the word 'all' in 1 Corinthians 12:13. It is not just the most spiritual believers, not just those who say they have arrived, not just the elite. Every born-again believer, regardless of station in life or the kind of experience he has had, is baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. Whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, all are made to drink into that one Spirit. No unbeliever goes into the body of Christ.
Paul compares the body of Christ to the human body. The human body has many members — ten fingers, ten toes, two eyes — yet it is one body. In the same way, Christ's body has many members yet remains one body. All believers are placed into that one body by the Holy Spirit, with Christ as the Head in heaven.
Les teaches that this is another act of God that we never felt. There is no outside manifestation of it. The only way we know it happened is because the Book says it did. Can human hands touch that? No way. It happens in the unseen realm the moment we believe.
Baptized into Jesus Christ, Not by Water
Les shows that being baptized into Jesus Christ cannot mean water baptism, because water cannot put anyone into the body of Christ — that requires the work of the Spirit.
By One Spirit, All Are Baptized into One Body
Les highlights the word 'all' in 1 Corinthians 12:13, explaining that every believer — not just the most spiritual — has been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.
Every Believer Has Been Spirit-Baptized
Les underlines the three-letter word 'all' and says every believer has been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, something human hands cannot touch.
The Body Is Every Born-Again Believer
Les explains that the body of Christ is the universal makeup of born-again believers; no unbeliever is in that body, even if they are water-baptized church members.
Members of the Head in Heaven
Les teaches that believers are members of the one body whose Head is Christ in Heaven, and every true believer has been Spirit-baptized into that body regardless of experience.
An Unseen Act of God
Les says this Spirit baptism is an act of God we never felt and had no manifestation of; we know it happened only because the Book says it did.
The Holy Spirit Baptizes at the Moment of Belief
Les teaches that when a person becomes a believer and a child of God, the Holy Spirit baptizes that person into the Body of Christ — whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free.
The Human Body Analogy
Les uses the human body with many members to illustrate that all believers are baptized or placed into the one body of Christ.
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 as the illustration for the body of Christ, showing many members in one body.
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 central verse explaining how believers become part of the body of Christ — by 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?
This verse shows that the baptism that places us into Christ is a spiritual union with Him in His death, not a water ceremony.
No. Les Feldick teaches that water can't put anybody into the body of Christ. Baptism into the body is the work of the Holy Spirit, not water.
Yes. The word 'all' in 1 Corinthians 12:13 includes every believer, not just the most spiritual. Every born-again believer has been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.
No. Les Feldick is emphatic that no unbeliever goes into the body of Christ. People can be water-baptized and be members of local churches and still be lost, but they are not in the body of Christ.
At the moment a person becomes a believer and a child of God. It is an immediate, invisible act of God that the believer knows about only through Scripture.
Watch the Teaching: Why Grace Is Not a License to Sin — Romans 6 Explained