Baptism changes direction completely: Jesus is no longer the baptizer; the Holy Spirit now baptizes believers into Christ.
In the Gospels and early Acts, Jesus is the baptizer, placing believing Jews into the power of the Holy Spirit. In Paul's teaching, the Holy Spirit is the baptizer, placing believers — mainly Gentiles — into Christ. Les Feldick calls it a complete 180-degree turn in operation.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — Paul's key statement that the Holy Spirit baptizes believers into the Body of Christ, which is the contrast to Jesus baptizing with the Spirit.
Acts 1:5 — Jesus promised His disciples that they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
1 Corinthians 10:1-2 — Shows that biblical baptism can be a non-water event — Israel was baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist said that the Coming One 'shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.' In Acts 1:5, Jesus told His disciples, 'For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.' Paul's letters use the same word in a different direction. 1 Corinthians 12:13 declares, '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.' Romans 6:3-4 also speaks of being 'baptized into Jesus Christ' and 'buried with him by baptism into death.' And Paul calls Israel's crossing of the Red Sea a baptism, saying they 'were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.'
Les says there is a 'complete, 180-degree turn in operation.' While God was dealing with national Israel, Christ was the baptizer. He was placing Jews who believed into the power of the Holy Spirit so they could perform the signs and miracles that continued His earthly ministry. When Israel rejected that program, God turned to the Gentiles and everything flipped. From then on, the Holy Spirit is the baptizer and He places believers into Christ.
In the Gospels and the early chapters of Acts, the focus is the nation of Israel. Jesus promised that the disciples would be baptized with the Holy Ghost (Acts 1:5). Les explains that Christ is the baptizer, placing believing Jews into the power of the Holy Spirit for signs and miracles that would continue His earthly ministry. This is before the 'complete flip' that appears in Paul's letters.
Paul's only explicit teaching on Spirit baptism is 1 Corinthians 12:13: 'For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.' Les says this happens at salvation, when the Holy Spirit places us into the Body of Christ. In Romans 6, being 'baptized into Jesus Christ' means being engulfed or inundated into His death, burial, and resurrection — and Les points out that water baptism cannot accomplish that. Only the power of God gives new life.
Les uses the word 'engulfed' to explain the biblical sense of baptism. Israel's crossing of the Red Sea is called a baptism, yet they were on dry ground (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). Jesus called His coming suffering and death a baptism (Luke 12:50). So when Paul says believers are baptized into Christ and into His death, the idea is being placed under or engulfed by those realities — not being dipped in water.
Will God Restore the Kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6 Explained
and 10 ready to mail out at least by the time this gets on the air. And we just again want to thank everybody that has a part in that. Now for explanation, our videotapes are twelve succeeding programs, twelve half hour programs on one six hour tape. And we call that tape number one. The next twelve programs will be another tape number two, and so forth.
The Complete Flip: Christ → Holy Spirit as Baptizer
Les teaches that as Israel's program fell apart, the operation flipped 180 degrees: the Holy Spirit became the baptizer and now places believers into Christ.
Early Acts: Jesus Baptizes Jews into the Holy Spirit
In the early part of Acts, Jesus is the baptizer who places Jews into the power of the Holy Spirit; Paul later flips this so the Holy Spirit places predominantly Gentiles into Christ.
Paul's Spirit Baptism into the Body of Christ
Les says the only time Paul teaches Holy Spirit baptism is at salvation, when the Spirit places a person into the Body of Christ — with no water involved.
Romans 6 Baptism Is Not Water Baptism
Les argues that being buried with Christ by baptism cannot be water baptism because water cannot give new life; it is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Baptism as Engulfment: Jesus' Death and the Red Sea
Baptism in Scripture can refer to being placed under something, as Jesus was placed under His death and Israel was identified with Moses — not always water.
Being Engulfed into Christ's Death
Paul says believers were baptized or engulfed into Jesus Christ and into His death, so we spiritually died, were buried, and rose with Him.
Israel's Red Sea Baptism into Moses and the Cloud
Israel's passage through the Red Sea was called a baptism even though it was not water baptism; they were placed under Moses' leadership and the Shekinah cloud.
Acts 1:5: For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Jesus promises the apostles that they will soon be baptized with the Holy Spirit, showing the early Jewish emphasis.
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.
Paul shows the Spirit as the baptizer who places believers into the Body of Christ.
Romans 6:3-4: 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.
Baptism into Christ means identification with His death and resurrection.
1 Corinthians 10:1-2: Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
Paul calls Israel's Red Sea crossing a baptism, even though they were on dry ground.
Luke 12:50: But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
Jesus uses baptism to refer to His coming suffering and death, not water.
No. Les Feldick points to 1 Corinthians 10:1-2, where Israel's passage through the Red Sea is called a baptism even though they were on dry ground. He also notes that Jesus called His coming suffering and death a baptism. The basic idea is being engulfed or inundated, not necessarily dipped in water.
The Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul says, 'For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.' Les explains that this is the work of the Holy Spirit at salvation, placing the believer into Christ — with no water involved.
In the Gospels and early Acts, Jesus is the baptizer who would place believing Jews into the Holy Spirit's power. In Paul's ministry, the Holy Spirit is the baptizer who places believers into Christ. Les calls it a complete 180-degree turn in operation.
Watch the Teaching: Will God Restore the Kingdom to Israel? Acts 1:6 Explained