The baptism in 1 Corinthians 12 is the Holy Spirit's baptism — the Spirit Himself baptizes every believer into the body of Christ, not a water baptism performed by human hands.
Les Feldick identifies 1 Corinthians 12:13 as the only valid baptism for this age of grace. It is not water baptism, because the Holy Spirit is the one doing the baptizing and human hands cannot touch it. Every believer, regardless of spiritual maturity or background, is included in this baptism into the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — This is the key verse directly answering the question — by one Spirit, every believer is baptized into one body.
1 Corinthians 12:12 — Paul introduces the body analogy that identifies the body of Christ into which the baptism places believers.
The passage plainly states that the baptized body is the body of Christ. 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. 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" (1 Corinthians 12:12–13). The verse identifies the Spirit as the agent of baptism and says "we all" are the recipients. Paul then adds, "For the body is not one member, but many" (1 Corinthians 12:14), making clear that this one body is composed of many individual members.
Les Feldick teaches that the baptism in 1 Corinthians 12 is the Holy Spirit's baptism and the only valid baptism for this age of grace (Clips 0, 4). It is not water baptism, because the Holy Spirit does not baptize with water and human hands cannot touch this baptism (Clips 0, 3). Les points out that the word "Spirit" in 1 Corinthians 12:13 is capitalized, referring to the Holy Spirit, and that every believer — not just the most spiritual — has been baptized by that one Spirit into the body of Christ (Clips 2, 3, 6). This includes Jews and Gentiles, bond and free (Clips 4, 6).
No. Les Feldick is emphatic that the baptism in 1 Corinthians 12 is not water baptism. He points out that the Holy Spirit does not baptize with water, and water baptism cannot place a person into the body of Christ or give new life (Clips 0, 3). Water baptism is administered by human hands, but the baptism in 1 Corinthians 12 is one that human hands cannot touch (Clip 0).
The Holy Spirit performs the baptism. Les stresses that the word "Spirit" in 1 Corinthians 12:13 is capitalized, showing it is the Holy Spirit. By that one Spirit, believers are baptized into the body of Christ (Clips 2, 3). No pastor, priest, or religious authority performs this baptism; it is entirely the Spirit's work.
Every believer. Les underlines the word "all" in verse 13 and says it is not just the most spiritual believers or those who say they have arrived — every believer is included (Clips 2, 4, 6). This includes Jews and Gentiles, bond and free (Clips 4, 6). The baptism is not limited to a special class of Christians.
The baptism places the believer into the body of Christ. Les uses Paul's analogy of the human body, which has many members — like a toe or an ear — yet is one body under central control (Clips 1, 2). Every believer is a member of that one body, and the body is not one member but many (Clips 1, 7).
The Only Valid Baptism for This Age of Grace
Les teaches that the baptism Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 12 is the baptism of the Holy Spirit and is the only valid baptism for believers in this age of grace — one that human hands cannot touch.
John's Water Baptism vs. Future Spirit Baptism
Les connects John's water baptism with the future Spirit baptism and uses the body analogy: as the body has many members, believers are one body in Christ.
Every Believer Baptized by the Holy Spirit
Les points out that in 1 Corinthians 12:13 "Spirit" is capitalized, and the "all" means every believer has been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ — human hands cannot touch this baptism.
The Holy Spirit Does Not Baptize With Water
Les notes that the one Holy Spirit baptizes all believers into one body, and since the Spirit does not baptize with water, this is not water baptism.
The Spirit Baptism Places Us Into the Body
Les teaches that at the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit immediately places the believer into the body of Christ — a baptism with no water involved, guaranteeing that we are Christ's, whether Jew or Gentile.
Baptized Into Jesus Christ and His Death
Les connects the Spirit's baptism with Romans 6 — believers are engulfed into the body of Christ and share in His death and resurrection through faith.
Baptism Means Totally Engulfed
Les explains that being baptized into the body of Christ means being totally engulfed; every believer — Jew or Gentile, bond or free — is included and made to drink of the one Spirit.
The Holy Spirit as Baptizer for This Age
Les contrasts early Acts, where Jesus is the baptizer for Jews, with Paul's teaching that now the Holy Spirit is the baptizer, placing believers into the 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.
Paul introduces the comparison of the church to the human body in answering how believers are united.
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 on the question — it names the one Spirit, the 'all' who are baptized, and the one body into which they are baptized.
1 Corinthians 12:14: For the body is not one member, but many.
Paul reinforces that the body into which believers are baptized has many members, not just one.
No. Les teaches that the Holy Spirit is the one doing the baptizing, and the Spirit does not baptize with water. This baptism places every believer into the body of Christ and is something human hands cannot perform.
Every believer. Les emphasizes the word "all" in verse 13 — not just the most spiritual believers, but all believers, whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, are baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.
It means the Holy Spirit engulfs the believer into the body of Christ. Using the human body as an analogy, every member is connected to the same body, and no member is separate from the rest.
Watch the Teaching: Water Baptism vs. Spirit Baptism: What Places You in the Body of Christ?