In a world filled with people who have different outlooks, different opinion, and different philosophies, it is little wonder why we don’t experience more division that we do?!  The Family of God is not left without aid in this need for unity, because God has sent His Spirit to indwell the hearts of his children, to draw us into a family larger than our own preferences.

We will look at Paul’s emphasis in the context of educating the church on spiritual giftedness, to see the role of the Spirit’s indwelling as accomplished through our baptism into the family of God; our baptism, not of water but of the Holy Spirit Himself.

1 Corinthians 12:12-1312

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

1. The Baptism of the Spirit marks our unity with Christ and our entrance into His body: the church.
2. The Baptism of the Spirit is different from water baptism.
3. The Baptism of the Spirit is when the Spirit takes up residence in your body.
4. The Baptism of the Spirit happens after you believe the gospel.
5. The Baptism of the Spirit marks the moment of your regeneration and new birth.
6. The Baptism of the Spirit ought not be confused with the filling of the Spirit
   • Baptism is a 1 time event, filling is a continual event
   • Baptism is permanent, filling is temporal
   • Baptism is not experiential, filling is experiential
   • Baptism is a gift, filling is a command

Conclusion & Application:

1. United with Christ = You cannot continue unrepentant in sin.
2. United in into one body = You must have a hunger for the Word of God and the people of God.
3. United with believers = You must have a growing love for your neighbor.
4. United by the Spirit = You must have a growing affection & connection for the things of God, not the things of earth.