![]() This point is well established in the Roman epistle. The word of God still had to be proclaimed. The Spirit's ministry did not make redundant the ministry of Paul and his fellow workers. He asks, "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants through whom you came to believe." (1 Corinthians 3:5) It was through the teaching given by Paul and Apollos that they "came to believe." What was happening when Paul and Apollos were teaching? Through the message they proclaimed the Holy Spirit worked in the heart of those who heard and helped them to believe hence their confession that "Jesus is Lord" is attributed to the Spirit. The apostle Paul writes: "No one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:3) How does the Holy Spirit enable us to make that confession of faith? Earlier in his epistle Paul reminds the Christians how they had come to faith in Jesus Christ. How does the Spirit baptise us into the one body of Christ? We will arrive at a correct answer when we compare Scripture with Scripture. Through his ministry the Spirit: (1) convicts us of our sinfulness, (2) enlightens our understanding, (3) illuminates our spiritual darkness, (4) teaches us about the Lord Jesus Christ, (5) shows us our need for the Saviour, (6) moves us to obedience and (7) baptises us into the one body of Christ. Everyone in the body of Christ has been placed there by the Spirit, who is involved in conversion from beginning to end. Unity and diversity are from God and can exist in harmony. The direction of Paul's teaching in chapter twelve is twofold: (1) the body of Christ is one body and (2) within that one body there is diversity. Now that the Spirit has come, he resides in the heart of every believer and, in his sovereignty, he distributes spiritual gifts "just as he determined." (1 Corinthians 12:11) (See also Why Be Baptised?) This article builds on two previous articles which dealt with the words of Jesus: "you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit." Briefly, Jesus' words were fulfilled on Pentecost when he was glorified and gave the Holy Spirit. One spirit free#"For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1 Corinthians 12:13) ![]()
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