A Glimpse of the Christian

Christ’s “you in Me” prediction has everything to do with Spirit baptism. No Bible truth is more important for understanding the true identity of Christians than this one, yet few Bible teachings have been more distorted and unclear. Dr. Howard Hendricks said, “When Satan blinds people to Bible truth, he always blinds in areas that are crucial, never trivial.” He always blurs those truths that are meant by God to lead us to Christ or the truths that help us to grow in faith.

Satan has attempted to distort the true identity of the Christ by attacking both His deity and His humanity. He has tried to smear the bodily resurrection of Christ. He has worked to blind people to the gospel by persuading men to add human works to the finished work of Christ. He has relentlessly attacked the credibility of the Bible. He also has done a masterful job of distorting the real meaning of the baptism of the Spirit.

There are those who teach that the baptism of the Spirit is a second work of grace, a second blessing that follows the initial salvation experience. They teach that this baptism gives Christians more “spiritual power.” Others say that there are two Spirit baptisms. One is a baptism into the body of Christ; the other is the baptism into the realm of the Spirit. But these views are not correct.

The truth is this: Spirit baptism happens to every believer the moment he or she believes in Jesus Christ. Every Christian is literally identified with Christ. We are forever positioned in Him. This is absolutely miraculous!

Though unseen by human eyes, the very instant we believe in Christ we are removed from Adam the first and immersed into the last Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is at that moment we become a part of His body. This is what Christ meant by His words, “you in Me.”

I agree with David, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is high, I cannot attain it” (Psalm 139:6).

Mrs. Polson, my seventh grade English teacher, made us memorize the being verbs–am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been, have, has, had, do, does, did, shall, will, should, would, may, might, must, can, could. She emphasized the importance of these little words, and I am so glad she did.

Because of the meaning of the being verb are, the passage that reads, “Now you are the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27) makes perfect sense to me. The Christian’s being is that we are the body of Christ. We become a part of His body the moment we are baptized into Him.

How important is this truth? The church of Jesus Christ is built upon it. It is the very basis for our unity as Christians. “For by one Spirit were we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Greeks, bond or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13).

The sense of this verse could read, “For by means of one Spirit were we all baptized into one body.” The Holy Spirit is the one baptizing, and the body of Christ is the target of the baptism.

Paul had asked, “Is Christ divided?” No, He is the head–the authority–of the body. Our head is at this time seated next to the Father in heaven, but His body is here scattered all over the earth. Is the head separate from the body? No! Is Christ proportioned out more to one group than to another? Hardly! The universal body of Christ is one unit. We are all placed into permanent union with Him.

Christ accomplished much while He was here bodily on the earth. Though He has now ascended into heaven, He is still accomplishing His ministry through His body. Though we are gifted differently in the body of Christ and have different roles to play, we are all members of the body. It is ironic that there is a major division among Christians today over the very work that is designed by God to unite us.