Useful Bible Studies > 1 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 12
Paul’s word-pictures are interesting. Baptism is a ceremony that washes the outside of a person. When a person drinks, however, the water goes inside that person.
The Holy Spirit works in every part of a person’s life. When a person first becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit removes that person’s sins (evil deeds). That is what the ceremony called baptism shows. Even as water washes dirt away, so the Holy Spirit removes a person’s sins. The result is that the person has become one of God’s holy people. That person has begun a relationship both with God and with all other Christians. Paul calls that relationship: ‘the body of Christ’ (12:27).
That relationship is not just for people from one special nation. People from every country can become Christians. It is not just for rich people. The poorest people – even slaves – can become Christians too. Together, they all belong to each other as the body of Christ. They depend on each other and they show love towards each other. This is a wonderful thing that God has done. He has brought all these different people together to show his love to the world.
The Holy Spirit’s work does not end when a person becomes a Christian. The Holy Spirit continues to work inside that person. The Holy Spirit fills that person, and he satisfies that person completely. Jesus too compared the Holy Spirit to a drink (John 4:13-14; John 7:37-39). This is not like a drink that satisfies for just a short time. The Holy Spirit satisfies God’s people now and always. In fact, Jesus added that the Holy Spirit does not just satisfy them. He gives even more than they need. Like a river, the Spirit goes out from them to show God’s love in the world (John 7:38).
Next part: Christians need each other (1 Corinthians 12:14-20)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.