- There is one body, but many members.
- 12:12-13. Christ only has one body; it would be monstrous to have two, three, four, five bodies. Put the language issue to one side, there ought not to be Jewish churches, African American churches, white apartheid churches, – not if they are teaching the same gospel.
In 1739-1740 George Whitefield and John Wesley disputed over the doctrine of election. Whitefield was reluctant to dispute with Wesley: ‘I had rather die than see a division between us’.
- Christians are baptised into one Spirit.
- John the Baptist refers to this in all four Gospels – Matt.3:11 (Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33). This was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost
- Acts 1:4-5. This is not building a second storey; it is lighting up the first storey.
- Baptism, sealing, and being baptised into the Spirit.
- Baptism into the Spirit. This happens at conversion.
- Sealed by the Spirit. Ephesians 1:13; 4:30. That can only refer to a Christian.
- Being filled with the Spirit. This is not a permanent experience but one that can be repeated – Acts 4:8; 13:8-11; Eph.5:18.
- In 1802 Christmas Evans, who was already a Christian came to see that ‘the most important things in Christ’s kingdom are righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.’ On a mountainous Welsh road, Evans cried out to the Lord for three hours to have the joy of his salvation restored.
Philip Doddridge:
O may Your Spirit seal our souls,
And mould them to Your will,
That our weak hearts no more may stray,
But keep Your precepts still.