Baptized By and Drink From the Spirit (12-30-2012)

December 30, 2012 - 1 Corinthians 12:12-14

12:12		就 如 身 子 是 一 個 、 卻 有 許 多 肢 體 、 而 且 肢 體 雖 多 、 仍 是 一 個 身 子 ． 基 督 也 是 這 樣 。
12:13		我 們 不 拘 是 猶 太 人 、 是 希 利 尼 人 、 是 為 奴 的 、 是 自 主 的 、 都 從 一 位 聖 靈 受 洗 、 成 了 一 個 身 體 ． 飲 於 一 位 聖 靈 。
12:14		身 子 原 不 是 一 個 肢 體 、 乃 是 許 多 肢 體 。

¹² 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. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Each believer is a part of Christ's body and we are not functioning or actually living alone without the connection with other parts of the Christ's body. Christians are actually sustained by being part of the body. The amazing truth is that apart from having Christ as the head of the body, Paul stresses that we were all baptized by the Holy Spirit to form one body. The baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to our washing and regeneration that we were given a new life not only individually but in a communal sense - being a part of the body. We believers also drink from the same Spirit - our life being sustained by the Spirit day by day. 

Our dear Spirit, You are not only the One who distributes your gifts to each of us but you are also the Lord of Life, regenerating us that we become part of Christ's body. You are the source of Life that we have to drink from you everyday. Without Spirit's presence in us, the church as the body of Christ becomes lifeless, and the vitality of a believer's life also reduces to human's activity.