1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.”
Without the Holy Spirit we cannot be baptized into Christ, for as revealed in the above quoted passage of scripture, He is the one who immerses us into the body of Christ. This same passage also reveals to us that as believers that we have all been made to drink into one Spirit. What that means is that just as every born-again believer has been baptized into Christ, so it is that every born-again believer has also become a partaker of the Holy Spirit. In other words every born-again believer has in effect received the Holy Spirit, and they therefore have the Holy Spirit residing on the inside of them.
Romans 8:14-16 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. … (16) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”
So what is the role of the Holy Spirit for one who is baptized into Christ? Scripture reveals several roles that the Holy Spirit fulfils in the life of the believer. One of those roles, as revealed in the above quoted passage of scripture is that the Holy Spirit witnesses with our spirits that we are children of God. And so no Christian should ever doubt their salvation, because the Holy Spirit, Who is the third person of the Godhead, assures our spirits within us that we are His children. This same portion of scripture also reveals to us that as sons of God that it is the Holy Spirit Who leads us, and He does so by bearing witness with our spirits. So what does that mean? It simply means that the Holy Spirit guides us in all the affairs of life, for God is interested in every area of our lives. And so as we learn to follow His leading and guidance we will begin to walk in His perfect will for our lives.
Michael E.B. Maher
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