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NASB | 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one [Holy] Spirit we were all baptized into one body, [spiritually transformed--united together] whether Jews or Greeks (Gentiles), slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one [Holy] Spirit [since the same Holy Spirit fills each life]. [Rom 3:22; Gal 3:28] |
Subject: Baptism of the Holy Spirit after reborn? |
Bible Note: Thank you for your encouragement in reference to the different sources of "baptism" as referred to in Scripture. Upon reviewing our earlier notes, I realized that I hadn't responded to your question about how someone might see 1 Cor 14 as referring to human tongues, and I wanted to clarify how it is possible (I would even say more accurate) to view it in this way. First please allow me to paraphrase some verses from 1 Corinthians 14 to provide a background. The point of 1 Corinthians 14:2 (actually vv.2-5 at a minimum) isn't that there is something mysterious in tongues that is impossible to understand naturally. The point is that tongues are not given for the purpose of revelation (as is prophecy) but rather for the purpose of pure Spiritual prayer and worship uncorrupted by human interpretation. The flow is from God the Spirit through the gifted believer and back to God; in this process, the speaker is edified in spirit only by this act of pure (unsullied by any fleshly interpretation) thanksgiving, prayer and-or worship. Prophecy, in contrast, flows from God the Spirit through the gifted believer and out to the congregation; by its very nature, spoken prophecy edifies the hearer(s) as well as the speaker. Let me also paraphrase verses 13-19. The only way that others (or even the mind of the speaker) can participate in the edifying worship of a tongue (language) is if they can understand it. If there is no one to interpret, the speaker is to simply remain silent, since his gift is useless in offering true edification to others (vv.27-28). [Paul is writing to a group of believers living in a given city, as opposed to many visitors from various languages converging for worship (as at Pentecost). It is natural to assume that they speak the same language(s), and there would be nothing to identify the prayers as coming directly from God if they were spoken in a language common to all there and known by the speaker. Likewise, there is nothing to identify the language as anything but barbarian mumbling with no meaning or purpose, unless someone understands.] Finally, in verses 10-11, Paul specifically and explicitly links this practice to "languages in the world" -- the speakers of which are unintelligible barbarians to those who can't understand them. This explanation is right in the midst of Paul's exhortation about correct use of tongues and, therefore, logically clarifies them as being human languages. While one may potentially disagree, this is a most direct reading of the context, not an invented interpretation. As a side note, I find that Pentecost (while a somewhat unique situation in which this gift was specifically accompanied by the first filling of the Spirit, physical tongues of fire, Peter's first reported sermon, and a great number of new converts) also meets the guidelines and descriptions laid out in 1 Corinthians 14. The tongues were used for worship, were real languagues, and were interpreted by someone present. However, the parallel is limited. In 1 Corinthians 12-14, there is no connection of tongues (or the other gifts mentioned) with the filling or baptism of the Spirit. They were linked at Pentecost, but this does not appear to be the norm. |