In this article Beale argues that some Old Testament and early Jewish references to a heavenly temple in the latter-days have contributed to the depiction of the Holy Spirit appearing as fire and other associated features in Acts 2.
Acts 4:1-41, Acts 8:14-25, Acts 10:1-11:18 and Acts 19:1-17 have all been used to propagate the teaching that after regeneration one must still undergo an experience of baptism by the Holy Spirit. By examining the context of these texts, the author shows that such claims are false.
In addition to the meaning outlined in the previous article, the phrase "baptism in the Spirit" also marks the initiation of each and every believing individual into the blessings of the new covenant.
The phrase "baptism in the Spirit" is used to refer to the inauguration of the new covenant age in its fullness.
Is baptism in the Spirit synonymous with conversion, or is it a subsequent experience? Working from 1 Corinthians 12:13, this article shows that baptism in the Spirit is a once-off experience synonymous to conversion whereby we are assured of our unity with Christ and His church by the Spirit, who enables us to serve one another.
