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Salvation
There is no question that a number of the believers in the very early church believed first, unto salvation, and then later received the Holy Spirit. Pentecostals contend that this was a pattern intended to be repeated throughout the life of the church. Most Pentecostals believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a recognizable event, separate and subsequent to salvation, that is always accompanied by the physical evidence of speaking in tongues. I don't think there is sufficient biblical evidence to support that. I'm going to try to explain my beliefs with scripture references.
First of all, Jesus taught that being born again or baptized of the Holy Spirit is required to enter the kingdom of God, and, therefore, not separate from salvation.
"Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” Mark 16:16
I believe that if one takes the entire gospel message AND Acts together in context, the most logical understanding is that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit chronicled in Acts was the final part of God's salvation plan. Jesus came to earth, lived a flawless human life, promised the Holy Spirit to His followers, died on the cross with our sins on His shoulders, rose again victorious over death, told his disciples again to wait for the Holy Spirit, ascended into heaven, then sent the Holy Spirit as promised. Once the Spirit had been given to believers in Christ, it was and has been available since, upon salvation, to all believers.
John the Baptist, speaking of Jesus, said "I indeed have baptized you with water: but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." Mark 1:8.
Later, in Acts 1:4-5, Jesus makes it clear that what would happen at Pentecost was exactly the same baptism in the Holy Spirit that John the Baptist talked about so many years earlier. "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
It was part of God's plan from the beginning to send the Spirit to His believers, but not until the right time...
Check out John 7:38-39. "He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)" This says that whoever believes in Christ will receive the Holy Spirit. It also explains that the reason Jesus' followers did not yet have the Holy Spirit was because Jesus had not yet risen from the grave and ascended to heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father. That was why their baptism in the Holy Spirit was subsequent to their belief. Ours is not. Jesus has already been glorified.
In John 14:16-17, Jesus promises the Spirit to all of His believers. "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
I believe the Bible is quite clear that EVERYONE who repents, believes and confesses the name of Jesus Christ WILL receive the Holy Spirit. "Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Acts 2:38-39. Well, these are the same requirements for salvation are they not? Anyone who repents and is baptized SHALL receive the Holy Ghost and the remission of sins. Peter also made it clear that this promise was for anyone and everyone throughout time.
I do not know of one single scriptural example after Acts of a believer who had not yet been baptized in the Spirit. All of the instruction given to us in the Pauline letters assumes that everyone has the Spirit. e.g. "But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God...Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." 1 Corinthians 2:10,12
Now, it is evident that people in the early church were baptized in the Spirit at different times in different places. Pentecostals will argue that this is evidence of a pattern to be continued. On the contrary, I believe the places and timings were to suit God’s purposes. In Acts 8:14-24, Peter and John visit believers in Samaria who had already been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, but had not yet received the Spirit. Peter and John laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. A converted sorcerer offered to pay them money to have the same power; that anyone he laid hands on might receive the Holy Spirit. Peter rebuked him soundly for misunderstanding the gift from God. This served a purpose. It was part of God’s sovereign plan. The elapsed time between the first and last episode of Spirit baptism subsequent to faith recorded in the Bible is relatively short in the scheme of things. I believe that all of the different occurrences in Acts of people being filled with the Holy Spirit were all part of that initial outpouring of the promised Comforter on those who believed. It was the completion of the salvation plan. Now, praise the Lord, it is part of the package.
Now, what of the fact that almost all of the documented cases of baptism in the Spirit are accompanied by speaking in tongues? Perhaps again, it suited the Lord's purposes at the time. Perhaps it was the most recognizable way for the Spirit to announce His presence. That way there was no doubt in the minds of the believers or witnesses of what had happened. Take Acts 10 for example. After a vision from God, Peter and some brothers visited some Gentiles in Caesarea to deliver the gospel message. While Peter was standing there talking, the gentiles began to be baptized in the Spirit, speaking in tongues and magnifying God. This removed any doubt from Peter and the witnesses’ minds that God had granted salvation to the gentiles. However, not every believer who receives the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues. Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians that the gifts are given as the Spirit sees fit (1 Corinthians 12:11).
One person may have one gift, another will have a different gift. "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
And Paul lists speaking in tongues last or next to last in importance among the gifts of the Spirit. "And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts" 1 Corinthians 12:28-31a
Now, if you're with me so far, I believe that we receive or are baptized in the Holy Spirit concurrent with salvation. In fact, I believe it is an integral and inseparable part of the salvation process. And I believe that it will be accompanied by an enduement of power and giftings of the Spirit, but not necessarily by speaking in tongues.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8. I believe that the power promised here and the responsibility for witnessing that accompanies it belong to every believer who has a saving relationship with Christ. We just need to know how to submit to Christ’s Lordship and tap into that power.
Now, having said all of that, I believe that the Holy Spirit can and should still be as active in the lives of believers today as He was in the early church. “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams” Acts 2:17 "And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Mark 16:17-18
To experience all that God has to offer us, we need to obey His commands, spend time in His Word, love Him with all of our heart, mind and strength, and pray fervently. We need to be yielded to the Spirit. We shouldn't seek the gifts, but instead seek the Giver. Pray for the Spirit to use you to edify the church. You may prophecy. You may be led to heal someone. You may be gifted with supernatural wisdom, knowledge or faith. And yes, you may speak in tongues (although Paul teaches that it should only be done in church when accompanied by a translation, "If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God." 1 Corinthians 14:27-28) You may be given one gift that you use frequently, or the Holy Spirit may give you different gifts at different times when He needs you to use them. The important thing is to be yielded and seek to know and do the will of the Lord God.