easter, with these 4 puzzle pieces in mind we can have some idea of what beliefs about the Holy Ghost are correct.
the 4 puzzle pieces:
1. receiving the Holy Ghost can happen post belief.
2. the Holy Ghost can fill a person multiple times.
3. signs such as tongues can accompany someone being filled/receiving the Holy Ghost
4. this Holy Ghost was promised to as many as the Lord our God shall call.
We can see from point 1. that anyone who speaks of the Holy Ghost as something that can never happen post belief is not speaking of the Holy Ghost that Acts is speaking of.
Some will try to tie the Holy Ghost of Acts into being born of the spirit from (
John 3:5). To me this connection makes no sense when it is realized that the Holy Ghost of Acts can fill the same person multiple times as point 2. asserts. Birth is a one time thing. Birth of the Spirit is not something that seems like it ought to ever happen multiple times.
Since some of the believers in the bible received the Holy Ghost with signs such as tongues (from 3.) it seems reasonable to conclude that some of the believers today will receive the Holy Ghost with signs such as tongues.
The Holy Ghost of Acts, the one that can come post belief, post baptism, can be accompanied with signs and can fill a person multiple times was promised to all believers. So if someone mentions the Holy Ghost and leaves no place for it to do any one of these things then I don't think they are speaking of the Holy Ghost from Acts.
*note that there is one argument that would elimanate the signs and wonders accompanying the Holy Ghost for believers today. The argument comes from
1 Corinthians 13:8-10...
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But
when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
If that which is perfect has come then all the things mentioned will have been done away with. Personally I don't believe that which is perfect has come. (I always thought this was speaking of Jesus' second coming.) Some people take it to mean the new testament part of the bible. I personally can't see it that way at all because I think we still know in part.