Dr Paul Allen

The baptism in the Holy Spirit opens the way to many wonderful gifts of God, but it does not provide instant holiness or perfection. Far from it, we must not confuse the gifts of the Spirit with the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit, which Paul lists in Galatians 5:22–33, is evidence not of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, but of conversion or the new birth. (See 1 John 3:14.)  And it is not always quick to appear in the life of a Christian, even one baptised in the Holy Spirit. Just as one may manifest a measure of the fruit of the Spirit, yet experience none of the charismatic gifts, it is also possible (although not desirable) for one baptised in the Holy Spirit to manifest gifts of the Spirit, yet little fruit. But its very nature fruit takes time to produce.  Paul criticised the church at Corinth because he saw little evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, yet he said, “1 give thanks to God always for you…that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift” (1 Corinth...

The Samaritan riddle is the focal point of Dunn's Debate. James D. G. Dunn’s first book, Baptism in the Holy Spirit (1970), claims the New Testament says baptism in the Holy Spirit always occurs simultaneously at conversion-initiation.  In contrast, classical Pentecostals contend that Spirit baptism always occurs subsequent to conversion and is evidenced by tongues-speaking.  They mostly cite Acts 8:4-25 for “subsequence.” It says Philip preached to the Samaritans and they “believed,” but they did not receive the Spirit until Peter and John came days later and laid hands on them. Dunn says the Samaritans and Jesus’ 120 Jewish disciples in Acts 2 were not “Christians” until they were baptised with the Holy Spirit.  Zarley agrees with Pentecostals about subsequence in both cases. But he claims these Samaritans and the Gentiles in Acts 10 were Spirit baptized due to Peter’s presence, using his metaphorical “keys of the kingdom” Jesus had promised to give him in Matt 16:19. A...

Is speaking in Tongue evidence of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit or one of the Spiritual Gifts?  It depends on the theological framework you are coming from: Classical Pentecostalism (e.g., Assemblies of God, Church of God, Pentecostal Holiness) holds to Position 1, emphasizing that the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. This belief is based on passages such as Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-46, and Acts 19:6, where believers spoke in tongues immediately after receiving the Holy Spirit. Charismatic and Some Evangelical Traditions lean toward Position 2, which acknowledges tongues as a sign but does not necessarily insist on it as the only or universal evidence. Some argue that other spiritual gifts can also serve as evidence of being filled with the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Final Analysis: If you are coming from a Pentecostal viewpoint, Position 1 is more accurate because it aligns with the doctrine of initial evidence—a core belief in tradi...

Five hundred years later some Christians seem almost embarrassed about the Reformation . Not me. The Reformation must continue, as it still has work to do. Its cry is essential ‘back to the Bible ’ and ‘away with man-made rules and traditions‘. As such it is a cry that must be heard in every denomination, and every church, in every generation. It is understood that it was the 31st October 1517 when the monk Martin Luther pinned his 95 theses to the door and unleashed a revolution that continues to this day. These theses could each have been a tweet, and they were deliberately intended to spark a debate. They undermined the idea that the Pope was the sole source of authoritative teaching, and encouraged the ordinary man to re-examine official Church teachings. That idea still holds power today and must continue to exert its effects. Just as the printing press enabled the ideas of the Reformation to spread, so the Internet allows the Reformation to continue today. May articles such...