Acts 8:9-24
Simon Magus was a sorcerer from Samaria who bewitched people and convinced many that he “was some great one” (Acts 8:9). Along came Philip the evangelist who preached Jesus Christ, and many people believed and were baptized, including Simon himself. His story provides us with a prime example of someone who goes through the motions of salvation, with no real heart change.
Following his baptism, Simon follows Philip around, wondering and beholding at the signs and miracles that are done at Philip’s hand. After hearing about the revival in Samaria, the apostles in Jerusalem send Peter and John to preach of the great and mighty baptism of the Holy Spirit, and Simon watches as people receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. Intrigued by this, Simon offers to pay Peter to give him the same power, thinking that this is some sort of trick that Peter has learned. Peter, of course, will have nothing to do with this and actually says, “Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God” (Acts 8:21).
A true believer is always right in the sight of God, for as Jesus is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). Simon has problems that go beyond his silly request to buy the power of God. Peter perceived that Simon was “in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity” (Acts 8:23). “Bitter gall” is “extreme wickedness” and the “bond of iniquity” are chains of unrighteousness. Peter is describing someone who is unchanged and unsaved.
The final indicator that Simon does not know the Lord is found in verse 24, when he asks Peter to “Pray ye to the Lord for me”. Simon feels no kinship with the Lord, and his wickedness has so distanced him from God that he feels more comfortable having Peter pray to the Lord for him, than he does in going to the Lord on his own. The text gives us no indication that Peter honors this request, for you can pray for no man’s soul but your own.
Simon is not uncommon, for he is an example of the lifestyle of many people in and around the church today. They hear a moving sermon and see others committing themselves to the Lord and they are moved to make some sort of verbal commitment as well. They are intrigued by some of the machinery of the church and they even go so far as to get involved in church programs and ministry work, but somewhere along the way it becomes clear that they are in it for all the wrong reasons. Soon, their wicked and unrighteous intentions come out and they show themselves even unable to converse with the Father, for they do not know Him.
I am not speaking about someone who meets the Lord and then has struggles in their life. These need reinforced that they are God’s righteousness and the knowledge that they are forgiven and not condemned will set them free. I speak of the one who has religion but has no relationship. With this kind, Peter pulled no punches, being quick to expose the hypocrisy for what it was.
There is no salvation by association. Each one of us must come to the Lord for a relationship and surrender our hearts to Him to be washed in His blood. Knowing someone who knows the Lord, or being friends with a preacher just is not enough. True relationship with Jesus bridges the gap caused by sin and makes you feel comfortable talking to your Father, for you know that He loves you and you love Him.
Simon Magus was a sorcerer from Samaria who bewitched people and convinced many that he “was some great one” (Acts 8:9). Along came Philip the evangelist who preached Jesus Christ, and many people believed and were baptized, including Simon himself. His story provides us with a prime example of someone who goes through the motions of salvation, with no real heart change.
Following his baptism, Simon follows Philip around, wondering and beholding at the signs and miracles that are done at Philip’s hand. After hearing about the revival in Samaria, the apostles in Jerusalem send Peter and John to preach of the great and mighty baptism of the Holy Spirit, and Simon watches as people receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. Intrigued by this, Simon offers to pay Peter to give him the same power, thinking that this is some sort of trick that Peter has learned. Peter, of course, will have nothing to do with this and actually says, “Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God” (Acts 8:21).
A true believer is always right in the sight of God, for as Jesus is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). Simon has problems that go beyond his silly request to buy the power of God. Peter perceived that Simon was “in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity” (Acts 8:23). “Bitter gall” is “extreme wickedness” and the “bond of iniquity” are chains of unrighteousness. Peter is describing someone who is unchanged and unsaved.
The final indicator that Simon does not know the Lord is found in verse 24, when he asks Peter to “Pray ye to the Lord for me”. Simon feels no kinship with the Lord, and his wickedness has so distanced him from God that he feels more comfortable having Peter pray to the Lord for him, than he does in going to the Lord on his own. The text gives us no indication that Peter honors this request, for you can pray for no man’s soul but your own.
Simon is not uncommon, for he is an example of the lifestyle of many people in and around the church today. They hear a moving sermon and see others committing themselves to the Lord and they are moved to make some sort of verbal commitment as well. They are intrigued by some of the machinery of the church and they even go so far as to get involved in church programs and ministry work, but somewhere along the way it becomes clear that they are in it for all the wrong reasons. Soon, their wicked and unrighteous intentions come out and they show themselves even unable to converse with the Father, for they do not know Him.
I am not speaking about someone who meets the Lord and then has struggles in their life. These need reinforced that they are God’s righteousness and the knowledge that they are forgiven and not condemned will set them free. I speak of the one who has religion but has no relationship. With this kind, Peter pulled no punches, being quick to expose the hypocrisy for what it was.
There is no salvation by association. Each one of us must come to the Lord for a relationship and surrender our hearts to Him to be washed in His blood. Knowing someone who knows the Lord, or being friends with a preacher just is not enough. True relationship with Jesus bridges the gap caused by sin and makes you feel comfortable talking to your Father, for you know that He loves you and you love Him.
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