Excluding the book of Revelation, I historically have read the book of Acts fewer times than the other books of the New Testament. My excuse was generally because I saw Acts as more of a historical account of the early Church, whereas I viewed the other books of the New Testament as more related to the history and teachings of Christ. I realize that this was not an accurate view of the New Testament in many ways, but these thoughts influenced my Bible reading for several years. However, as each year passes, I discover new and exciting words from God that speak to me, instruct me, and humble me, in each and every book of the Bible. Therefore, today I am much more likely to tackle each book of the Bible, including those of the Old Testament, in equal anticipation, reverence and awe. And for me, I now find that the book of Acts reveals much about Jesus and the Holy Spirit to apply in my life today, as Luke shares the testimony of the early Church and how doctrinal themes were lived out by the Apostles in teachings and in actions. That said, I do not think it will be surprising that my blog today is from Acts 8:9-25, (NIV), and is titled, “Believing, but not Saved”.
“Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, ‘This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.’ They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.’ Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages”.
I think that it is essential to note in this account of Simon, that he heard the “good news of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (V12), and “Simon himself believed and was baptized” (verse 13). However, Peter in chastising Simon stated “You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin’ (verses 21-23). For me, some of the most sobering scripture in the Bible is related to those instances where people are identified as religious, or even having a faith in God, but they are also chastised and they may ultimately still be condemned to hell.
Additionally, it is significant that Simon desired to gain the ability to lay hands on anyone so that they could receive the Holy Spirit, which in and of itself could be considered noble. But Peter recognized that Simon’s motives were not right, and that his heart was not right before God. Therefore, a right heart before God is an essential component of our faith. The condition of our heart is regularly referenced in the Bible, because within our heart is contained our motives and intentions, which then determine our actions. And if we are confident that we know our own heart, or even the heart of others, we should look no further than Jeremiah 17:9-10 that states “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Therefore, we should not simply be confident in the condition of our own heart as we seek God. I think that Pastor John MacArthur provides some insight for us in searching our heart as he notes that Simon did not respond to his faith in humility or seek righteousness, and that he did not demonstrate a distain for sin or have a repentant heart, which are signs of a heart in submission to God.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). I think of these verses in Matthew almost every day because these words help me to come before God in humility and praise Him for saving me by His grace, and not on account or of my own perceived goodness or actions. “Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” are significant words for us to ponder. Additionally, for anyone who is a believer, we need to think seriously and regularly about what it means to humble ourselves before the Lord and to be repentant, to be asking for forgiveness for our sins, and to be seeking righteousness. For Simon believed the word of God and was also baptized, …but ultimately that was not sufficient as his heart was not right with God.
Resources:
MacArthur, John (1994). The MacArthur New Testament Commentary.