---------------
The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the
nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you,
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age"
(Matt. 28:19,20).
--------------------
December 6, 2015
--------------------
Contents:
1) Simon the Sorcerer (W. Curtis Porter)
2) News & Notes
--------------------
-1-
Simon the Sorcerer
by W. Curtis Porter
A number of "Simons" are mentioned in the New Testament. There was
Simon, whose surname was Peter, also called Cephas, who was one of
the twelve apostles of the Lord. In the list of apostles there is
also Simon the Canaanite, or Simon the Zealot, as he is also called.
There was also Simon, a man of Cyrene, who was compelled to bear the
cross of Jesus on the way to Calvary. But the Simon of this lesson
is Simon the sorcerer, whose brief history is given to us in the
eighth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.
This man was in Samaria at the time Philip went there to "preach
Christ unto them." In fact, he had been there for a long time before
Philip went. His work of deception is described for us in Acts
8:9-11. This record tells us this: "But there was a certain man,
called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and
bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some
great one: to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the
greatest, saying, this man is the great power of God. And to him
they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them
with sorceries." Thus we are told that Simon was engaged in the use
of sorcery. Sorcery means the use of magic, necromancy, witchcraft,
soothsaying, fortune-telling, sleight-of-hand tricks, and other such
things. The use of any of these often baffles the minds of men.
Whatever form of sorcery Simon engaged in -- whether simply
sleight-of-hand tricks, some other form of magical arts, the claim
to foretell the future by the aid of divine power, or simply
fortune-telling, he had succeeded in deceiving the people. He had
been "giving out that himself was some great one" and had "bewitched
the people" to such an extent that they had great regard for him and
had concluded that "This man is the great power of God." But it was
all deception. He was not aided by divine power at all and was
simply practicing "fakery" as a means of livelihood, as many others
are doing today.
But Philip went to that city to preach Christ to lost men and women.
In connection with his preaching he actually wrought miracles by the
power that God had given him. He cast unclean spirits "out of many
that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that
were lame, were healed" (v. 7). There were no tricks, schemes,
artifice or deception about this. The people could see the
difference between the tricks of Simon and the miracles of Philip.
Consequently, they "gave heed unto those things which Philip spake,
hearing and seeing the miracles which he did" (v. 6). As a result,
"There was great joy in that city" (v. 8). Furthermore, Luke tells
us in verse 12: "But when they believed Philip preaching the things
concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they
were baptized, both men and women." Not only were the Samaritans
thus converted, Simon the sorcerer was converted too. The inspired
historian informs us in verse 13: "Then Simon himself believed also
and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered,
beholding the miracles and signs which were done." This shows that
Simon became a converted man, a child of God. It points out the fact
that he obtained the salvation of his soul. Jesus had said in Mark
16:16: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." The very
things that Jesus specified in this great commission upon which he
promised to bestow salvation were done by Simon. "He that believeth
and is baptized," said Jesus, "shall be saved." And Luke says that
Simon believed and was baptized. That being true, we can be sure of
the fact that Jesus bestowed the salvation as promised.
Many people do not believe that Simon was saved. They say his
conversion was not genuine, that it was a sham conversion, and that
he never really did what God requires men to do. Well, what do you
think about it? Are you going to take what uninspired men say about
it or what the book divine says? Modern preachers say he did not
believe, that he only pretended to believe; but Luke says, "Simon
himself believed also." Had it been only a pretense, Luke evidently
would have revealed the sham involved. But he did not. He actually
says that Simon believed. Well, that is enough to save any man,
without anything else, according to modern preachers who preach
salvation by faith only. But Simon did more than that -- he believed
and was baptized. If his belief was not genuine, neither was the
faith of the Samaritans. The preceding verse tells us that the
Samaritans believed, and then Luke says that "Simon believed also."
Note that word "also." It means that Simon did what the others did
-- they believed; he believed also. So whatever the Samaritans did,
Simon did; if their faith was genuine, his was genuine too.
Therefore, he did become a child of God, for he did what Jesus said
men must do to be saved.
But following that obedience to the will of God Simon committed sin.
His sin is revealed to us in verses 18 and 19 of this chapter, the
eighth chapter of Acts. I trust you will read it with me. Here is
the way the passage reads: "And when Simon saw that through laying
on of the apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them
money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay
hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost." Incidentally, this shows us
how miraculous gifts were bestowed on men. It was not through the
"laying on of the disciples' hands." That is the way
modern-day-healers would have it. But it was "through laying on of
the apostles' hands." Just any disciple could not lay hands on
others and give them the power to work miracles. No one could do
that but the apostles. That explains why the apostles Peter and John
were sent from Jerusalem to Samaria. Philip, the evangelist, was
already there, and he had been able to work many miracles; but he
could not lay hands on others and give them the Holy Spirit. He was
not an apostle. So two of the apostles came from Jerusalem to lay
hands on the Samaritans and give them such power. Hence, when the
last apostle died and the last man died on whom they had laid hands,
the gift of miracles must have ceased. No man lives today who ever
had the hands of an apostle laid on him; consequently, no man lives
today who has the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit. But Simon
wanted that power and offered to buy it from the apostles with
money. This also shows that such power did not belong to all
disciples, for if it did, he would have had it already; and there
would have been no occasion for him to try to buy it with money. But
he did not have such power. None did except the apostles. So he
tried to purchase it; but in doing so, he sinned.
In referring to this sin Peter said in verse 21: "Thou hast neither
part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight
of God." And at verse 25 he said: "For I perceive that thou are in
the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity." This statement
does not read as I have heard men quote it. Preachers sometimes
quote it like this: "I perceive that thou are yet in the gall of
bitterness and still in the bond of iniquity." It is quoted this way
for the purpose of proving that Simon was never really converted,
that it was all a matter of pretense, and he had never been freed
from his former sins. This would, of course, set aside any
possibility of his being a case of apostasy. It would prove that he
did not fall from grace. And all of that would be true, of course,
if the passage said: "Thou are yet in the gall of bitterness" or
"Thou are still in the gall of bitterness" or "Thou are still in the
bond of iniquity." Surely that would prove that his old sins were
still clinging to him. But it just so happens that the words
"yet" and "still" are not in the passage. Had you ever noticed that?
Look at it again in verse 23. Does it say, "Thou are yet in the gall
of bitterness"? The word "yet" isn't there, is it? But "Thou art in
the gall of bitterness." Does it say, "Thou art still in the bond of
iniquity"? The word "still" is not there, is it? But "Thou art in
the bond of iniquity." So Peter tells him what his condition is now
-- not that he had never been made free from sin. We have already
found that he had, for he did what Jesus said men must do to be
saved.
Besides this, when Peter told him what to do to get forgiveness, he
made a statement that proves that only one sin was charged against
him. Let us read it in verse 22: "Repent therefore of this thy
wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may
be forgiven thee." Notice that "this thy wickedness." The word
"this" is a singular demonstrative pronoun. He was not told to
repent of all the wickedness of his past life, but only of "this
wickedness." His former wickedness had already been forgiven him
upon his obedience to the word of God. But here is a sin he
committed since, and this wickedness is charged against him. And he
was told to repent and pray "that the thought of thine heart may be
forgiven thee." The passage does not even say "that the thoughts of
thine heart may be forgiven," but it says "thought" -- just one. The
only wicked thought charged against him was the thought that the
gift of God could be purchased with money. So the whole story proves
that Simon became a child of God, then sinned, or fell from the
grace, or favor, of God and had to meet certain conditions to have
this sin forgiven.
In the story of Simon, we have, therefore, what we may call the
second law of pardon. It is the law of pardon to the erring child of
God. People have often said that if baptism is for the remission of
sins, then every time a child of God sins he would have to be
baptized again. That might be true if baptism was required of a
child of God. But when Peter commanded men to "be baptized for the
remission of sins" in Acts 2:38, he was talking to alien sinners,
not to children of God. The commandment of baptism belongs to the
law of pardon to the alien sinner. But to the child of God who sins,
God has given a different law that does not include baptism. That
law is shown in this story. Let us read it again: "Repent therefore
of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of
thine heart may be forgiven thee" (v. 22). So the law of pardon to
an erring child of God involves repentance and prayer to God. And,
of course, as other references clearly state, by a confession of
such faults. When the child of God sins he is not to "repent and be
baptized," as alien sinners are required to do, but he must "repent
and pray God" for forgiveness.
Denominational preachers have inaugurated the mourners' bench system
of getting religion and have required alien sinners to "pray through
to salvation." I have often called upon such preachers to give the
passage in God's book in which God ever commanded alien sinners to
pray for forgiveness. In response to that call I have had them
produce Acts 8:22. But this text has no reference to alien sinners.
The language here is spoken to a man who had already obeyed the
gospel of Christ. He had already received the forgiveness of his
alien sins. He was not an alien sinner, but an erring child of God.
You can't take the language addressed to him and apply it to an
alien sinner without wresting the Scriptures. There is no passage in
which God requires alien sinners to pray through to salvation. But
in Acts 22:16 we have the case of an alien sinner, Saul of Tarsus,
who was seeking to be saved. He was engaged in prayer when Ananias,
sent by the Lord, came to him to tell him what to do. If prayer is
the plan for an alien sinner, Ananias should have told him to pray
on. But he did not do so. He stopped the prayer by saying: "And now
why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins,
calling on the name of the Lord." This alien sinner was down
praying, but the man of God told him to tarry no longer in prayer,
to arise, (to get up), and to be baptized that his sins be washed
away. Alien sinners are told to "repent and be baptized for the
remission of sins (Acts 2:38), but they are never told to "repent
and pray God for forgiveness." Children of God who sin are told to
"repent and pray God" that their sins might be forgiven (Acts 8:22),
but they are never told to "repent and be baptized for the remission
of sins." Let us, therefore, not wrest the Scriptures by applying to
aliens or to Christians those things that have no reference to them.
-- Via Bible Banner -- October, 1942
--------------------
-2-
News & Notes
On December 4, Danielle Howard had a dialysis port removed;
for not only will she no longer be needing it, but her doctor also
thinks it had caused the blood clot in her jugular vein, which she
is still being treated for. Though no longer in the hospital,
she is housed nearby for the frequent times she must return for
follow-up exams. Recently, she had five exams in one day,
lasting from about 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It looks like she'll
be home by the 18th of this month.
Deborah Medlock has been in continual pain and not getting
much relief from pain medicines. She has arthritis in her neck
and is now having to use a neck brace. She is also
experiencing continual numbness below her collar bone on her left
side, left shoulder, and left side of her upper back, which reminds
her of the mild stroke she had about a year ago. Her
doctor will soon be running some tests on her: x-rays, CT scan, and
MRI.
Shirley Davis is still housebound and undergoing daily
antibiotic IVs and having pain.
For the WordPress Version of this bulletin:
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/2015/12/08/the-gospel-observer-december-6-2015/
--------------------
The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel, for that is how faith comes
(Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the deity of Christ (John 8:24;
John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9,10; Acts
8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water for the
remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal.
3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21)
6) Continue in the faith; for, if not, salvation
can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
--------------------
Tebeau Street
CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA 31501
Sunday services: 9:00 AM (Bible class); 10 AM & 5 PM
(worship)
Wednesday: 7 PM (Bible class)
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (912) 614-8593
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/go
(Gospel Observer website)
https://thegospelobserver.wordpress.com/
http://ThomasTEdwards.com/audioser.html
(audio sermons)