Was Simon the Sorcerer a Genuine Believer in Acts 8:13?

[Pastor Scott Markle]

Was Simon the Sorcerer a Genuine Believer in Acts 8:13?
(This thread has been started due to a request by another from another thread.)

Acts 8:5-25 -- "Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.  And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.  For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.  And there was great joy in that city.  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.  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.  Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)  Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.  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.  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.  Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.  And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans."

[Pastor Scott Markle]

I myself believe that Simon the sorcerer was indeed a genuine believer in Acts 8:13.  The evidence for my position is as follows:

1.  He also believed Philip's preaching "concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ," just as the believers in Acts 8:12.
2.  The Holy Spirit of God Himself, who certainly knows the reality of an individual's heart, reported that Simon "also believed."
3.  Philip accepted Simon's decision of belief; for he baptized Simon, just as he had the other believers.
4.  Simon "continued with Philip" as Philip engaged in his ministry of the gospel.

Edited April 14, 2016 by Pastor Scott Markle
grammar

[heartstrings]

#5 Being "in the gall of bitterness" he repented and basically entreated for forgiveness after Peter had rebuked him. That's remarkably humble for a man who had just been very exalted, powerful and proud. I think he made his first mistake as a "baby Christian" and passed the test.

[Pastor Scott Markle]

Now, there are some who would hold that Simon the sorcerer is an example of a "false believer," such as supposedly described by the "stony ground" in the parable of the sower, who received the word of the gospel with joy and gladness, and who endured for a short time, but who "in time of temptation" fell away.  Are there any such proponents on the forum?

Furthermore, there are some who would hold that Simon's request of Peter to pray for him should not be considered as genuine repentance because he did himself express a prayer of repentance unto the Lord God.  Are there any such proponents on the forum?

[Invicta]

I think this is a difficult one. He did not pray for forgiveness but asked Peter to pray for him.  I have had people who asked for prayer for them but would not pray for themselves. He is the one from whom we get the word "Simony", paying for religious office,rife in the RCC. He is known as Simon Magus in history and there are many stories about him but if any of them are true I don't know.  So I am undecided.

[Ukulelemike]

I have spent a lot of time arguing this with people. I agree, I believe he was a true believer. I have had people argue about extra-biblical writings that declare him to have later gone off and dragged people into great heresies and false doctrines, showing he was a fake. My response is, I take the Bible at its word-it declared that he believed and was baptized and followed. That he fell into old habits of trying to purchase the next level, as he understood it from his time as a sorcerer, is not a shock-he was a new, immature Christian with baggage that needed removing, and the Lord used this opportunity to do so.  Personally, I would hate to forever be judged by some ignorant things I did as a new believer.

1 minute ago, Invicta said:

I think this is a difficult one. He did not pray for forgiveness but asked Peter to pray for him.  I have had people who asked for prayer for them but would not pray for themselves. He is the one from whom we get the word "Simony", paying for religious office,rife in the RCC. He is known as Simon Magus in history and there are many stories about him but if any of them are true I don't know.  So I am undecided.

I deal with new believers all the time who don't know how to pray-were I to rebuke them about something as serious as we see here, how else is a new believer who may not know HOW to pray, respond? I see his asking for prayer from Peter as great humility and a repentant heart.

[Invicta]

2 minutes ago, Ukulelemike said:

I have spent a lot of time arguing this with people. I agree, I believe he was a true believer. I have had people argue about extra-biblical writings that declare him to have later gone off and dragged people into great heresies and false doctrines, showing he was a fake. My response is, I take the Bible at its word-it declared that he believed and was baptized and followed. That he fell into old habits of trying to purchase the next level, as he understood it from his time as a sorcerer, is not a shock-he was a new, immature Christian with baggage that needed removing, and the Lord used this opportunity to do so.  Personally, I would hate to forever be judged by some ignorant things I did as a new believer.

Granted, but only God will judge forever, that is why |I said |I was undecided.

[Ukulelemike]

Agreed. But again, we should judge by the Bible and it says specifically that he believed and was baptized. If they baptized him, my thought would be that they elieved his salvation to be true. BUt you're right, it is God who will judge once and for all time.

[Pastor Scott Markle]

8 minutes ago, Ukulelemike said:

Agreed. But again, we should judge by the Bible and it says specifically that he believed and was baptized. If they baptized him, my thought would be that they elieved his salvation to be true. BUt you're right, it is God who will judge once and for all time.

Indeed.  And WHO authored that portion of the Scriptures?  Well, the human penman was Luke.  But the divine author was the HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF.  The Holy Spirit Himself CANNOT be fooled by a "false belief" or a "false profession."
 

12 minutes ago, Ukulelemike said:

Personally, I would hate to forever be judged by some ignorant things I did as a new believer.

I can agree wholeheartedly to that!!!!

Edited April 14, 2016 by Pastor Scott Markle

[Invicta]

Simon was baptized by Philip but later Peter said

20  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

[Ukulelemike]

1 hour ago, Invicta said:

Simon was baptized by Philip but later Peter said

20  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

What he had no part nor lot in was not eternal life, but the work of the apostles, the gift to lay hands on someone and they would receive the Holy Ghost; he thought, from his past time as a sorcerer, in which to gain new powers and spells, it was necessary to buy them, that it worked the same way-he was dangerously wrong, and was rebuked for it, and so he should have been, but it doesn't mean he was lost, just still in serious error.

[Invicta]

for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

Perhaps he repented