- #Did simon the sorcerer almost died in the bible how to
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Peter confronts Simon using some pretty strong language: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God” (20-21). They can’t see how strength can arise from adversity. He’s no longer meeting their expectations. When hardships occur, they stop coming and giving, assuming that God has let them down. This didn’t stop a popular minister from authoring a booklet, “How To Write Your Own Ticket With God” (Kenneth Hagin), making it seem as though God were compelled to do our bidding.ĭo people try to bargain with God today? Many people figure that attending worship and giving money to the church is their way of obligating God to give them a comfortable, trouble-free life. A popular American folksong, All My Trials, cautions, “If religion were a thing that money could buy, the rich would live and the poor would die.” God’s power isn’t for sale. In Medieval times the Catholic Church sold indulgences, claiming that people could buy their way out of Purgatory. Yet Simon was trying to buy that which was divine. Simon’s proposal sounds like offering to pay a magician to reveal how he sawed someone in half. He thought that he could purchase this power.
#Did simon the sorcerer almost died in the bible how to
Simon wanted to know how to tap into the power of the Spirit, which he recognized as superior to what he had. Without sincere faith, we can participate in all sorts of religious rituals, yet remain lost. I’ve had many requests for baptism that were little more than “checking the block”, as though water had some special power to save. Is this sincere faith or superstition? We need to examine our motives, our reasons for coming to Christ. Some people say they’re trusting in Christ simply as fire insurance.
#Did simon the sorcerer almost died in the bible movie
Simon reminds me of a guy I saw in a movie he was wearing around his neck a Cross, Star of David, a Buddha, an Islamic Half Moon, and several other religious symbols-he wasn’t taking any chances. It’s easy for new believers to make mistakes when their overall knowledge of Scripture is weak. I wonder how much Simon understood about Christianity beyond the basics. Verse 13 tells us, “Simon believed and was baptized.” Did he exercise real faith, or did he “slip into” the church to gain access to power? What was the basis for his faith-the teaching of the disciples, or the miracles they performed? Did Simon have faith in God, or faith in faith, the “power of belief”? Decide for yourself, for scholars don’t agree and the text is not definitive on this point. He heard the Gospel proclaimed and saw many signs and wonders. The big question over this passage is whether Simon had genuinely converted. Dynamic cult leaders and other false teachers claim special power and insight, deceiving many. Whenever a ministry is focused on a self-exalting personality instead of Christ, there’s a serious problem. Simon boastfully called himself the “Great Power” (vs 10). The big difference between Simon and the disciples is that they gave Christ the credit and attention, not themselves. But when Philip and Peter came to the city, he encountered real power-unmistakable miraculous healings and speaking in tongues, which caught his attention.
Simon the Sorcerer amazed the people of Samaria with his impressive tricks and dynamic personality. People are attracted to entertainment with dazzling special effects. Conversions in the Book of Acts> “Simon the Sorcerer” Acts 8:9-24 Pastor Bob Leroe, Cliftondale Congregational Church, Saugus, Massachusetts
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