Dear Friends,
Greetings in Christ!
In Part I, Philip went to Samaria to preach the gospel. Among those whom Philip encountered was a sorcerer named Simon.
As we continue, the Samaritans are receiving the gospel and getting baptized. Simon the sorcerer will get baptized as well. It seems he has people fooled, in much the same way that Judas had people fooled, but things get interesting when Peter and John arrive. Let’s see what happens.
Father, we are living in the age of deceit. Fill us with your Holy Spirit and give us wisdom and discernment as we read your word, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Acts 8:12-24
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.
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.
The sorcerer, Simon, ‘believed’ but so does Satan. Belief is not enough. Repentance — a change of mind — is necessary to become a true disciple and Simon did not repent. What we have here is a tare among the wheat. (Matt 13:24-30)
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
If Peter was the first pope, why was he sent by the other apostles? A pope would have been the one to do the sending.
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon [Gk ep] none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
In the notes on Acts 1:1-14, I mentioned the view that there can be a separate experience after conversion when believers receive an additional filling of the Holy Spirit. The above verses agree with this view. There was certain Greek scholar who pointed to the preposition “epi” in verse 16 to make this point. Oftentimes in the Bible, the Holy Spirit comes upon an individual to empower him for service. (If you want to serve God, this is an absolute necessity.)
I have witnessed this phenomenon firsthand in my own life, as well as in the lives of many others. Sometimes someone says the prayer, believes, and starts reading the Bible and going to church — yet there is no visible sign that anything happened. Other times, immediately after someone says the prayer, there is a visible change. Sometimes they cannot stop smiling. Sometimes they are bewildered, wondering what just happened to them. Sometimes they immediately sober up and pour out their drink. In the early church, one of the visible signs was speaking in tongues. I believe this can still happen today, but I myself have never seen someone speak in tongues after receiving Christ.
In some churches, people are told that speaking in tongues is ‘proof’ of the Holy Spirit. So what happens is people force themselves to speak gibberish. In other words, if it doesn’t come naturally (ie supernaturally), don’t bother.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
This is where we get the term, ‘simony’, the practice of buying a religious title or office, named so after Simon the sorcerer, who tried to buy the power to dispense the Holy Spirit.
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.
Was Peter too harsh? Telling Simon the sorcerer his money was going to burn along with him? Of course not. Jesus preached this way to the Pharisees in Matthew 23, and it worked. Some of them became believers. (Jude 23)
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Peter does not pull any punches. He sees Simon for what he is and Peter protects the flock by publicly rebuking the sorcerer (cf II Tim 2:17f). He also tells Simon the key to escaping the judgment he is heading for: He needs to repent.
24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
Acts 8:12-24
Simon sounds convincing with his pious request for prayer, but what we do not see is repentance. We see a religious racketeer who wants the power the apostles have for his own personal gain or aggrandizement. Yet he is very smooth and subtle. (II Cor 11:3ff)
It is believed by some that Simon the sorcerer assumed the identity of Simon Peter and went to Rome as an imposter. There are compelling arguments for this view. For example, Peter in his first Epistle said he was writing from Babylon. It could be that this was a code word for Rome, as John used it this way in Revelation 17; or was Peter in fact in Babylon? If so, maybe the ‘Peter’ who we are told was crucified upside down in Rome was not really Peter. If this is the case, it explains a lot, like where the idea that Peter was the first pope came from. (In Part I, we saw Simon’s MO of pretending to be some great one.) Then there is the characteristic of legalism which often accompanies false brethren. (Gal 2:4) This would explain the legalism that permeated the Church throughout history, not to mention the practice of simony — paying to receive an office — which was common in the Church as well. An organization tends to follow the way of its leader, so like I said, if the ‘Peter’ who went to Rome was Simon the Sorcerer, it would indeed explain a lot.
I was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church before committing my life to Christ in 1995, so I know something about Catholicism from the inside. What I saw there comports with what the Bible says about Simon the sorcerer. I believe I knew fellow Catholics who were saved at that time in my life but I certainly do not believe they were saved by being Catholic. I believe they were saved despite being Catholic.
For decades now, the Church in Rome has been leading the creation of the one-world Church of the new world order. Representatives from different religions, from African witch doctors to Zen Buddhists, are regularly invited to Rome for inter-faith meetings. At these meetings, the pope says they are all praying to the same god and I would agree with that — but it is certainly not the God of the Bible.
This is what the Bible says about Rome and the one-world Church Rome is creating:
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
Revelation 18:4, 5
Prophecy Update: The first time I heard the proverb, The truth sometimes sleeps but it never dies, it was attributed to an American Indian tribe; I don’t recall which one, maybe Iroquois. Whoever it was that first said this, it’s true. Solomon put it this way: The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. (Pr 12:19)
Case in point: The CDC recently retracted their tired claim that vaccines do not cause autism. Far from telling the whole truth, it’s a step in the right direction, one that almost certainly would have not been taken if not for HHS Secretary RFK Jr. More here.
Persecution Update: Father, please deliver those who were recently abducted from the Catholic boarding school in Nigeria, especially the children. Please give them courage and strength to hold to their faith in your Son, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
PS: Endofdays.press will expire in January. Notes on Acts will continue to be posted at: MichaelJamesHarvey.substack.com
