Acts 8: 9- 25

Christopher Lee

Acts • Sermon • Submitted 14 days ago • Presented 14 days ago

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Reading of Scripture

Acts 8:9–25 ESV

But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

Introduction

In reformed eschatology and ecclisiatlogy we decipher between the viable and invisible church. The visible consisting of those who profess Christ, baptized, and are part of the local church.

The invisible being the broad church, those who are in Christ and will be with Christ forever in His Kingdom. They too belong in their present state if on earth with the local church.

Today’s passage is a direct understanding of this very model and why as a Church it is good to have teachers of the word who call out the false convert and often remove them from the presence of the sheep. A good shepherd of the local church, wont see to them staying long if indeed they won’t repent or don’t have faith.

Guarding church membership is a critical task of the Pastor. As a Pastor I guard membership, and I don’t hold membership for those who have chosen to leave for another congregation or have been inactive outside of health issues for a extent of time. My prayer is they left on good terms.

Today will look at a man named Simon who pulled the eyes over of the Church and Philip until Peter and John called Simon to repent from his false belief.

We must examine what false conversion is and I also must call you to examine your own faith as I examine mine. It is far better for the true Christian to be at unrest, always examining His soul then to be so much at sense of false assurance that they meet the Lord to hear the words I never knew you.

Simon the False Convert

Simon practiced magic and fooled many people. He enjoyed the prestige, the fame, and perhaps even the bit of wealth that may have come his way.

Simon was not an idiot and would go to the next thing if it ment he would have access to a crowd. I am of the firm belief the Simon was a wolf who attempted to hide in sheep clothing by his “baptism”

He believed

At first look we see Simon believed and like Philip it bring a level of excitement to the church. Yet Simon was not examined, if he had been examined Philip would have known this is the same belief the devil and his followers have.

When La Luz Del Mundo purchased this building, there was not examination of the belief of David Mendoza or his members. To be frank David was not upfront of his beliefs with TCN or Waughtown. There was deception. Much like Simon had on the church.

It was not until a divine providence of God that I had encountered their member's and starting pressing for answers of their so called belief, that I as your Pastor found out of their false conversion.

I told them they are heretics to their face and no repentance came.

This is the same with Simon, yes he claimed belief but was it every asked outside of Peter and John why he believed? Was it because He knew he needed a Savior and relationship with God? No!

Simon was seeing some amazing things, and he wanted a part of it. He desired to do greater things and if Jesus was that ticket well he simply knew to follow the process of belief and baptism.

In similar, many of these so called church’s today who build large buildings, have book shops in their halls, t-shirts for sale if there was any belief will quickly fade into non-biblical truth or at worse never had it and desired fame over truth.

Guard your home

The shepherds of the church must guard church membership and the souls who are not truly saved. Peter and John were quick to spot the fake in the crowd, this is not always the case the same with Godly Pastors.

There are sly men like Simon who enter the church’s membership when they should have examined the soul of Simon.

In NJ there was member of the church, long standing for decades who never membership vows but was permitted before I arrived to have a voice in the congregation.

I met with him constantly, had talks of the faith, but when it came to being born again he constantly said I don’t need to be born again. He was a recovering Roman Catholic.

I limited his voice in the congregation, and attempted to disciple him to saving faith. Over disagreements and arguments he left the church. I was fine that, I protect the sheep from the wolf that is my duty as Pastor.

Membership of the church must be guarded, this is a duty of the church elders. You often have false converts come into the church.

Story # 2 the predator

There was a man in NJ that I had to enact church discipline on. I was disciplining this man, met with him weekly, he was struggling in all areas of life. Yet appeared on the surface to be thirsty for Jesus, but he was simply after hand outs and unhealthy relationships.

Upon finding out news that I had to deal with, I called my elder in and on other congregation member to discuss the matter.

I got on the phone with this man, I explained he needed to stop these behaviors, I was cursed at and he was dismissed from our presence at the church.

The duty of Pastor is not the friendly, hippy loving, loves everyone role of the church. One of the primary callings of the Pastor is to guard the sheep either from their own self-destruction or from predators who state belief but don’t really believe.

This is what Peter and John did; repent Simon or be gone. There is no girly talk of lets build a relationship, let’s talk things out, there is direct assertive, aggressive tone that elders need to have to protect the sheep.

His baptism was false

Simon was baptized, way to quickly. I don’t believe baptism needs to be waited out for a long period of time, but there does need to be a time of testing of one’s profession.

Does the man truly believe, or is there something he is after? We can see that in the baptism of Jesus that Simon recieved was not a full baptism of Father, Son, Holy Ghost.

The apostles came and right then knew this man did not have the Holy Ghost. Simon being a theft desired to buy it, so he could turn around a make profit of self worship.

Guard Doctrine

Baptism is a critical doctrine and as Baptist this is really what marks us different from other denominations. We believe in credo baptism, believers baptism.

Here is what the 1689 London Baptist Confession states regarding baptism.

Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him;1 of remission of sins;2 and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life

Simon was not regenerate, he fasley recieved the sign of baptism. Baptism does not save you, it should only be given to those who are born again.

If there is no sign of regeneration, baptism should not be granted. It does not mean the soul won’t become born again but requires further discipleship.

Simon being baptized far too quickly is great indicator of the church’es over sight and handling of doctrine in the early church. It happens.

This is why it is important to any Christian who may have been baptized at a young age but when they grow older realize I am far from Christ. I would tell that person you need to repent and examine your soul.

Baptism does not save you, but false profession will further damn you unto the father’s wrath.

like membership, baptism must be guarded in the church.

The False Convert VS the Born Again

We live in age which is radically different not all the sudden celebrities are one year professing Christ and the next year have demonic symbols being promoted.

Celebrity Baptism is becoming a trend and it’s disgusting how quick Christian are to believe it’s real faith. Read the word and we shall see there are many Simon’s in our midst who are not of Christ, but rather will use Christianity for fame, for money, or other gain. (Until real trial comes. and they leave the church or there are good elders who discipline them)

How to identity a false convert

There are key things that Pastors should know about a true Christian unless he himself is pulling a fast one even over his own eyes.

Let us look again at the 1689 London Baptist Confession chapter 15.

This saving repentance is an evangelical grace,4 whereby a person, being by the Holy Spirit made sensible of the manifold evils of his sin, does, by faith in Christ, humble himself for it with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self–abhorrancy,5 praying for pardon and strength of grace, with a purpose and endeavor, by supplies of the Spirit, to walk before God unto all well–pleasing in all things.

Is there a genuine hatred and repentance for sin? We don’t see this in the text with Simon. This alone would cause be to ask why was the sign of baptism so easily given?

Please understand I am not saying one should be in a state of perfection to receive baptism, there is still sanctification to be worked out unto glory. Yet there needs to be a sign of repentance.

Second: Did the seed fall on good soil? Matthew 13:22

Matthew 13:22 ESV

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Let there be a testing of the faith to prove the faith is real. Now unfourtantily this will often after baptism, because like a lot of Christians who grow up in the church as we have here in the South, there faith is simply built on tradition and southern culture.

The real test of their faith is when the trials come did they stay in the battle worshiping the Lord? Or did they fall away from the faith. Is Jesus simply an understanding of culture or is Jesus their heart? Understand there will be those who are members in the church for all their life, and are not born again. Don’t let church membership fool you into believing you are saved.

That is an Eastern Orthodox false teaching that salvation is in the church. No, salvation is in Christ alone. Rome teaches baptismal regeneration, that too is a false teaching that has even carried over into Protestant churches like the Lutheran church.

Third: Is there evidence of the fruit bearing fruit? Mark 11:12-25

Mark 11:12–25 KJV 1900

And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. And when even was come, he went out of the city. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints

Your non reformed baptist have an awful doctrine called once saved always saved. The better doctrine is similar called the perseverance of the saints.

The true Christian is saved, being saved, and will be saved. Justification, Sanctification, Glorification in Christ alone. The case with Simon is really easy, he did not even cut the case of justification.

If your salvation is of Christ, then you will persevere to the end and will be saved. When apostasy is spoken of, it is referring to the false convert who happened to be a member of the local church but not the invisible church.

Let us briefly look again at the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith on the Perseverance of the Saints.

Those whom God has accepted in the beloved, effectually called and sanctified by his Spirit, and given the precious faith of his elect unto, can neither totally nor finally fall from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved, seeing the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, from which source he still begets and nourishes in them faith, repentance, love, joy, hope, and all the graces of the Spirit unto immortality;1 and though many storms and floods arise and beat against them, yet they shall never be able to take them off that foundation and rock which by faith they are fastened upon; notwithstanding, through unbelief and the temptations of Satan, the sensible sight of the light and love of God may for a time be clouded and obscured from them,2 yet he is still the same, and they shall be sure to be kept by the power of God unto salvation, where they shall enjoy their purchased possession, they being engraved upon the palm of his hands, and their names having been written in the book of life from all eternity.3

The True Christian

In contrast of what is examined of the false convert, the opposite of the the True Christian who is both part of the local church and the invisible church.

They have shown and are repenting of sin with a hatred of all that goes against the Lord.

They are producing good fruit

At the very hour of their death Christ is upon their hearts, they have not fallen away.

What about assurance of faith?

Let us look for a final time of the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith

Although temporary believers and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God and in a state of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish;1 yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavouring to walk in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God,2 which hope shall never make them ashamed.

Conclusion

1, Be aware of the false convert and the false church. There are plenty of Simons in your midst, even Pastors can be a Simon.

2. Be mindful of your salvation that your profess; are you of Christ or simply deceiving yourself by your church membership?

3. Christian look to Christ always as the author and finisher of your salvation.

Christ will have no dealings with Simon, He is calling a bride, the elect of God unto salvation for Himself. Let us praise the Lord and be on guard for the salvation of our own souls and that of others.

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