Was Simon Saved
Acts 8:9-24
I listened to Andy Woods’ arguments in favor of Simon’s salvation in Acts 8. He is truly a Bible scholar and his arguments are convincing and seem airtight. However, I’m still not fully convinced. Neither would I use most of the arguments in favor of Simon’s lostness that Andy rebutted.
Andy rightly wants to be consistent with the word, “believed,” which describes both the Samaritans and Simon. Without being dogmatic, and staying within the context, I doubt that Simon was really saved because of the following:
1. When Peter and John laid hands on the Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit, it is obvious that Simon was excepted when he had offered them money to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:13-19). Had he already received the Holy Spirit, he would not have made the offer. Being without the Holy Spirit, Simon could not have belonged to Christ (Rom. 8:9). Therefore, he made the offer while unsaved, that is, without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
2. Peter’s very harsh rebuke of Simon was inappropriate if Simon were a genuine new believer in Christ (Acts 8:20-23). Even natural babies, who certainly don’t know any better, don’t deserve to be harshly rebuked. Such damages their self-esteem and confidence. Simon needed Peter’s rebuke because he evidently still wanted to be “some great one” among the people (Acts 8:9-11).
3. Simon’s response to Peter’s rebuke seems to be of strong regret rather than of genuine repentance
(Acts 8:24). In fact, since Simon had not the Holy Spirit, he was retroactively in disobedience to Peter’s invitation in Acts 2:38, where Peter told his listeners to repent and, if so, they would “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Clearly, nowhere does the text say Simon received the Holy Spirit, without whom no one can be saved.
So, what does it mean that Simon believed and was baptized (8:13)? My answer is that the Holy Spirit knew Simon’s belief was comparable to that of the Jews in John 2:23. They too were impressed with the miraculous, not necessarily with the miracle Worker. If they genuinely believed in Jesus, why would He not commit Himself to them? Jesus always positively responded to genuine faith/belief (Mt. 9:2, 23; 15:28). On the surface and with the preponderance of evidence seeming to negate Simon’s salvation, I don’t believe his belief was genuine. This is currently my best rebuttal to Andy’s position. Again, I’m not dogmatic about it.
I hope I’m being fair to Andy.
Blessings!
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