good                bad
 
 

        I will confess that one of the biggest things that I get confused on in my Christian walk, is the believer's security.  I have listened to both camps, which I will call (as many others do)  OSAS, and NOSAS.  OSAS means Once Saved, Always Saved.  NOSAS means, No Once Saved, Always Saved.  Now the article isn't necessarily about these two camps, and which one I am in favor of.  As of writing this, I really have conflicting thoughts on both sides.  Not because I want to live a life of sin, but because I am tired of being tossed around by people who argue and debate these issues until the other backs down, which rarely happens.  This article is about the way I look at two men in the bible that have caught my attention.
        Up front, I will tell you that I see evidence in the bible that a person can fall away from the faith.  I also see evidence that indicates that there is such a thing as a believer's security.  Now, is there a contradiction?  Possibly.  I have heard both sides of the issue (More NOSAS than OSAS).  I have listened to Calvinists and Arminianists go back and forth.  At first I believed OSAS, then found a web site that made me believe otherwise.  I was a die hard NOSASer for about 6-8 months, and now I am not sure.  One of the reasons is because of the contents of this article that I am writing.  Today is 11/15/01.  These thoughts have been on my mind for a while, about Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8.
        I have heard NOSASers say they believe he was saved, and then lost his salvation when he tried to get the power of the Holy Spirit for money.  Another one they use is Judas Iscariot, which many believe to be a great source of trouble to many OSAS adherents.  I will address him and my thoughts on him in my next article on this subject.
        Looking at Simon the Sorcerer's story, it is very easy to believe that he was one who fell away from the faith.  Some would say he was never saved to begin with.  What I intend to do in this article is look a man who was saved, according to Jesus Himself, along side Simon, and use the Biblical teaching of fruits and repentance to explore my views and theories even more.

Zaccheus

Zaccheus  Luke 19:1-10

       And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.  And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.  And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.  And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.  And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.  And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.  And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.  And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Simon the Sorcerer  Acts 8: 9-24

        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.
 
 

Simon:  "Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost."

Zaccheus:  "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold."

        I am going to be comparing these two for a little bit.  I look at what Zaccheus said.  Obviously sorry for his sins, he shows that he is sorry by openly proclaiming that those who he has wronged he is more than willing to right.  Simon  wants to give the Apostles money, so that he can have the power.  Jesus tells Zaccheus, "This day salvation has come to this house, for as much as he also is a Son of Abraham."  Peter tells Simon, "I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity."

The way that I look at it is with Jesus' teaching on Fruit.

Matt.  3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance.
Matt.  3:10  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

John the baptist here beginning the teaching on fruits and repentance.  Jesus expounds further.

Matt. 7:
17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matt. 12:33
 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

Lets look at the comparisons between Zaccheus and Simon: (Speculation from information.)

         Zaccheus                                                             Simon
            Joy of Salvation                                                  Greed
            Love for Others                                                Covetousness
            Hatred for past ways                                        Envy
            Restoration of wrong                                        Bitterness
            Desire to Please God                                        Iniquity
 

Zaccheus was a good tree, and Simon was a bad tree.
 

        Peter doesn't say, "You were saved, and now you are not because you wanted to buy the power of the Holy Ghost."  No, He says to him, "Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God." He doesn't say you had part in this matter, and your heart was right with God, but not now."  He simply states the obvious, and it was obvious because Peter knew him by his fruits, just as Jesus says that he would.  Peter simply says, "Repent therefore of this wickedness."  Much like Jesus when he said, make the tree good.  Then Simon comes to the realization that God and Peter have called his bluff.

Acts 8:24  Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

(Speculation)  Simon was so scared when Peter called his bluff, he was too ashamed and afraid to even go to God himself; he wanted Peter to.
 

"Believed also"

8:13  Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

It does say that Simon believed and was baptized.  So one could indicate that he was saved, and then fell away.

However, we know that:
James 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Note:  It does not say "will die" but "dead".

What about the baptism?

Here is a later account with some choice words:

Acts 8:36,37 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?   And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Did Simon believe with all of his heart?  Or did he make a simple profession and a show of baptism to try to fool the Disciples?

Why would he do that though?

MOTIVE
Lets go by what is known before Philip came to town:

Simon was a sorcerer in 8:9-11 who:
        Gave out that himself was some great one.
        They (the town's people) all gave heed.
        "This man is the great power of God."
        To him they had regard.

Then the apostles come along and preach the Gospel.  The townspeople believed and were baptized.  Check out what was really catching his attention with Phillip:

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.

Acts 8:17-19 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.
 

In my opinion I think Simon went along with the whole thing because all of the people who regarded him as a great man of God had now truly found great men of God who were preaching to them the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.  Simon got jealous, but figured, "if you can't beat them, join them."  he followed along, never really repenting, thinking he could turn this situation into a further boost of his power, so when he sees the laying of the Hands, and the effect it has on people, he figures, "that would be great in my act."  Peter sees right through it, lets him know that He can't fool God.  Simon is the earliest televangelist in the New Testament Church.  A wolf in sheep's clothing, who dressed up like a sheep to cause an insurrection that Peter, with the teachings of Jesus etched into his mind and soul, caught before it got out of hand.
 

Luke 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Simon was an evil man and out of the evil treasure of his heart, spoke the abundance of it, and gave his ruse away.  Simon, (at the risk of sounding like I am OSAS) was never saved to begin with.

 Conclusion
In conclusion, this study of Simon's bad fruit has been very beneficial to me.  As I stated in the beginning of this, I am having conflicting thoughts on the believer's security.  While Simon is not probably the strongest argument for either camp, there is something you and I can learn from Simon, far beyond the camps of Conditional and Eternal Security.   Examination.
 

*TULIP=Calvinistic Acronym for their theology.  Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints.

DASIES=Slanderous term against Arminianists who believe that you can fall in and out of salvation.  "He loves me, He loves me not.  He loves me, He loves me not."