Was Simon Magus a born again believer?

[ALAYMAN]

Act 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.


Is this verse referencing a saving belief in Christ, or simple intellectual <expedient>  belief that Christ did miracles/magic?

 

[Ransom]

This is the same Simon who tried to buy apostolic power, causing Peter to tell him to go to hell and take his money with him, right?

 

[wheatpenny]

Like most wizards in the ancient world, Simon was actually what today would be called a magician or illusionist. He thought the giving of the Holy Spirit was a magic trick and like a true magician, he wanted to buy the secret so he could perform the trick too. (I'm an amateur  magician and I'm the same way when I see an impressive trick).

 

[rsc2a]

Like most wizards in the ancient world, Simon was actually what today would be called a magician or illusionist. He thought the giving of the Holy Spirit was a magic trick and like a true magician, he wanted to buy the secret so he could perform the trick too. (I'm an amateur  magician and I'm the same way when I see an impressive trick).

How in the world do you know this?

 

[wheatpenny]

It's just a conjecture, based on some of the tricks he performed in the apocryphal book like the Acts of Peter and others. His signature trick seems to have been self-levitation, which was a common trick among magicians at that time. The modern magician Criss Angel does it too, and he probably dos it the same way the ancient magicians did it. His trick of levitating himself from the roof of a skyscraper, across the street to another skyscraper resembles Simon's trick of levitating himself from a tower.

 

[Ransom]

It's just a conjecture, based on some of the tricks he performed in the apocryphal book like the Acts of Peter and others.

And there you have it.

 

[truthdetector]

Act 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.


Is this verse referencing a saving belief in Christ, or simple intellectual <expedient>  belief that Christ did miracles/magic?

I don't think he was saved based upon 8:19-21.

 

[Anchor]

Sooner or later ya gotta take Scripture at face value. 

"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."
Were the Samaritans mentioned here believing unto salvation?

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

Of course Simon was saved.  The more important question is what is the truth that is being communicated to believers and thee church today through the inclusion of this narrative into inspired writ?

 

[Ransom]

Then "Simon himself" also believed unto salvation.

I'll just note for the record that you have inferred the underlined portion, not quoted it from the actual text. The emphasis of the story is not that Simon believed unto salvation, but that he was so impressed with the divine power the apostles displayed, that he thought he could buy a piece of the action.

 

[Anchor]

Then "Simon himself" also believed unto salvation.

I'll just note for the record that you have inferred the underlined portion, not quoted it from the actual text. The emphasis of the story is not that Simon believed unto salvation, but that he was so impressed with the divine power the apostles displayed, that he thought he could buy a piece of the action.

I'll just note that the context is referencing belief unto salvation, so it is imposing an opinion into scripture to infer that Simon is some anomaly. 

The issue at hand is Simon's perspective that he "...thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money," a matter that, obviously, receives the Divine frown.  Believers are guilty of that every day, hence the very broad market for all the spiritual/ministry how-to books, seminars, conferences, etc., that are no more than evidence of the the thought "...that the gift of God may be purchased with money."

When you consider it, it is not really that different from the flip side of the same coin.  Balaam's primary error was marketing his spiritual gift because he "...loved the wages of unrighteousness...." 

Both were believers; both were in error in their perspective about the marketing of spiritual gifts.  And both were soundly chastised for the error.  Spiritual gifting is not a matter of the  marketplace--neither to be bought or sold--and it is sinful to attempt either.

 

[T-Bone]

Could the elephant in the room be that Simon though he believed what Philip had said and then followed in water baptism had not yet received the Holy Spirit, who is the One who testifies to the spirit of man and is our Seal unto salvation.  Simon wanted to pay Peter for the receiving of the Holy Spirit and the power to do what Peter was doing in imparting the Holy Spirit.  It was then that Peter pronounced the curse on Simon...no evidence is actually given that Simon was truly born again or that he was regenerated and sealed of the Holy Spirit.  Remember Jesus' word in Matthew 7:22.."Many will say in that day....but I will say depart from me...I never knew you".  While it is true ultimately only God knows...but there is no evidence that Simon was ever biblically born again.

Just my thoughts.

 

[wheatpenny]

According to earl church history, Simon taught heretical doctrines (although the different writers vary as to exactly what he taught) and so, I'd be inclined to suspect that he wasn't saved.  The Bible doesn't say either way. 

 

[Castor Muscular]

Why do you care?

 

[Bob H]

Both were believers;

I just can't go along with that....................specially Balaam

 

[Bob H]

Act 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.


Is this verse referencing a saving belief in Christ, or simple intellectual <expedient>  belief that Christ did miracles/magic?

"Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men"

 

[Bob H]

Why do you care?

That ain't none of your business

 

[Ransom]

anchor said:

I'll just note that the context is referencing belief unto salvation, so it is imposing an opinion into scripture to infer that Simon is some anomaly. 

Bob H. quoted a good, topical verse: John 2:23-24.  Many people "believed" in Jesus, but only because they were impressed with his miracles, and hence Jesus did not entrust himself to them.

I'd say Simon Magus was not unlike them, especially since we are specifically told that his desire was to manifest the same display of spiritual power as Peter and the apostles.

 

[Anchor]

According to earl church history, Simon taught heretical doctrines (although the different writers vary as to exactly what he taught) and so, I'd be inclined to suspect that he wasn't saved.  The Bible doesn't say either way.

The Bible says "Then Simon himself believed also: and...was baptized..." with identical authority that it states in the same passage concerning the Samaritans that "...they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, [and] they were baptized..." and concerning the Ethiopian eunuch "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God...and he baptized him." 

Where in the world do you get that "the Bible doesn't say either way?"  If Scripture here is not communicating the conversion of Simon Magus it can hardly be trusted to communicate anything authoritatively. 

 

[Anchor]

...I'd say Simon Magus was not unlike them, especially since we are specifically told that his desire was to manifest the same display of spiritual power as Peter and the apostles.

What we are specifically told is that Simon's error was "...thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money."

This is not the only time that we see true converts bringing their pre-conversion perspective into the household of faith.

During the Jerusalem council:  Acts 15:5--"But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."

Much of the Books of Corinthians recognize the mindset of Corinth in the believing church, and exposes that error.

In the specific matter of Spiritual Gifts (which is the scope of Simon's error) I Cor. 12-14 goes into significant detail to combat the Corinthian error of "pride" in specific gifted-ness, as if one spiritual gift made a person more special to God or the church than another.  Obviously Simon's being enamored by "high-profile" spiritual gifts was not limited to him and the Samaritan church. 

Why would it be inconceivable to think that a Samaritan magician turned believer could bring elements of his former life into the church any more than a Jewish Pharisee turned believer or Corinthian pagan turned believer would drag elements of their former lives into the church?

 

[Anchor]

Both were believers;

I just can't go along with that....................specially Balaam

"And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth....Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city." Num. 24:15-20

What about Balaam's statements (such as the one above) gives any indication other than that Balaam was a believer?

Believers can and do do atrocious things.  Scripture makes that clear.  That doesn't vindicate their actions, and Scripture in most places records that correction, or at least recognizes their error.  But it doesn't change the fact that they are believers, and that their record in Scripture is for "doctrine,...reproof...correction, and...instruction in righteousness...."