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John Piper · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 8
Piper commenting on Simon's "belief" says "something happens that shows this "belief" to be false....I take this (Acts 8:18-23) to mean that Simon was not truly converted. He has no part or lot in this matter of Christianity. His heart is not right with God. He still needs to repent. He is still enslaved to bitterness and iniquity. He is still in his sin and not yet converted. This is confirmed by the entire tradition of the early church that says Simon went on to become a heretic and not a true Christian (cf. Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Jerome, etc.). And yet Luke says in Acts 8:13a, "Even Simon himself believed." The point I draw out of this is that there is a "faith" or a "believing" that does not save, even though it rises in the presence of true preaching and true miracles." (Simon's Perversion of Signs and Wonders) Jack Arnold - In Acts 8:9-25 we have a contrast between two men. Simon Magus who represents mere profession of faith in Christ, and Philip, the deacon and evangelist, who represents true possession of Christ. Philip received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and sought to follow Christ by preaching Christ to others. His message of Christ had a ring of authority and truth and the Samaritans were paying attention to what he had to say. Simon Magus, we shall learn, also believed in Jesus Christ, was baptized, and yet he did not follow Christ and lived only for himself. Simon was a professor, a. phony, who was a hypocrite and an apostate from the Christian Faith. Simon was the first apostate from Christianity, and the first religious racketeer in the Christian church. Simon had a faith in Christ but this faith did not save him. The case of Simon Magus shows us again how the Devil seeks to divide Christians from within. The Devil's first attempt was in the hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira. His second attempt was to cause dissension among the widows in the local church at Jerusalem who felt they were being neglected. Now in the case of Simon Magus, we have another attempt to destroy the work of Christ. The Devil sows tares among the wheat in that a false Christian gets embedded with true Christians.(Sermon) Charles Swindoll on Simon's conversion - He did not become a genuine believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Swindoll's Living Insights) Adrian Rogers on Simon's "belief" - Satan is looking for converts not casualties. In a clever move he brings Simon into the church. He desires not to work from the outside, but from the inside.. Simon was an unbelieving believer. That is clear from Acts 8:21. Simon believed the miracles but he did not receive the Lord Jesus. He was like so many today - a miracle-monger. He was entranced by the miracles. Not all belief is saving belief. (see John 2:22-25+).... I am afraid that there are thousands in church roles who are counterfeit Christians. They have never committed themselves to the Lordship of Christ. This is why we need the sure Word of God. Satan is a deceiver.. When your life comes to an end and you stand before the Lord, and He asks why should I let you into heaven: "An angel appeared unto me and told me I was a Christian." Satan laughs. "I was that angel." (2 Cor. 11:14)...Be careful that you are not swept away by some devilish manifestation into a superstitious faith. Warren Wiersbe believes that Simon's " faith was not in the Word of God, but in the miracles he saw Philip perform; and there is no indication that Simon repented of his sins. Simon (probably) continued with Philip, not to hear the Word and learn more about Jesus Christ, but to witness the miracles and perhaps learn how they were done....His faith was like that of the people of Jerusalem who witnessed our Lord’s miracles (John 2:23–25+), or even like that of the demons (James 2:19). Simon continued with Philip, not to hear the Word and learn more about Jesus Christ, but to witness the miracles and perhaps learn how they were done.'' (Bible Exposition Commentary) Derek Thomas - Simon Magus, who is said to have “believed,” and yet receives a stinging word of rebuke from Peter that suggests he was never truly converted at all....there was no sign of Simon’s repentance....Simon’s offer of money to the apostles so that he might purchase their ability to bestow the Holy Spirit on others is troubling (Acts 8:18–19). It is as crass as it is naive. For Simon, the gift of the Holy Spirit was something to be dispensed in the same manner as he performed his satanic tricks, and he saw it as a way of making more money....Greed and self-promotion seemed to be his motives, and he lacked any semblance of a man who had been convicted by his sinfulness and had turned to the Lord for mercy. His religion was opportunistic and cavalier....there was Peter’s assessment of Simon Magus. Nothing could be said in harsher and plainer terms. So blunt was Luke’s Greek at this point that J. B. Phillips rendered what Peter said as “To hell with you and your money!,” which, as I. Howard Marshall comments, “may sound like profanity, but is precisely what the Greek says.”This is much more than an apostolic opinion; it is the uttering of a divine curse against Simon, “consigning him and his money to destruction.” When Peter added, “You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God” (Acts 8:21), he was stating that Simon did not share in the blessings that the gospel brings. (Reformed Expository Commentary - Acts) John
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Piper - Have You Exocized a Demon? The Demonic (unclean spirits) in the NT - Bob Utley Clean, Unclean - Baker's Evangelical Can a Christian be demon possessed? Can a Christian today perform an exorcism? What does the Bible say about casting out demons? How do we distinguish a psychological disorder from demon possession? Is it possible to sell your soul to the devil? What does the Bible say about demon possession / demonic possession? What are Unclean Spirits? Answer: An unclean spirit is simply a New Testament synonym, a more descriptive Jewish term, for a demon. The terms unclean spirit and demon seem to be interchangeable in Scripture. There is no clear difference in their definitions. Some translations refer to them as “impure spirits.” Throughout the New Testament, the term unclean spirits (akathartos in the Greek language) is mentioned over twenty times. Throughout those passages we read that unclean spirits can possess people and cause them sickness (ED: NOTE THAT MOST SICKNESS IS NOT RELATED TO DEMON POSSESSION!) and harm (Matthew 10:1; 12:43; Mark 1:26; Luke 4:36; 6:18; Acts 5:16; 8:7), that they are searching for someone to possess if they are not currently possessing someone (Matthew 12:43), that some are more unclean or evil than others (Luke 11:26), that unclean spirits can interact with one another (Mark 5:1–20; Matthew 12:45), and that unclean spirits are under God’s authority and must submit to Him (Mark 1:27; 3:11; 5:8, 13). An unclean spirit or demon is “unclean” in that it is wicked. Evil spirits are not only wicked themselves, but they delight in wickedness and promote wickedness in humans. They are spiritually polluted and impure, and they seek to contaminate all of God’s creation with their filth. Their foul, putrid nature is in direct contrast to the purity and incorruption of the Holy Spirit’s nature. When a person is defiled by an unclean spirit, he takes pleasure in corrupt thoughts and actions; when a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, his thoughts and actions are heavenly. Some people hold the idea that unclean spirits or demons are deceased humans who may or may not have been evil while alive. However, we know the unclean spirits mentioned in the Bible are not referring to the dead, for several reasons. One, humans are never called “spirits” when the word spirit is used as a stand-alone term, without a possessive. In Scripture, men are said to have a spirit/soul (saying “his spirit” in Proverbs 25:28 and 1 Corinthians 5:5), but men are not called “spirits.” Another reason is that, once a person dies, he immediately goes either to eternal life with the Lord or to eternal darkness in hell (Hebrews 9:27; 2 Corinthians 5:6–8; Matthew 25:46). Human spirits, therefore, do not and cannot wander on earth in their spirit bodies. Any unclean spirit that wanders around, taking up residence in places or people or interacting with people in any way, is a fallen angel—a demon (Matthew 12:44). All unclean spirits mentioned in Scripture are demons, and all demons are definitely unclean, unholy, impure, evil spirits doomed to an eternity in hell (Matthew 25:41). Acts 8:8 So there was much rejoicing in that city. KJV Acts 8:8 And there was great joy in that city. NET Acts 8:8 So there was great joy in that city. Acts 13:48,52; Ps 96:10-12; 98:2-6; Isaiah 35:1,2; 42:10-12; Luke 2:10,11; Ro 15:9-12 Acts 8 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE JOY OF THE LORD THE FRUIT OF CONVERSION Derek Thomas - There is a deliberate contrast established in the passage: the church in Jerusalem is being ravaged, and the city of Samaria is experiencing “much joy” (Acts 8:1, 8)....The trials of one community had brought blessing to another. (Ibid) The devil stole man's true joy in his successful temptation in the Garden (cf Ps 16:11), but the glorious Gospel received restores supernatural joy to our soul (cf Gal 5:22+). Beloved, I am a physician and used to tell folks they had a deficiency of this or that element (e.g., B12, etc), so let me ask you "Do you have a deficiency of supernatural, Spirit energized joy?" Remember that the phrase "joyless Christian" is a sad oxymoron! So there was much rejoicing in that city. - Literally "and there came about." The idea something that was not in existence, came into existence. A city devoid of supernatural Spirit energized joy now has experienced the "birth" of great joy as the result of Philip's preaching the great Gospel! Rejoicing (5479)(chara) is a feeling of great pleasure, of inner gladness, or of delight. Joy is an emotion evoked by a sense of well-being. It is a deep feeling of happiness and contentment. Joy in the NT is virtually always used to signify a feeling of "happiness" that is based on spiritual realities (i.e., it is independent of what "happens"). Joy is a depth of assurance and confidence that ignites a cheerful heart and it is a cheerful heart that leads to cheerful behavior. Joy is not necessarily an experience that comes from favorable circumstances, but is God’s gift from His Spirit to believers (fruit in Gal 5:22+, Acts 13:52+, 1 Th 1:6+). In the present case of Samaria Luke gives no numbers of new converts, but there must have been many for the city to be filled with great rejoicing. In sum, Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who is filled with the Spirit and knows all is well between himself and the Lord. There is a chorus from an old spiritual song that is apropos… Happiness happens But joy abides
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Piper commenting on Luke 8:13 says "The faith is not real saving faith. Paul taught the same possibility in 1 Corinthians 15:1–2+ when he said, "I preached to you the Gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast—unless you believed in vain." There is such a thing as "believing in vain." James called it "barren" faith or "dead" faith (James 2:20, 26+). So I conclude that Luke's point here in Acts 8 is that Simon's "faith"—his "believing" (described in Acts 8:13)—is not a saving faith but a false faith, dead, barren, empty. That's the first step in Luke's warning to us. There is such a faith and it can rise right in the presence of true preaching and true miracles. (Simon's Perversion of Signs and Wonders) (Bold added) ESV Study Bible note - A few interpreters think this is saving faith because these people “believe,” and though they “fall away” (from fellowship?), this is not an ultimate rejection of Christ. But it is more likely that this is temporary, merely intellectual “faith” (cf. James 2:17) that is not saving faith, for these plants have no root (see Mark 4:17), they bear no fruit, and they do not persevere but last only for a while (on perseverance, see notes on John 6:40; Ro 8:29; 8:30; 2 Ti 2:11-13; Jude 21). Derek Thomas - False professions are made, and short-term enthusiastic followers do fall away, as the parable of soils all too clearly indicates (cf Mt. 13:20–22+). See also Mark 4:5-6, 16-17+ “Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. 6“And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away....(4:16-17+) “In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. Matthew 13:5-6, 20-21+ Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6“But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.....(13:20-21+) “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. Even Simon himself believed - It is interesting that the text does not say in WHAT Simon believed. Did he believe in Philip's preaching or in his miracles? Did he believe the "finger" (see above analogy) but miss the object to which it was pointed? Either way, Simon's subsequent actions present us with a confusing picture which has resulted in essentially two main interpretations -- by far the majority opinion among conservative writers is the interpretation of Simon as a professor but not a possessor of Christ, what the old Puritans would have called "a false professor." Some have referred to this as a "temporary faith," more in his head than in his heart, which is another way to describe "intellectual assent." A very small percent of commentators think he was a genuine believer in Christ. He certainly appears to have a good start by being baptized and then following Philip (remembering that a follower of a person was often seen as a disciple of the one they were following). Simon was what John Wesley was for a period of his life, an "almost Christian," a man who believed but had no changed heart, a man whose faith was superficial and intellectual. Dear reader, are you like Simon, a phony, a counterfeit, a sham and a pretender?