Firmly Planted?

Acts 8:14–25 (NKJV)

14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” 24 Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” 25 So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

In our last study we examined the effects of Simon’s sorcery and Philip’s evangelization of Samaria. We concluded with the conversion of Simon and the people of Samaria; but the authentication of the region’s repentance depends on the arrival of Peter and John, which we, Lord willing, will delve into in this study. Most commentators view Simon’s conversion to be false, but as we discovered “previously” that is unlikely. We need to begin this study remembering the Holy Spirit’s testimony regarding Simon as we proceed. Simon’s sin was indeed a heinous crime to hold that kind of power over the simple (innocent) minded people of Samaria; but the truth remains that he did indeed repent. He set his mind toward further discipleship through Philip’s preaching and was baptized by faith in the name of Jesus Christ (v.16). However, all these things do not ‘justify’ a believer. All these are the correct response to the gospel command of repentance and faith in the work of Jesus Christ, but are not what saves us. In this study we will look into what is needed to give assurance of our justification in Jesus Christ.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, . . .

Upon careful consideration of the information that the “mother church” in Jerusalem received; they decided to send out Peter and John to take a closer assessment on how the Samaritans received the Word of God. The key word in this verse is Ἀκούσαντες (heard). It means that they considered carefully what was occurring in Samaria. One commentator suggests it took the apostles by surprise not expecting a good response from the Samaritans. That may be true, since the following verse suggests the need for a prayerful working of the Holy Spirit to confirm their faith. In order to plant the gospel successfully in Samaria there needs to be signs that, like a tree, the roots are deep within the soil for it to continue to grow up and be fruitful. There would be a necessity of spiritual gifts that would be important for the Samaritans to be the Lord’s representatives in the area. We also, at this point, only note that they received the Word of God in the name of Jesus. It is through the work of Christ that the work of the Holy Spirit will be added to them. This does not mean that Simon and the Samaritans didn’t already have the Spirit; for it was the work of the Spirit who gave them repentance (Acts 11:18) and it was the Holy Spirit who made them alive to receive the Word of God (Eph.2:5; 1Pet.3:18).

. . . who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

So then, why was there a need to pray for the Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit? It was important to the authentication of their justification in Jesus Christ. It is through Christ’s work that we are justified, but it is also through the Spirit’s work that we are sanctified. In order for us to obtain an assurance of justification; our justification must continue on in sanctification. This doesn’t mean glorification through the redemption of our bodies, but the redemption of our souls. Sanctification cleanses our thoughts and minds towards a clear conscience in God (1Pet.1:2; 3:21; 2Thess. 2:13). Sanctification is not the perfection of our bodies; even though some of the Samaritans did in fact receive miraculous healing in their bodies upon hearing justification in Christ (v.7). The heart of the gospel is that powerful; but miracles can be a false calling card for the carnal mind to expect to remain in a glorified state in this present life. Therefore, the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit would be absolutely essential to the sanctification of the Samaritan mind. Their repentance was imperfect and would need the continuation of the gift of the Holy Spirit rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This would also further indicate the ongoing discipleship about the triune work of God. There is more to knowing God than justification in Jesus Christ. The devils believe in one God and tremble (James 2:19). The error of Israel, in the days of Christ, was no concept of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit equally sharing a personal role in the salvation of men. It will be the work of the Holy Spirit to teach the Samaritans all things that glorify the Father and the Son.

John 15:26 (NKJV)

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

John 16:13 (NKJV)

13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

John 14:16–17 (NKJV)

16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:26 (NKJV)

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

These were the words of Christ to the disciples, who are now apostles, which received the same working of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Jerusalem. Jesus did not mean that they did not have the Holy Spirit dwelling within them already; but that upon His departure the Holy Spirit would continue to work in them the proper worship of God. The Samaritans knew nothing of the Holy Spirit at this point in their conversion. Their repentance was only rooted in the knowledge of justification in the persons of Jesus Christ and the Father. What the Samaritans now needed to know is who they are in Jesus Christ. Because of the corruption of their fleshly bodies; the Holy Spirit who has now joined Himself to their spirits will remind them of the need to continue on in repentance and faith in God. Notice that Christ said that the Holy Spirit will remind them of all things that He taught them suggesting that they will have a tendency to forget the things He spoke. This speaks of the depravity of their fleshly minds and the need to feed upon the Spirit of Christ daily and to pray continually in the Holy Spirit. This is the work of the Holy Spirit that Peter and John will pray for the Samaritan converts to receive.

For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

The level of repentance for the Samaritans was much like what God required of Israel through the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 1:18). A call to reason together with Him until they receive the full assurance of salvation in the Lord. The prophet declared that if they were willing to listen and reason through the Word of promise, that the promises would be applied to them. The Word of the Lord was, “Though your sins ‘are’ (present tense) like scarlet, they ‘shall be’ (future tense) as white as snow; . . .). It may do us well to remember an old confession that makes a similar statement.

REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE AND SALVATION

Some of the elect are not converted until well on in life, having continued in the state in which they were born, and having followed after all kinds of evil cravings and pleasures. Then God’s effectual call reaches them and He gives them repentance leading on to life eternal.

THE ASSURANCE OF GRACE AND SALVATION

Although “temporary” believers and other unregenerate persons may be deceived by erroneous, self-engendered notions into thinking that they are in God’s favor and in a state of salvation-false and perishable hopes indeed!-yet all who “truly” believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and love Him in sincerity, endeavoring to conduct themselves in all good conscience according to His will, may in this life be certainly assured that they are in a state of grace. They may rejoice in hope of the Glory of God, knowing that such a hope will never put them to shame.

The infallible assurance of salvation is not an essential part of salvation, for a true believer may wait for a long time, and struggle with many difficulties, before he attains to it. It is not a matter of extraordinary revelation, for if he makes a right use of the means of grace, and is enabled by the Spirit to know the things that believers receive freely from God, he may well attain to it. It therefore becomes the duty of every one to be as diligent as possible in making his calling and election sure. By doing this he will experience greater peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, greater love and thankfulness to God, and an increased strength and cheerfulness in dutiful obedience. These things are the natural outcome of the assurance of salvation, and they constitute strong evidence that assurance does not lead men into loose living.

True believers may find that their assurance of salvation fluctuates; sometimes more, sometimes less. They may prove neglectful in preserving it, as for example, if they give way to some particular sin that wounds their conscience and grieves the Spirit; or a strong temptation may suddenly spring upon them; or God may see fit to withdraw ‘the light of His countenance’ and cause darkness to envelop them, a course He sometimes takes even with those who fear His name. Yet, whatever happens, certain things inevitably remain with them-the new nature which is born of God, the life of faith, the love of Christ and the brethren, sincerity of heart and conscience of duty-and by reason of these and through the work carried on by the Spirit within them, the assurance of salvation may in due time be revived. In the meantime the same influences preserve them from utter despair. [The London Baptist Confession of 1689]

With this understanding from the mind of the Spirit, who is now working in the region of Samaria to plant a church, should help us to be graceful to those willing to follow along with us in discipleship with the Lord of the church. The gifts of Spirit are what Peter and John will be looking and praying for in order to commission a church plant in this region. In keeping with the original text, none of the gifts of the Spirit were operational, having only been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:3–4 (NKJV)

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

Simon and the people did indeed receive the singular gift of the Spirit at conversion, but the gift of the Spirit will manifest multiple gifts that build the body of Christ. The same Spirit, who now is in all of those converted, will make manifest an outworking of the Spirit that will testify and authenticate the conversions of the Samaritans.

Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The word τότε (Then) tells us that upon the arrival and chronological examination of the Samaritan’s baptism in Jesus Christ; the apostles began to commission the Samaritan church through prayer in the formal sense. It means that the apostles and Samaritans ‘took hold’ of the work of the Spirit and set apart some of them for the work of ministry. Another way of saying it would be that the Samaritans, through the ongoing help and prayers of the apostles, “got a grip” on the work of the Holy Spirit that had begun in these people. The verbs ἐπετίθεσαν (laid) and ἐλάμβανον (received) are in the imperfect tense. This indicates that on a case by case basis, the apostles, over a period of time, set apart men for the work of God in the regional churches.

Paying particular note of the verb ἐλάμβανον (received), which means to grasp or take hold of (Acts 27:35), gives us further clarification that the apostles were working with the Samaritans to appoint holy leaders to guide them into the things of God; for the apostles would eventually move on to plant more churches as the Holy Spirit would allow. The book of Acts is filled with testimonies of successful and unsuccessful church plants. This is the first successful church plant succeeding Pentecost. Lord willing we get further into the authentication of Simon’s conversion in our next study. But for now we would do well to make our calling and election sure by remaining firmly planted in Jesus Christ our LORD.