Simon the sorcerer believes and is Baptized in the name of Jesus the Christ.

Acts 8:12-13

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.” Acts 8:12-13

Our Lord Jesus opened the door to the ministry in Samaria, as quoted in John 4:4-42. After the death and resurrection of Jesus, Philip went to Samaria and shared the testimony of Jesus with those who were following Simon the sorcerer. The message of serving God by faith in Jesus Christ was much welcomed over serving God through the laws of Judaism. In fact, the message of a resurrected Savior was more impactful than believing in sorceries that did nothing to address the remission of sin and the ability to live in righteousness by faith. Men and women believed and were baptized in water as an outward sign of their service to God through faith in Jesus Christ. They would later be baptized in the Holy Spirit, as described in Acts 8:14-17. The Holy Spirit has been poured out upon the whole world, upon all who believe in Jesus the Christ.

Simon the sorcerer, whom the whole city of Samaria was following [except those who believed Jesus from John 4:4-42], also believed in Jesus Christ and was baptized. In today’s culture, which is global, how can people be saved from the beast that has power over thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors? We realize the power of the beast comes from the “6-6-6”, which is unbelief in God [6], rejection of Jesus Christ [6], and opposition to the presence of the Holy Spirit [6]. Breaking the hold that the “6-6-6” has is to believe in God, to acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and to embrace the presence of the Holy Spirit. Click here for a post on the “6-6-6”.

Simon continued with Philip and was amazed at the miracles and signs that were done through him. Simon had a lot of growing to do in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ to learn that faith is our hope in the invisible things not the things that are seen. In coming verses, Simon thought he could buy the Holy Spirit with money, so Peter said to him, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!” Acts 8:20 We have faith in Jesus Christ because of our born-again experience, which is an invisible work within us that is evident only through our spirit. We have faith in the invisible presence of the Holy Spirit because of the work of sanctification happening within us. We have faith for eternal life because the Spirit in us is the guarantee of that, Ephesians 1:13-14. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

---

“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11