A FAITH THAT DID NOT SAVE

Acts 8:9-25

A faith that does not save is a "dead faith" this is only mere intellectual belief or empty professions that lack… genuine repentance, a changed heart, and resulting good works. It’s an outward emotional response or profession that fades away when tested by life or persecution. It’s knowing facts about God, or Jesus, without personal trust or surrender, because even demons believe and shudder, but they do not have saving faith. It’s living the exact same sinful lifestyle without any inner change or evidence of the Holy Spirit. Faith doesn't save sinners; Jesus does. Faith is simply the means through which the merit and work of Christ are applied to us. There are so many people like the account of the rich young man, who think by doing they will enter Heaven, apart from repentance and faith in Christ alone. There are so many people who will go so far, just so long as it doesn’t require any change, or giving up something to receive something better. But what did Jesus say? ”As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:57-62

 

Following Jesus requires the total surrender of everything; from trusting in yourself to fully trusting in Christ. The picture of surrender is that once we were enemies and our lives were at odds with God, but now we have been brought near by the blood of Christ in the gospel. Counting the cost to true discipleship means letting go of what holds us back and choosing to follow Jesus wherever He leads, even when it feels hard or uncomfortable. What we read in this section is wide spread; many people today are Simon types; it’s a faith that does not save and that’s the most dangerous kind. Why? It deceives you into thinking you’re going to Heaven but in reality, its leading you to Hell, a counterfeit faith.

  

A WRONG VIEW OF SELF (v9-v11)

It’s here we are introduced to the first know heretic, and his name is Simon the magician, who dealt in “black magic and the occult” Simon was a man steeped in the occult who practiced real magic. Luke emphasizes just how successful he was in Samaria. “They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, ‘This man is the power of God that is called Great.’ Acts 8:10. Simon may not mean much to us, but he was a household name in Samaria from the poorest and in the richest homes. Simon wasn’t some cheap conjurer, pulling rabbits out of a hat or coins out of people’s ears. These people paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. Acts 8:11

 

You don’t keep a grip on the minds of people year after year by

doing the same old tricks over and over.

 

Simon had tapped into real supernatural, demonic power. Remember how the magicians of Egypt were able to perform some genuine miracles. Pharaoh’s wise men, sorcerers and magicians were able to turn their staffs into snakes by their occult arts, and to imitate the first two plagues on Egypt. King Saul tried to contact the spirit of Samuel through the medium of Endor. 1 Sam 28. We should never shun the reality that there are dark evils around us at work in fallen sinners, this shows us the reality of a spirit world. Simon was a man who claimed to be “Great.” calling himself great with a capital “G” this is revealing that he claimed to be divine. “I AM GREAT” Simon viewed himself as a God, not like a God; this is the most heretical view of self-imaginable. It’s through Simon where we see the founder of Gnosticism and he viewed himself as God incarnate. 

Ligonier Ministries wrote, “The word g-nō-sis itself is Greek and means “knowing” or “having knowledge.” “Having knowledge” is a significant part of Gnosticism. To say you were a Gnostic was to say: “I know something you don’t. I’m in on the secret. I’ve been enlightened. I’ve woken up. I’m spiritually on a higher level.” You get a hint of that in the way Simon is described in the book of Acts. He’s been called the first Gnostic, and according to Acts chapter 8, “he amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.”

 

The first two teachers to propagate gnostic ideas within Christian circles were Simon and his successor Menander. Unlike later and more famous representatives of Gnosticism, both Simon and Menander claimed divinity for themselves. Gnostics believe that we need to be delivered from the physical world in order to go to the spiritual world. So, many of them, believed that in Jesus, God was taking the form of man in order to give people the g-nō-sis, the knowledge they needed in order to be rescued from this physical world. Justin Martyr reported Simon’s messianic claim, he called himself “Great power of God” the Greek term he used “Dunamis” was used in reference to both the Son and the Holy Spirit. See, Simon’s perverted view of himself gave Satan an opening to use him for spreading false doctrine through the church. Like many of the charlatans in churches today, Simon believed in his power, and when they are around vulnerable people, it’s easy to deceive anxious people.

 

There are so many people who want to believe this, that is why people will give everything they have to be near or touched by Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Jesse Duplantis, Steven Furtick, Bethel, and others, because they claim they have something other don’t. One of the biggest and fastest growing heretics of this generation is a young woman by Kathryn Krick, she is part of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) heretic. She claims to be an Apostle, deliverance ministry, faith healing, yokes with other NAR heretics, preaches to men, teaches false doctrine. Kathryn Krick, went viral in August 2026 after claiming that alien beings implanted an interdimensional device in her body as a young girl to harvest her eggs and that is why she cannot have children today. The desire to have a “god-like” complex and the power for money makes people do many strange and wicked things. This gives Satan an opening to use them for spreading false doctrine throughout the church. These types of people don’t understand that they are sinners and that need saving from their sin.

 

This is why Pride is a universal

and deadly sin

 

Pride is an easy sin to indulge in and characterizes the most controlling sin over all human fallenness. There is no loss of… public reputation, prestige, health and wealth; pride is described by the world as a virtue. Pride can mask itself in practices of holiness, and uprightness, while all the while rejecting the God of the bible. Pride blinds people to the destruction it creates and leaves behind. As John MacArthur wrote, “Pride cost Eden, and the fallen angels from heaven. It doomed Sodom and Gomorrah. It cost Nebuchadnezzar his reason. Rehoboam his kingdom, Uzziah his health. And Haman his life.” The bible has much to say about the evil of pride. “There they cry out, but he does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.” Job 35:14. Psalm 10:4 says, “In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” John wrote, “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life..” 1 John 2:16. Pride is not of the Father, it comes from the desires of sinful mankind’s hearts, because they do not understand who they truly are. Its Simon’s teaching that would threaten and embattle the church from Paul onward for centuries; misrepresentation on who we are in light of who God truly is.

A WRONG VIEW OF SALVATION (v12-v13)

 

Believing the truth in your head is not the same

as trusting it in your heart.

 

Many people in Samaria for the first time were genuinely believing the message about Jesus Christ that Philip was preaching. Simon saw his followers were dwindling, he had a decline in popularity because Phillip’s message about the Kingdom of God and in the name of Jesus Christ. Simon believed the gospel superficially, he wanted what Phillip had, he wanted to be closer to his followers since they were amazed by Phillip. (v12) He of all people in Samaria had no problem believing in supernatural realities, but could never really understand it means to be transformed by the gospel; he had only professional interest in finding out Phillip’s source of power. Simon, and all false conversion, describe either a superficial profession of religious faith without genuine inward transformation.

Like Simon, this only produces…. Outward appearance…. The person may attend church, use religious words, or feel a temporary emotional high. Jesus said this, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;” Matt 15:8. Missing gospel response…. They lack true repentance, obedience to God's commands, or lasting spiritual fruit. Jesus warns that without repentance; people will face spiritual ruin. Jesus said, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3. It only saves for a short while…. When trials come or the excitement fades, they turn away from the faith because they were never truly rooted. Jesus explained the parable about the Seed and Sower. “… When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matt 13:18-23

 

Those who are truly born again will truly grow, while those like Simon, will die in their sin and will stand before God in their sin, if they do not genuinely repent. False understand of salvation creates a false Security….. People often confuse moral comfort or cultural traditions with genuine spiritual alignment. Salvation is the Narrow Gate…. In religious and philosophical circles, claim true paths are often described as demanding humility rather than comfortable assumptions. Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matt 7:13-14. Its man’s self-Righteousness that blinds them from salvation….  it believing you are automatically saved without self-examination, which blinds someone to their own faults.

 

This is why many will attend church for traditional sake, no desire for Christ or His bride, a superficial belief in a Christ they truly don’t know.

 

In the end the only thing they are going to hear before judgment, is… “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” 

Matt 7:21-23

 

Why? They are relying on a false sense of salvation or a distorted faith, this leads to spiritual ruin and eternal separation from God, because physical death seals a person's final judgment. Like all charlatans and counterfeit faiths, Simon, was professionally interested in finding out Phillip’s power only for himself. (v13) Like all charlatans and counterfeit faiths, they want to be where the most people are, so they can distort and manipulate others with their deception and smoking mirrors. Like all charlatans and counterfeit faiths, they want the benefits of God’s graces without being transformed truly by the gospel.

 

They desire heaven, but not the

Christ of heaven.

They are deceived by their own desires about salvation… 

Water-downed man-centered gospels

Cheap grace that involves zero commitment and active obedience.

Market-driven ministries that is exciting to be a part of something better and bigger.

Emotionalism with zero brokenness over their sin.

Purely ritualistic, external matter, an additional act instead of total transformation.

 

The unchanged are not concerned

with being changed at all.

 

A WRONG VIEW OF THE SPIRIT. (v14-v19)

 

‘Give me this power.’ Those words reveal a desire that is found in the fallen nature of every one of us apart from Christ, it’s the desire for power. Simon was a man of immense power, but Phillip’s power was greater and he wanted this for himself. He asked to buy this power, so anyone he touched would also receive the Spirit. (v18-v19) It’s this desire that is almost, always, behind every other desire we have in the flesh. The first one to fall to this desire of their heart was God’s highest angel. We read in Isaiah, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.” Isa 14:12-15

 

In Satan’s last attempt to temp Jesus, he does it with the very same desires that removed him from heavenly places. ”Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Matt 4:8-10

And just like Simon, who had a wrong view of the Spirit and His workings, the same is true in most charismatic churches.

 

Charismatic circles say, “See, you receive the Spirit subsequent to salvation.” They argue that people who were saved, yet did not have the Holy Spirit. But such teaching ignores as John MacArthur said when it comes about the transitional nature of Acts. We know according to the Scriptures that there is no such thing as a Christian who does not have the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds us of this truth, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.” 

Rom 8:9. So, the question comes down to this! Why did the Samaritans and later the Gentiles have to wait for the Apostles before receiving the Holy Spirit then?

This is where history is important as always when

understanding a people, or a text of Scripture.

For centuries Samaritans and Jews had been bitter rivals, and when the gospel penetrated the ears of these people, they truly listened and were transformed. They had to wait for the Holy Spirit indwelling because if the Samaritans had received the Spirit independent of the Jerusalem church, that conflict would have perpetuated because of their bitterness between each group. You would have two churches one for the Jews and one for the Samaritans. But God, in establishing the church in its earliest inceptions designed one church in which, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Gal 3:23. By delaying the Spirit’s coming until Peter and John arrived, God preserved the unity of the church, and the Samaritans were no longer second-class citizens. Peter and John needed to be witnesses of this, so they could give first hand testimony back in Jerusalem about what has happened in the church. Also, the Samaritan people also needed to see that they were subject to the apostolic authority. By doing this this, it linked them both together into one body; hence, keeping the unity of the one true church.

 

There was a time after this, that Peter faltered to remember this. ”But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” 

Gal 2:11-14

Beyond the book of Acts we do not see this happening when in reference to receiving the Holy Spirit. Today believers receive the Spirit at the point of salvation, there is no need to delay after Jews, Gentiles, Samaritans and the Old Testament saints were already included in the church at this point in chapter eight. That is no longer needed as the gospel went further into the nations and the church was becoming more established with each conversion of each people group through the apostles. Simon didn’t understand that because he was never truly transformed by the gospel, he was intrigued and wanted what they had. But as we see with Peter, “Nothing God has can be bought with earthly things; especially the Holy Spirit. There is nothing that sinful man has to offer Him.

 

A WRONG VIEW OF SIN. (v22-v24)

 

But it becomes clear that although he believed the truth in his head, his heart was unchanged. Peter is given the ability by the Holy Spirit to look inside Simon’s heart and what he sees is very unpromising: ‘…your heart is not right before God. Repent” (v22-v23) Peter challenges Simon to have a correct view of heinous sin, see it for what it is and turn to God in repentance for the forgiveness of sin. “Gall of bitterness” refers to bitter ingredient or bile a distasteful condition which the heart of the unregenerate man or woman. “Bond of iniquity” reveals that sin is a harsh taskmaster it captures the wicked they are held by it like a cord. 

Prov 5:22

 

Simon, like so many people today, living under the bondage of sin. This bondage blinds them to reality, because they live under false security, though he was genuinely shaken and afraid they refuses to ask the Lord to forgive them. Instead, they ask others to pray for protection, his only concern was self-preservation. (v24) His only concern was to escape the temporal consequences for his sin, and that is the mindset of a great majority of people still today.

Why? They have is…..

a wrong of self

a wrong view of salvation

a wrong view of the Holy Spirit

a wrong view of their own sin, which keeps them out of heavens reach.

This all adds up to a faith

that did not save.

 

What we learn is…. that the gospel has astonishing effects and the simple gospel is what truly draws genuine people to repent and follow after Christ. We also learn that… spiritual power cannot be bought, the pursuit of God, not power, is what truly counts.

 

A love for the gospel is pure and simple.

 

How simple? “…. if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” Rom 10:9-11

 

May we heed the warnings of this man named Simon, and never think, or do, as he does; because its only counterfeit and fake.The gospel message is for any sinner to find forgiveness because you know your sin is so great; but Christ is so much greater to save you from the wrath that is to come for the Simon’s of world.