Listen:  133.3

Space forbids us from quoting the whole account of Simon, but I would encourage you to read Acts 8:9-24.  Before we go into any detail, let’s be clear that anyone that has been truly saved and possesses eternal life WILL NEVER PERISH. The Lord Jesus stated this truth in John 10:27-28, which reads, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”  The word “perish” means “destroyed” and so the Lord Jesus is assuring those who have eternal life that they will never experience eternal destruction in the lake of fire.

Let’s entertain two questions in seeking the answer to your question: 1) Was Simon really saved?  And 2) Is there any proof that Simon had ever been saved?

You state, in your question, that Simon had been saved and baptized, but do the scriptures say he was saved?  We read in verse 12, “Then Simon himself believed also, and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.” It says that “Simon believed” and of course we would like to think that this means he believed on Christ as his Savior and was saved.  But I’m reminded of another portion that speaks of people who “believed” and yet they had never really believed on Christ as a Savior from sin. I’m thinking of John 2:23 which says, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed on His name, when they saw the miracles which He did.” This may sound good, but the next two verses read, “But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them, because He knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” Here was a group of people who professed to have believed on Christ yet Jesus knew better; He knew that their “faith” was but a mere “intellectual belief” in Him based on THE MIRACLES HE PERFORMED!  Simon was the same, for he was dazzled by the miracles that Philip performed and this led him to make a false profession and to be baptized.  Before his so-called “conversion” he was in the business of performing great acts of power and he had become famous. We read of this in Acts 8:9-10 which tell us, “There was a certain man, called Simon, which before time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one. To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.” Then along comes Philip, and Simon was in awe of Philip who was actually performing greater acts of power than he had ever done. His lust for power led him make a profession of faith, to be baptized, and to follow Philip, but his heart was drawn only to “the miracles and signs which were done,” and NOT to the person of Jesus Christ.

One of the proofs that he had never really been saved was manifested with the arrival of Peter.  Like Philip, Peter displayed God’s power by giving people the Holy Ghost and we read of Simon’s reaction to this in verses 18-19, “And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.”  Is it not clear that Simon’s heart had never been changed, for he was still seeking power FOR himself in order to draw attention TO himself?  He still had the desire to make a business out of performing great acts of power.  Peter was given the discernment to see this and to expose him for the religious racketeer that he was. He rebukes him sternly in verses 20-23, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”  Peter knew he had never really believed on Christ for salvation, and that his heart was “not right in the sight of God” and  thus he counsels him to REPENT, to have a “change of mind” about his sin. Did Simon ever repent?  We don’t know, but it is truly sad to see Simon’s response to Peter in verse 24 which reads, “Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.” Instead of going to God directly to pray, he looks to a mere man to go to God for him. And instead of being concerned about his sin, he only wanted to avoid the judgment his sins deserved.  (133.3)  (DO)