Paul and Simon Magus

The apostle Paul and Simon Magus of Samaria stand out in the Scriptures in vivid contrast. They clearly repre­sent two types of professed Christians. These types have ever been in the church from the days of Christ till the present time, and will probably continue to the end.

Simon was a magician in Samaria, and had become both rich and influential by the use of sorcery before the people, who were amazed or bewitched by his work. "To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, say­ing, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries."

The church at Jerusalem, hearing that the Samaritans were accepting the gospel, sent Peter and John to join Philip in his evangelical work in Samaria, "who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might re­ceive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet He was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." Acts 8:15-17.

Now Simon was an alert man, and seeing that when Peter and John laid their hands on the heads of the people in prayer, "they received the Holy Ghost," "he offered them money, say­ing, Give me also this power, that on whom­soever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost." Peter rebuked Simon in a way that must have astonished the people, and which struck the heart of Simon with fear:

"Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may Jpe 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. Then an­swered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me." Verses 20-24.

Simon had professed to accept the gospel, and was a baptized convert of Philip's. He con­tinued with Philip after his profession of reli­gion. He had also heard Peter and John preach Christ. He had been a witness when the Holy Ghost fell upon the people. But Simon loved gain. He wished to add to his own gifts the power of imparting the Holy Spirit to men, that he might thus increase his influence over the people, as well as add to his income and popularity. He would still be able to hold the people as bewitched as in former times, and because of the gospel would become a greater man in the eyes of the people.

Simon Magus and all his followers have been a reproach to Christ from his day till now. Simony is what is supposed to be a spiritual function turned into a marketable commodity for financial or personal advantage. It is de­nounced by Christians, and yet it ofttimes breaks out in some form among God's people. It is as difficult to separate those tainted with simony from the church as it is to exclude men who live in sin in any other form.

In contrast to Simon Magus, we have Saul of Tarsus. Though Saul was a persecutor of God's people, and was active in trying to prevent the spread of the gospel, it is evident that he did this ignorantly, and with an entirely different motive from that of Simon.

When Saul was converted, he became a new creation of God. Old things were passed away. Henceforth he sought not his own, but the kingdom of God. He thus describes his experi­ence in his epistle to the Philippians:

"What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowl­edge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteous­ness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death." Phil. 3:7-10.

Simon desired to gain all; Paul, to give all. Simon would retain his sorcery unless he could by paying money buy greater power and influence over the people; Paul would give up popularity and position and all he had of any worth in this life, that he might, as he declared, "know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death."

Paul had nothing to sell, nothing to barter. He surrendered all that he might know Christ. He knew no bargaining for gain, either finan­cial or for advantage in position in the church. He withstood Peter to his face because, to his mind, Peter did not stand for what Paul taught, —Peter, the very man to whom Simon offered to give money if he could secure the power of imparting the Holy Spirit. Paul stood for truth, and for promoting the kingdom of God.

To enrich himself, Simon sought to buy the power to do what only God can do.

Simon had seen the power of the Holy Spirit; he had seen converts uplifted, changed, trans­formed by it; yet in the very presence of the Holy Spirit and His manifestations, his mind was on personal gain and power and influence. He wanted this power in order to turn it into gain. Some workers and professed believers have sat in these latter days amid God's people, have seen and heard what He is doing in the world, and have listened to appeals for higher standards of spiritual life while they were even living in the realms of gain, self-promotion, and sin.

In all we know of Paul, from what others wrote and from his own epistles, there is a straightforward message to lead men to seek eternal life. He never faltered; he never weak­ened. None of his critics ever charged Paul with a hidden purpose to advantage himself in any way, in seeking gains or in securing positions of responsibility.

Some may desire to promote certain men to some important position, or favor a certain policy, or seem to join in spiritual devotions,— all with a hidden purpose of self-advancement. What is that but secret simony? So common is this sin, so obscure, so subtle, that often men are blinded to the truth, and claim to be led of the Holy Spirit when they are seeking their own advancement or advantage.

With the true child of God there must be no self-seeking, no party or clique of men with whom he joins in order to promote self or selfish aims in securing position in the church. As ministers of God we are to proclaim the whole truth, which, if followed, will lead men into the coming kingdom of glory.

Every worker must decide for himself whether he will be a disciple like Simon Magus, serving the Lord for gain and self-advancement, or like the apostle Paul, who cared for nothing but to preach Christ and Him crucified.

"Take heed to yourselves therefore."

I. H. E.