As a result of
persecution, the disciples “were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the
word” Acts 8:4. God led Philip to the
city of Samaria, and there he abode preaching the gospel. With the power of the Holy Spirit on Philip
many miracles took place so much that “the people with one accord gave heed
unto those things which Philip spake…”Acts 8:4.
There were indeed great miracles:
“For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice came
out of many that were possessed with them and many taken with palsies, and that
were lame, were healed”. Acts 8:7
Many people of
Samaria including Simon one respected man believed the word. Simon was a sorcerer. He used to make people believe that he could
see future. He was an honourable man and
highly given due regard to the extent that all the Samaritans from the least to
the greatest used to say of Simon that: “This man is the great power of God”
Acts 8:10c. But Simon and many other
people believed the word. Philip in
obedience to the command that every believer should be baptised instantly did
baptise all of them that accepted the word.
“But when they believed Philip preaching the things
concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were
baptised, both man and women. Then Simon
himself believed also: and when he was baptised, he continued with Philip…” Acts 8:12-13.
Philip did not
send to Peter and other disciples to come and assist him baptise the converts
in Samaria. Philip did not defer baptism of the people that believed. Philip baptised all the converts including
Simon: “which beforetime 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. And to him they had regard, because
that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. Acts 8:9-11
Philip did not
even make an altar call and asked people to repeat a certain confession after
him. Philip did not leave the audience to go specifically to Simon the sorcerer’s
house to destroy his shrine before performing baptism on him. “But when they believed Philip preaching
the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they
were baptised, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when
he was baptised, he continued with Philip…” Acts 8:12-13. No postponement; just right there all those
who believed were baptised by Philip.
Philip alone spent a whole day or days baptising the believers of the
word.
Pronto the news
of how Samaritans who had received the word and believed and were baptised
spread to Jerusalem. When the Apostles who were in Jerusalem heard how the
people of “Samaria had received the word
of God” and were baptised they rejoiced.
They then sent Peter and John to Samaria to assist Philip with the work.
Peter and John’s duty was to pray for
the converts that they might receive the power of the Holy Ghost. What a team work!
When Peter and
John arrived, they joined Philip in praying for the people and “Then laid they their hands on them, and
they received the Holy Ghost” Acts 8:17. Simon the man hitherto regarded as
having power like God and not even god also received the Holy Ghost and began
to speak in tongue. But wait! Like some pastors nowadays, Simon saw the
supernatural power of the Holy Ghost as a thing to be bought with money. He
wanted to maintain his fame, so he offered the apostles money:
Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever
I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. Acts 8:9.
Perhaps if
Philip took time to preach to Simon that upon being baptised he should do away
with personal glory and fame, he would not have thought of buying the power of
God with money. But Peter rebuked Simon,
and warned that this power or any gift of God is not to be purchased with
money. Peter thus urged Simon to repent
so that God would forgive him. This is somebody who has just been baptised, yet
he was asked to repent. This is because
baptism is a provisional admission of the person who believes into the body of
Christ to qualify him to join the race to salvation. It is administered to fulfill “all righteousness”
as Our Lord Jesus Christ who also submitted Himself for the same water baptism
said. After all Jesus is not a sinner,
yet He was baptised by a mortal John.
By initiating a
person with water baptism, heavens usually open and the Spirit of God enters
the person and uses him from the moment he comes out of water. The person just suddenly discovers that there
is an unexplainable power dwelling in him. He may fall into sin, but he is more
remorseful than a Christian who has not been initiated into the body of Christ
through water baptism. But for the baptism that was administered to Simon
earlier, he could not have seen anything wrong in offering to buy the power of
the Holy Spirit with money. The result would have been that he would go back to
his old satanic practice, and even challenged Peter for dare to rebuke him
sharply when he offered them money to be given power of the Holy Spirit.
It is not your duty to ensure that a person
has totally repented and he may not sin again or backslide in future before you
cause him to be baptised. You are not a God, but a mere mortal human being who
is also struggling to overcome iniquities.
The case of Simon the sorcerer who had not only just been baptised, but
who by laying hand upon him had received the power of Holy Spirit is a good
example here that water baptism is done “unto repentance” and not for
confirmation of true repentance as we erroneously take it to be. Simon had been baptised both with water and
the Holy Spirit along with other believers the moment he believed the word and
decided to stop practicing sorcery.
But Peter said unto him, 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 thy heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou
art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. (Acts 8:20-23).
Then answered Simon, and said, pray ye to the Lord
for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. (Acts 8:24).
You may wonder
why Philip had baptised a person whose “heart is not right in the sight of God”
and who Peter afterwards rebuked and told to “Repent” because he was in the
“gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity”. Remember, Jesus says, anyone
who believes should be baptised and not anyone who repents.
Questions: Is
baptismal class necessary as done in almost all the churches? How long is it supposed to take to baptise
anyone who believes? .
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