The Way - Day 032 (Acts 8)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Acts 8:1-24
After Stephen had been stoned to death for preaching Christ (Acts 6:8-7:60), Luke introduces a man named Saul who becomes the major focus in the remaining chapters of Acts. As Saul is introduced to the reader, Luke describes that the church at Jerusalem was experiencing a "great persecution" and many Christians were "scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria..." (8:1). The only ones who remained in Jerusalem were the apostles because they did not fear man and were passionate about delivering the message of Jesus Christ to all people. It is apparent that this man, Saul, was heavily involved in persecuting the church because Luke says "he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison" (8:3). Those who persecuted the church thought they could silence it through physical punishment; however, those who were scattered preached the word to the regions beyond Jerusalem (8:4). In fact, Luke mentions that Philip preached the gospel to Samaria where many responded with great joy to his message (8:5-8).

In Samaria, Philip encountered a man named Simon who was a well-respected sorcerer in the city (8:9). The people obeyed him and Scripture reveals that they believed his power was from God (8:10). When many in Samaria believed in Jesus Christ and were baptized, Simon also believed and was baptized (8:12). After his supposed conversion, Simon "was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done" (8:13). When the apostles heard that many were being converted in Samaria they sent Peter and John to them and when they arrived they prayed for the Holy Spirit to fall upon them (8:14-16). "Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit" (8:17). When Simon witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit coming down on the people through the laying on of hands, he immediately offered the apostles money so that he could have this same power (8:18-19). Peter rebukes Simon for his selfishness and commands him to "Repent therefore of your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity" (8:22-23). Simon became fearful of the consequences for his sin and begged for mercy; however, his words only seem to indicate a fearfulness over his punishment, not his sinfulness (8:24).

I believe that this instance reveals that there are people who simply make a loose, verbal commitment to Jesus Christ for selfish gain, not because they are truly repentant of their sin. Although the Bible declares that Simon believed (8:13), it also makes clear that his belief was driven by selfish motives and therefore not genuine (8:18-23). A person who desires to be saved must first repent (express regret for sin because it offends God) and trust in Jesus Christ who took the punishment for sin (death) upon Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21). If an individual approaches Christ with any other motives for salvation - better life, success, removal of problems, financial gain, etc. - than his heart has not been truly converted and he is still in his sin. Paul says it best in Romans 10:9-10, "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

Acts 8:25-40
Following the preaching of the gospel in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem preaching along the way throughout villages (8:25). Upon their return to Jerusalem, the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Arise, and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is desert" (8:26). Upon hearing the command of the angel, Philip left and as he was on his way he encountered an Ethiopian eunuch (official) who had also been in Jerusalem to worship (8:27a). Luke notes that this Ethiopian had "great authority under Candace the queen of Ethiopians..." (8:27). Apparently, this Ethiopian official was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah when the Spirit prompted Philip saying, "Go near and overtake his chariot" (8:28-29). When Philip arrived at this man's chariot he inquired if he understood what he was reading. The Ethiopian responded by saying, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" The Scripture being read was Isaiah 53:7-8 which says, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth" (8:32-33). Upon reading this Scripture, the Ethiopian official asked Philip if this prophet was referring to himself or someone else (8:34). There was much confusion amongst people of that day as to whom Isaiah was referencing. Was the sheep an illustration of Israel, the prophet Isaiah, or the Messiah? Philip quickly seized this opportunity to clarify the identity of this sheep to the official because Luke writes that he began preaching Jesus to him (8:35). Philip was confirming the slaughtered sheep to be Jesus, the Messiah. As Philip and the Ethiopian went down the road they came upon some water and the official asked Philip what hindered him from being baptized (8:36). Baptism was an outward symbol of belief which had already taken place in the heart of an individual; in other words, faith in Jesus Christ alone as the sacrifice for sin led to an outward display of this belief through water baptism. In early church culture, I believe salvation and baptism were so closely linked that one immediately led to the other. Does that mean a person must be baptized to be saved? No. A person can never be saved through any work of his own (Ephesians 2:8-9); however, why wouldn't a person want to be baptized to publicly declare his faith in Jesus Christ? Philip commanded the chariot to stop and they both went down into the water and the Ethiopian man was baptized by immersion (8:38). When they came up out of the water, Luke writes that the "Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away" meaning that he was miraculously transported from where he was to another place, which was Azotus (8:39-40).

Baptism is an important part of a believer's faith and ultimately is the first step in obedience toward God. Even Jesus Christ was baptized, not because He needed to be but because He willingly identified Himself with sinners and submitted Himself perfectly to the will of God the Father (Matthew 3:13-17). Not only did Jesus' baptism identify Him with sinful humans, but also symbolized His future death and resurrection for sin (Luke 12:50). Now when a person is baptized, they are also acknowledging their belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for sin.

Dear God, like the Ethiopian official, may those who have been saved through faith in Jesus Christ publicly declare their belief through baptism.