In this installment, we will discuss chapter 8 of the book of Acts. The topics to be discussed are persecution, infiltration of the church, and the distribution of the true gospel message.  

Persecution Will Come 

In Acts 8:1, we see Saul (who became Paul the apostle) was present at the murder of Stephen. Saul is first mentioned in Acts 7:58 where we read that he was watching the clothes of those who were stoning Stephen. In Acts 8:1, we read that “Saul was consenting unto his death.” This word consenting means to think well of in common, i.e. assent to, feel gratified with according to the Strong’s concordance. When giving his testimony, Saul uses the same word to describe his contribution to Stephen’s murder in Acts 22:20. This same word was translated as pleasure in Rom. 1:32 and pleased in 1 Cor. 7:12-13. This word does not denote mere agreement with what is happening. It signifies taking pleasure in or being happy about what is happening. 

The reason for focusing on this word is to show that persecution is not merely an issue of hatred for the truth. Persecutors will be happy to attempt to stomp out the truth. Jesus told his disciples that persecutors would kill them thinking that they were doing God a service (see John 16:2). Jesus warned His disciples that on several occasions about coming persecution. Read Mark 10:29-30 where Jesus discusses the reward of His disciples. The context of the conversation is what the disciples have to give up. He clearly states that we “shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions…” These are to be received in this time, but it will come with persecutions! 

In Acts 8, we see the beginning of the persecution of the saints of God. Read Acts 8:1-4. Notice that the saints did not form a protest or resist the persecution physically. They were scattered as a result of persecution. The church was practicing what Jesus told the early disciples to do when persecution comes in Matt. 10:23. Also read verses 24-28. Jesus compared His disciples to himself. Jesus did not resist persecution. He did not resist being arrested. He did not allow Peter to fight the men who came to arrest Him. Jesus escaped out of the hands of the authorities several times rather than organize a resistance.  

Do not fall into the trap of thinking it is your Christian duty to protest and fight against persecution. Jesus did not do it neither did He command us to do so. This does not mean to roll over and do whatever those in authority command. Christians should be prepared to flee to the next city to continue preaching and living according to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Please read Acts 8:4 again. These saints fled as they were commanded to do. Everywhere they went they preach the word (the good news of the kingdom of God.) 

Are you prepared to continue the work that God has set before the church? Are you prepared to preach the good news that there is a better government coming that will be ruled by Jesus Christ?  

There is a great persecution coming known as the Great Tribulation (see Matt. 24:15-22; Mark 13:14-20; Rev. 6:9-11; Luke 21:36). Please note that Luke 21:36 mentions being counted worthy to escape the Great Tribulation. Also note that Rev. 12:12-17. The woman (church) flies to the wilderness and satan makes war against the remanent of her seed. The scriptures promote fleeing in the face of persecution and it never presents open rebellion as an option.  

If God has prophesied that there will be persecution, then how can we resist it? We CANNOT resist what God has said must happen. God has given us the prescription for persecution through Jesus Christ’s words.  

“…when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.” (Matt. 10:23) 

Settle this in your mind before persecution comes to you. Preach the true unfiltered gospel of Jesus Christ without apology. Be prepared to flee to another city or town if necessary. Remember this world is not your world. Hostile rebellion against the systems of this world will not promote the message of Jesus Christ. The only way to promote the message of Jesus Christ is to live according to His teachings and teach others to do so.  

God’s Work Will Continue 

In Acts 8:5-8, we read of Phillip going to Samaria. Through him, many miracles were done just as was done through Jesus Christ. Take special note of verse 6. It reads, “And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake…” The Greek word translated as gave heed means to hold the mind towards, i.e. pay attention to, be cautious about, apply oneself to, adhere to according to the Strong’s Concordance. This is not merely listening to what Phillip had to say. This verse implies that the people of Samaria began to hold themselves to the words that were spoken to them by Phillip. This verse is often overlooked because many do not understand that the gospel message is a warning about character. Jesus proclaimed the coming of a kingdom ruled by the standards of God the Father. Included in this proclamation was a warning that those who continue to live outside of this standard will not be welcome in the kingdom of God. Remember, repentance is not merely a feeling of remorse. It is a change in who you are inwardly that manifests outwardly. Read Mark 1:15. Those listening to Phillip were changing and believing the message Jesus Christ preached.  

The implication of Acts 8:6 is that the people of Samaria gave heed to Phillip because of the miracles they saw and heard. The scattering of the saints did not stop God’s work. God’s work continued in the face of open persecution. No man can stop the work of God. Even the Pharisee knew this is Acts 5:38-39. Do not let futile attempts to silence the truth to cause you to be worried. God’s word will get out until He decides otherwise. Men have no power to stop the work of God; therefore, Christians should not be afraid to do the work God has called them to.  

Remember, spreading the true gospel of the kingdom does not require you to be a street preacher; however, it does require you to be open about what you believe and living by the standard God has set before you (1 Pet. 3:14-16). The Christian lifestyle is vastly different from the average person. This lifestyle is an afront to hypocrisy. It is about living by every word that you speak and those words should be God’s words not our own words. It is about growing in and displaying the fruits of the Spirit of God (Gal 5:22-26). It is about humbly displaying love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance and giving glory to the Father when others see this character in you.  

God’s work is not merely about saving souls. It is about raising sons who reflect His character and will. God wants to give us eternal life, but He will not give us immortality so that we can be wicked forever. He will not give us immortality so that we can be like satan. Again, He wants to adopt sons who reflect His character and will (Matt. 5:44-45,48; Luke 6:36; Matt. 6:15; Matt. 7:21; Matt. 12:50).  

The Samaritans were giving heed to the gospel, the good news that men can become members of God’s family if they change and align their character with His! This realignment with God led to great miracles of healing and joy throughout the city (Acts 8:7-8). God’s message will not cease until He wants it to happen (Amos 8:11-12). 

What Does It Mean to Believe? 

Among the Samaritans was a man named Simon (Acts 8:9). Luke gives a brief overview of this man’s history in Acts 8:9-13. Ask yourself: Why did Luke take the time to describe this man’s deeds? Surely, these words are not preserved in the scriptures as placeholders. There was something Theophilus was supposed to learn from this history; therefore, there is something we should learn from it as well.  

Notice that Simon of Samaria was known for using sorcery to bewitch the people. The word sorcery means to practice magic. The word bewitch means to put out of wits, i.e. astound, or (reflexively) become astounded, insane according to the Strong’s Concordance. Interestingly, this same Greek word is used to describe the people who witnessed Jesus’ miracles. Luke makes a clear distinction by saying that Simon was astounding the people through sorcery in verse 9 and 11. This word translated as bewitch is not negative by itself. The negative connotation comes from the fact that sorcery is the means by which the people were amazed. 

[Sidenote: There is a warning in these verses about miracles and signs. Do not assume that satan does not have power to bring about miracles and signs. The practice of magic (sorcery) is a real thing. There are several warnings to Christians about signs and wonders. For example, Matt. 24:24 warns of false christs who will show signs and wonders during the Great Tribulation of the end times. Rev. 13:13-14 warns of a great deceiver who will perform great wonders and miracles on behalf of the beast. Signs and wonders can be deceiving! The way not to be deceived is to know what Jesus Christ taught and compare it with the teaching of anyone performing signs and wonders. The ministers of satan will never teach the whole truth (2 Peter 2).] 

Simon was able to deceive the whole city, from the least to the greatest through the practice of magic. Please understand that magic is the practice of consulting with spirits to have power. This is the opposite of praying to God about a matter or God telling you to do something. Simon was collaborating with devils to have power so that he may seem like he had the power of God. The result was that the people of Samaria followed him.  

By the time Philip came, these people had been seeing the work of Simon for a long time (Acts 8:11). They were not strangers to signs and wonders, but Philip’s work was from God. Reread verse 6. Philip spoke something to them. He had a message that they gave heed to. As far as we can tell, this Simon was merely a magician. The people regarded him because of his power, not any teaching of his.  

We also read that Simon also believed and was astounded by the miracles done through Philip (verse 13). The implication of this verse is that Philip through the Holy Spirit was doing what Simon could not do through the power of devils. The power of these two men were so different that Simon began to believe Philip’s message. But what was Philip’s message? 

Many read through these verses and spend more time analyzing Simon the sorcerer’s behavior than they spend analyzing what Philip was teaching the people of Samaria. This message through Philip was so powerful that a sorcerer showed interest in it. So, what was Philip teaching? 

“But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” (Acts 8:12) 

Philip was teaching a message that very few professing Christians know about, acknowledge, and/or promote. This verse plainly states that Philip was preaching things concerning the kingdom of God. Why didn’t Luke write that Philip was preaching about salvation and heaven?  Simply because that was not what Philip was preaching! Remember, this is the first generation of the church of God. They were teaching what Jesus told them to teach (Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 10:1-2,9; Matt. 10:1,7-8). The cited verses show how Jesus trained the early disciples for the work they would do when He returned to heaven. They were instructed to teach about the kingdom of heaven (or God) and to heal the sick. The book of Acts records the history of the church carrying out what they were taught. It was this teaching about the coming kingdom of God and the king of that kingdom that the people of Samaria and Simon gave heed to.  

Luke records that they (including Simon) believed Philip about the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. Keep in mind, that the name of Jesus Christ is a phrase denoting the authority of Jesus Christ. Jesus will sit on the throne of David (which belongs to God) and judge the world in righteousness (Isa. 9:6-7). Jesus will be the ruling authority in the world to come. If you believe this, then you know how critical it is to live by the things that Jesus taught. Rejection of these teachings will exclude us from taking part in that wonderful kingdom to come (Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 6:46-49).   

If we truly believe what Jesus taught about the kingdom of God, then we will keep His sayings and practice them daily. We are blessed to have access to Jesus’ teachings. It’s okay to be astounded by the wonderful works God does before our eyes, but it is more important to truly believe what He sent Jesus to teach mankind. It is recorded that Jesus said that seeking after a sign is something evil and adulterous people do (Matt. 12:39; Matt. 16:4). Chasing after signs is not true belief and will lead to being deceived (Mark 13:22). We have to learn to pray to God to open our minds and hearts to the true gospel and not to rely on signs and wonders as proof of the truth. Those seeking for signs do not really believe God’s message. They are merely seeking amusement, amazement, and power just like Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8:13).  

Do not fall into thinking you need to see signs and wonders to believe or maintain faith in God’s promises. Be cautious of those who are constantly looking for signs and wonders. Sign and wonders will be a major aspect of deception during the world’s tribulation. Please read Matt. 24:24 several times. Study the real teachings of Jesus Christ and build the foundation of your spiritual life on doing what He taught His servants (Matt. 7:24-27). May God be with you!!!