Philip, Peter and John have ministered in Samaria. Believers have been baptized for the remission of sins and have received the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands.

Verses eighteen through twenty-four: Simon the Sorcerer has seen the light, believed and been water baptized. Fast forward to the modern church: A miracle worker who had been hailed as God Himself has been “saved,” baptized and joined THE church. The congregation is rejoicing that a soul has been snatched from the jaws of the devil. Heaven has gained another future resident. God has smiled His on the denomination, proving that it is in fact THE denomination. In today’s church world the aforementioned scenario would immediately have Simon engaged in a speaking tour where he would minister to other groups in THE denomination. Teaching Sunday School classes would soon give way to preaching. Ordination would soon be forthcoming. Sponsors would be lining up to finance a seminary degree for the trophy convert. But in God’s church things are far different. See All That Glitters and Ministerial Ordination.

The Apostle Peter saw through Simon immediately when he tried to buy the power of God. In short order Peter told him that he had no part to play in the life of the church of God and that he would burn along with his money. By noting Simon’s response to Peter’s condemnation one can see the seeds of the church he would soon establish in Rome. Instead of repenting and asking God for forgiveness of his sins as God requires of us, Simon ASKED PETER TO PRAY THAT GOD WOULD NOT PUNISH HIM. Note it: Simon wanted a human intermediary to intercede for him. One of the foundational tenants of Catholicism is the “confessional” in which a priest intervenes between man and God. The Biblically-condemned practice is an abomination to the Lord. From this custom one can trace many of the Satanic practices and doctrines upon which the Catholic Church is built. See Simon of Samaria: The Legacy for a history of Catholicism. To their credit, of the many customs and doctrines the so-called “protestants” took with them when they departed from the mother church, the confessional was not one of them. See the Introduction to this website for a few examples of the heathen doctrines and practices the protesters did embrace. The umbilical connecting the mother whore from her harlot daughters was never broken (Rev. 17:1-5).

In the meantime the Lord had sent Philip to a lone man riding in a chariot and reading in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. As Philip appeared beside him the man was reading about Israel’s Messiah and how Satan’s people would treat Him. The man was on his way to Jerusalem where he would worship Israel’s God in His Temple. The man asked Philip what the passage he was reading meant. Philip joined him in the chariot and explained the Lord’s will and way. Upon learning that he needed to be baptized for the remission of his past sins, the man asked if Philip would baptize him, noting that there was a source of baptismal water nearby. For baptismal sprinklers the following verses are very important. Note in verse 38 that they “went down into the water,” and verse 39 where they “came up out of the water.” True water baptism (John’s baptism) is performed by emersion only. Sprinkling was instituted in order to baptize infants and children who had supposedly sinned. Sin is the transgression of the Law (1 Jn. 3:4). Baptism signifies the removal of sin (Rom. 3:25). What commandment has an infant broken? Let us believe God and not man. L.J.