Impersonators versus Imitators

Acts 8:9-25

What is a impersonator? The ability to do a great impersonation fascinates me. It's amazing how an actor or a comedian can adapt the facial expressions, the physiology, and the vocal inflection of a famous person. Dana Carvey's impersonation of the senior George Bush was one of the best—even the former president loved it. Frank Calendo can do more impersonations than anyone I have ever seen.

But there is a difference between impersonations and imitations. An impersonators tries to sound and look like another person while an imitator not only tries to sound like another but they model their behavior, attitudes and life outlook. An imitator wants to become like the person they model.

Occasionally, when you read the Bible, you'll come across a verse that jumps out and overwhelms you by virtue of its sheer impossibility. For example, when Jesus said, "Therefore, you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." I don't know about you, but that one hasn't been easy to pull off for me. (SMV)

There's more to imitating God than just talking the talk, going to church, or even walking an aisle or through a baptistry. We are called to be imitators of Chris but more and more there are impersonators who want to like and sound like Christ but not become like Him. There’s an example of this in scripture which can help us understand the difference between impersonators and imitators.

Acts 8:9–25 ESV

But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

VERSES 9-11

Following the martyrdom of Stephen the church scatters and Philip takes the gospel to Samaria. This of course is very significant as it is continuing the instructions of Christ to be His witnesses in Jerusalem and Samaria. When Philip came to Samaria, he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. In Samaria Philip is seeing great results. Then a couple of events take place that Luke records, which makes these events important.

Many traditions revolve around Simon the sorcerer. It is alleged that he was the founder of the Gnostic heresies and that he went to Rome and perverted Christian doctrine there. Many early church fathers identify this Simon as a heretic. Justin Martyr and the early church fathers tell of a heretical Gnostic sect of Simonians in the second and third centuries who traced their beliefs back to the Simon of Acts. At any rate, this Simon of Samaria did practice sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria.

VERSES 12-13

When Philip came to Samaria, he preached the good news. To preach the Good News about the name of Jesus Christ would mean “to preach the Good News about Jesus Christ,” and in the present context specifically the Good News that Jesus was the Messiah.

As an evidence of their faith the Samaritans were baptized, both men and women. Amazingly Simon himself believed and was baptized. Was Simon saved? Luke did not specify this clearly, but a few facts suggest that Simon probably was not born again: (1) The verb “believe” does not always refer to saving faith. Simon’s faith could have been like that of the demons in James 2:19, merely intellectual acknowledgement. (2) Furthermore, faith based externally is not a trustworthy faith. (3) In addition, Luke never stated that Simon received the Holy Spirit. So why has Simon been baptized? Left without followers, Simon thinks it best to join the man who is now outdrawing him. It was the popular, expected thing to do.

VERSES 14-17

With the news of these events reaching Jerusalem, it was necessary for the apostles in Jerusalem to commission Peter and John to go to Samaria. Peter and John are sent from Jerusalem to verify what a second generation leader is doing. Up to that point all the work had been done by the apostles. Now their work was moving from initiation to verification.

Then something happens that seems strange (v15-17): When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit is connected with becoming a Christian but Acts presents no set pattern. Sometimes the Spirit is connected with the laying on of hands, sometimes not. Sometimes coming of the Spirit precedes baptism. Sometimes it follows. The Spirit “blows where it wills” according to John 3.

The current passage is the most difficult case of them all. Why was the receipt of the Spirit so disconnected from the Samaritans’ baptism? Here is why: The Samaritans had to know that salvation started with the Jews; the Jews, in turn, had to understand that the same salvation had now come to the Samaritans. Jesus said in John 17 that the world would know that Jesus came from the Father when the world saw the unity of the body of Christ. With the tremendous hatred that existed between the Jews and Samaritans, God demonstrated to both sides that they would be united together as a church. The dependence of the Samaritans upon the Jews to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit was the healing sign that the two sides were to become one. This delay is about unifying the church under the banner of Christ through the Holy Spirit. There was a real danger that the church in Jerusalem might retain ideas of Jewish superiority, and that they might continue to have no dealings with their Samaritan brethren. The Holy Spirit was the unifying factor that would bring Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles into one body.

VERSES 18-25

The word saw may simply mean that Simon perceived what was happening so he wanted in on the benefits. But Peter strongly rebukes Him. The reason for such strong language was Simon’s failure to understand grace, the free nature of God’s salvation and blessings. The language of this verse, “You have no part or share in this ministry,” implies Simon was not a Christian.

Simon asks them to pray for him instead of repenting himself. Apart from his repentance, Simon’s state would remain one filled with the “gall of bitterness” and captivity to the “bonds of sin.” There was no prayer of contrition from Simon, just the fear that Peter’s predicted judgment might come down upon him.

Peter and John were so convinced of God’s working among the Samaritans that when they returned to Jerusalem they too shared the gospel with Samaritans, in fact, in many Samaritan villages. They continued to be on mission that started with Acts 1:8.

TODAY’S KEY TRUTH

As imitators of Christ we must surrender and be on mission.

Apparently Simon’s “belief” was superficial, like the belief of those described in John 2, who were excited by Jesus’ miracles but were not committed to Him.

History is filled with many people look at Jesus and the see the benefits yet fail to understand what it means to be saved. They say the rights words, go to church, even live moral lives but they fail to truly understand and surrender.

All false faith exalts individuals instead of God. Whether it is Jim Jones, David Koresh, Marshall Applewhite, Joseph Smith or Simon of Samaria, they fail to see that true faith begins with surrendering to Christ fully and dying to self. Authentic Christianity exalts Jesus not the individual. Take John the Baptist, when Jesus was becoming more and more popular, said, “He must increase, I must decrease.” Paul says this, “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake,” in 2Corinthians 4. We according to scripture are to exalt Christ, that is surrendering.

We want Jesus on our own terms without fully surrendering our self determination to run our own lives. This is pointedly exemplified in Simon’s response to Peter. He completely sidestepped the challenge to surrender by repenting. Simon asked Peter to pray that none of the things with which he confronted him would happen, but he did not do the one thing which could prevent it — surrender! Simon was still in charge of Simon, and he received neither the initial blessing Philip preached nor the fullness of the blessing Peter and John offered. He was left with the same old Simon and a city which no longer was impressed by his assertions of greatness. He didn’t surrender and nothing changed. He was an impersonator.

The implication for us and for the people around us is that, just as it is possible to have belief in Jesus and not be filled with His Spirit, it is also possible to want His Spirit’s benefits while living our own self-controlled lives without surrender and total commitment to the Lord. Neither works nor saves. That is impersonating a believer, not imitating Christ.

I am afraid that many today fall into this category. George Barna states that 50% of people whose name are on an American church membership roll are lost. When you consider the state of most church membership rolls that number can easily go higher. I’m not talking about those who are unable to be involved in church because of health issues but those who choose not to and who are often referred to as inactive members. Unlike Peter with Simon, the church today has not dealt with this problem. Not wanting someone’s feelings get hurt, the church fails to face its inactive members, thinking that this is an act of love. The problem is that if someone is lost, but the church allows them to possibly think they are saved simply because their name is on a roll, that is not an act of love. Peter confronted Simon because he cared about his lost soul. That is love.

To allow untold numbers of people to think like Simon that because they walked forward one Sunday and passed through the baptistery that they are saved and an authentic believer when they are lost is not an act of love. If there is no true surrender then there’s no true salvation. And many have not surrender evident by many things including their lack of commitment to the bride of Christ, the church. That is why in the early church while there is evidence of membership rolls there is no evidence or allowance for an inactive member. Membership was completely tied to ministry because that is evidence of surrendering to Christ.

The church today needs to be like Philip taking the good news of Christ to a lost and dying world. And like Peter the church in America today needs to be concerned about the state of all lost souls, especially those whose name is on a membership roll giving them a false sense of salvation. That is being on mission. Being on mission is realizing that we are to be imitators of Christ by being on mission for God. We according to scripture are to be imitators of Christ, who willing left the comfort of Heaven to seek and save the lost. As imitators of Christ we must surrender and be on mission.

LIFE APPLICATION

Completely Surrender

Repent

Self Denial

Reprioritize

Be On Mission

Focus on Unity

Share the Gospel