Acts 8:18-24

Simon wanted the gifts of the Holy Spirit without any understanding of the Holy Spirit. He wanted power without surrender. He wanted to pay for the ability to work miracles that Peter and Philip exhibited, but wasn’t at all interested in the love and transformation that was essential to it. Instead, he wanted to use the Holy Spirit as a commodity to advance his personal position, reputation, and sense of power.

His “bitterness” (literally, poison) was related to a lust for power and self-exaltation, along the very same lines as Deuteronomy 29:18-19. This would, if carried through, bring great grief on all the people of the city, just as poison does—imagine, if their former leader had been able to do similar miracles to those of Philip and Peter, except that these miracles would be in his own name rather than in the Name of Jesus!

The gall of bitterness, like the heart of hearts, means the bitter centre of bitterness, as the heart of hearts means the innermost recesses of the heart or affections. In the Acts it is used to signify “the sinfulness of sin,” which leads to the bitterest grief.

Does this mean that there is no security for the child of God?  Of course not, but the security offered is dependent upon continued dedication of heart (emotion, thought, and will) and body (activity) to God.  Note 2Peter 1:4-9 in this regard.  If we add these “graces” to our faith, and continue to grow it, then we are being “diligent to make certain His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you,” 2Peter 1:10-11!

Though Simon had been previously saved by obedience to the gospel, he then became lost by sinful thoughts and intentions! 

Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me. —Psalm 119:133.

that thou art "bound by" iniquity. That is, that it has the rule over you, and "binds" you as a captive. Sin is often thus represented as "bondage" and "captivity," Psalm 116:16; Proverbs 5:22, "He shall be holden with the cords of his sins"; Romans 7:23-24. These expressions prove conclusively that Simon was a stranger to religion.