It behooves one to understand the importance of true salvation and the good works that come from it.
The Son of God died to ransom mankind, therefore, a believer’s response must be worthy of the Lord’s righteousness. To use the Good News of the Gospel as a covering is wrong. Claiming to be a believer while continuing to do worldly things is a trap Satan uses to keep people’s thoughts and desires focused on him. Sadly, claiming to be a ‘Christian’ often leads to worldly behavior (refer to post entitled Believer and Christian). Resist false covering regardless of what others claim contrary, or what might be popular at the time.
Another Satan trap is to use the Lord as if He were a genie in a magic lamp—rub to receive your heart’s desire. Recent conversations have brought these common errors to light. People claiming to be ‘Christians’ used that false cover to harm others. Then they asked why God wouldn’t provide them with something they deeply desired, claiming, “He gave it to them, why won’t He give it to me!”
Jesus explains true salvation very clearly in John 14:6—He is the (one) Way, the (one) Truth, and the (only) Life (giver)—Jesus is the only way back to God the Father.
Why? Because all other ways are false and scriptural history explains it to us…
Long before Genesis 1:1 the Triune Godhead (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) orchestrated the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and His resurrection:
- Jesus knew He would have to die to save humanity, because the Three knew Adam would fall to Satan’s deceit.
- The Godhead knew the generations leading up to the flood would not be pure-blooded (except for Noah, his three sons, and their wives), but overrun with Satan’s Nephilim.
- The Godhead knew two of Noah’s three sons would produce nations opposed to Israel.
- Then the Godhead made a Covenant with Abraham, knowing this patriarch would also produce the nations of Islam, the gentile nations, and God’s appointed nation Israel.
- The Triune knew Israel—whom they separated from other nations—would abandon Them and idolize false gods.
- They knew Israel would stand separate in the world—hated, despised, continually threatened from all sides.
- And finally, They knew one day Israel would recognize their Messiah, come to know Him, repent, and with all their hearts beg the Lord Jesus to return. He will rescue Israel and protect her with supernatural power for all the world to see.
So when a person claims they are saved, heaven and believers rejoice. But when their words and actions prove they still seek worldly desires, things get complicated. You see, anyone can claim ‘Christianity’ upon themselves, but if their heart remains in the world doing ungodly things, then all they have is a false covering—and true salvation, believing in His Way—has not been achieved.
So let’s take a look at Acts 8:5-25 (ISV) for more understanding:
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began to preach the Messiah to the people. The crowds, hearing his message and seeing the signs that he was doing, paid close attention to what was said by Philip. Unclean spirits screamed with a loud voice as they came out of the many people they had possessed, and many paralyzed and lame people were healed. As a result, there was great rejoicing in that city. Now in that city there was a man named Simon. He was practicing occult arts and thrilling the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. Everyone from the least to the greatest paid close attention to him, saying, “This is what we call the great power of God!” They paid careful attention to him because he had thrilled them for a long time with his occult performances. But when Philip proclaimed the Good News about the Kingdom of God and about the name of Jesus the Messiah, men and women believed and were baptized. Even Simon believed, and after he was baptized he became devoted to Philip. He was amazed to see the signs and great miracles that were happening. Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaritans had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. They went down and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Before this, He had not come on any of them.
They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John 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 and said, “Give me this power too, so that when I lay my hands on someone, he will receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter told him, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s free gift with money! You have no part or share in what we’re saying, because your heart isn’t right with God. So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven you. For I see that you’re being poisoned by bitterness and you’re a prisoner of wickedness!” Simon answered, “Both of you pray to the Lord for me that none of the things you have said will happen to me.” After they had given their testimony and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, continuing to proclaim the good news in many Samaritan villages.
God sent Phillip to Samaria. Phillip did all he was commanded to do and the people were changed. Simon saw these great miracles of God and coveted them for himself. He wanted the great rejoicing to revolve around him again, so he devoted himself to Phillip to observe and learn how miracles were achieved. God sent Peter and John to correct Simon the sorcerer, hoping Simon would accept the Good News of the Gospel with all his heart and mind.
Instead, Simon treated the Good News of the Gospel like a false covering. A way for him to cheat people. A way for him to be more important than God. Then he took it a step further and treated the Lord like He was a genie in a magic lamp—at Simon’s beck and call. Desiring that every time he rubbed the lamp, God would perform miracles through him. Furthermore, Simon assumed he could buy this privilege, AND the apostles would agree to sell true salvation to him!
You see, prior to Phillip’s arrival, Simon allowed the Samaritans to believe his sorcery came from God! Simon didn’t want to lose his popularity, so he professed to be a ‘Christian’, and agreed to baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. But his falseness presented itself when Simon devoted himself to Phillip, NOT to Jesus Christ. Hence, the Lord sent Peter and John to Samaria—not because Phillip was incapable or did the work of the Lord incorrectly. No. Peter and John were sent to expose Simon, his false cover and sorcery, and teach future believers not to make the same mistake.
When Peter rebuked Simon, his true intentions surfaced. Simon did not repent, but mockingly told the Lord’s apostles to do the repenting for him! Peter, John, and Phillip utterly rejected this man.
Jesus warns believers against false covering—and the result thereof—in Matthew 7:15-20:
“Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
AMEN!