Philip’s work in Samaria confirms that God’s church is not a place for pagan thinking and worship.
In the interactions with Simon we are shown that magic has no place amongst God’s people. God cannot be manipulated and controlled as if he is some kind of commodity. Such thinking is blasphemy and deserving of eternal destruction (as the Old Testament teaches). This is the lot which Simon deserves. He has grown up in a pagan environment and now having put his faith in Jesus Christ, he must learn to think differently. He must learn to live in submission to God’s will, to forsake his magic and evil practices.
As the church of Jesus Christ grows and crosses into new areas, it will always come into contact with different belief systems. The challenge for believers, especially office-bearers tasked with teaching God’s Word, is to make it clear that there is no place for a mixing
of religions. We cannot serve God who has revealed himself in Scripture and continue to worship the gods of our ancestors. We cannot serve God and continue to live as we please. Pagan ways of thinking and doing things must not be adapted and incorporated into the church.
It might be a helpful exercise to consider the environment in which you live. What are some of the traditional ideas and religions that are practised by people in your society? How have those ideas influenced the church? Can you see their influence?
One example of a pagan thought is the idea that God is obligated to bless us when we give to him. If we show faith by giving a large portion of our income to the church, then he will respond by blessing us with more health and wealth. This kind of thinking is similar to the paganism of Simon. It is the idea that our money can buy access to spiritual power; the idea that our money can manipulate God into doing the things we want him to do for us.
9 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.