Tattoos: Not for Christians

Undoubtedly, everyone has noticed the increase of tattoos on people in the last decade and that trend seems to be increasing at an alarming rate, especially in the military. In fact it is now a multi-billion dollar industry and shows no signs of slowing down. But the question that needs to be asked is whether born-again Christians should get tattoos on their bodies? So let's examine what God has spoken on the issue. First, God commanded His people (Israel) to not tattoo their bodies in Leviticus 19:28 when He spoke these words "You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you: I am the Lord." By God forbidding His people from tattooing their bodies, He was setting them apart from the pagan cultures that would surround them, especially the Egyptians. When God made this law, ancient cultures had been engaging in tattooing since 3200 B.C., thus God was setting His people apart from the rest of the world. Tattoos were a sign of idolatry and apostasy and God's people were to be a holy and God honoring people. Second, continuing with the command of being set apart and being made holy, the apostle Paul appeals to the believers of Rome and to all believers to not be conformed to this world. What is certain is that tattoos are not from God, but from the world. In Romans 12:1, 2 Paul writes that believers are to "present their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." A Christian's life is transformed by the gospel and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, separating them from worldly passions and desires, growing in the knowledge of Christ, and casting off their old life. When a Christian presents their body as a "living sacrifice" to God they are dedicating their rights and giving up their rights, to include their rights to selfish wants, such as tattoos. Christians are called to give God themselves as totally surrendered vessels so His will can be done through them. Third, after Paul was finishing up his counsel and warnings concerning sexual immorality to the Corinthians, he writes "Don't you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20). The body of a Christian must be considered sacred and holy belonging to God. Thus Christians have no business tattooing their bodies and desecrating their vessel where the Holy Spirit dwells. Finally, every person has been made in the image of God and nothing we do should ever take away from His glory.. When the Holy Spirit has transformed us to be His ambassadors, we must mirror Christ with our inner and outer person.
In conclusion, Jesus has redeemed us, saved us, forgave us, freed us, and owns us. So before you think about getting a tattoo on your body you might want to check with your Heavenly Father and I pray this short blog post has convicted you to never consider having a tattoo placed on your body which belongs to His son Jesus Christ.

Flawed and Depraved Thinking: Homosexuality

Please read this paper on homosexuality written by my Christian brother and fellow chaplain Mitch Friar. It is critical for every believer and non-believer to understand this critical moral issue which has overwhelmed our culture and gained ground as morally acceptable.

Questioning Homosexuality
Mitch Friar

1. What is sin?
The Bible reveals that all of humanity is lost in sin and falls short of the glory of God
(Romans 3:23). Thus it is important to determine what exactly sin is. Question 14 of the
Westminster Shorter Catechism offers this concise answer, “Sin is any want of conformity
unto, or transgression of the law of God.” Along with this, Cornelius Plantinga Jr. offers the
following description of sin. “The Bible presents sin by way of major concepts, principally
lawlessness and faithlessness, expressed in an array of images: sin is the missing of a target, a
wandering from the path, a straying from the fold. Sin is a hard heart and a stiff neck. Sin is
blindness and deafness. It is both the overstepping of a line and the failure to reach it—both
transgression and shortcoming. Sin is a beast crouching at the door. In sin, people attack or
evade or neglect their divine calling.”1

In considering this definition and description of sin three things need to be mentioned.
First, a standard of righteousness presupposes the knowledge of sin. There must be a right
standard by which actions can be evaluated and judged to be right or wrong. Second, this
standard of righteousness must be a transcendent standard, for if there is no transcendent
standard of righteousness then man determines right and wrong. If man determined right and
wrong then the standard would be ever changing and even disastrous just as the book of
Judges reveals, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his
own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Now the only transcendent standard for righteousness is God
Himself. Third, sin is a moral issue, not a social or legal issue, because sin has to do with not
conforming to God’s standards (not man’s standards). Thus something can be socially
acceptable and even legal but immoral, or socially unacceptable and even illegal but moral.

2. Is homosexuality sin or a valid expression of human sexuality?
The only way homosexuality can be recognized as a valid expression of human sexuality
is for it to conform to God’s standard for human sexuality. Now God’s design, intention, and
purpose for human sexuality is revealed in Genesis 1-2. In Genesis 1:26-28 the Bible reveals
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’ So God
created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He
created them.” Also God blessed them and told them to “be fruitful and multiply.”

1
 Cornelius Plantinga Jr., Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995), 5. First, God’s design for human sexuality is that humanity would consist of two distinct
genders. These two distinct genders would complement each other and would be necessary
for fulfilling God’s command to be fruitful and multiply. Second, God’s intention of creating
man both male and female can be seen when God said “Let Us make man in Our image,
according to Our likeness.” These words suggest the relationship that exists within the
Triune God is somehow to be reflected in the male-female relationship. Or to put it another
way, God is glorified when men act like men and women act like women and they relate
together, expressing and maintaining their distinct gender while at the same time respecting
the distinct gender and differences of the other. Third, God’s purpose for creating man both
male and female can be seen in His establishing the most intimate, satisfying of all human
relationships—heterosexual monogamous marriage. Also it should be recognized that God’s
creation of mankind with distinct genders and His establishment of marriage as a unique
heterosexual relationship is part of God’s created order which He called very good (Genesis
1:31).
In considering these things it is evident that homosexuality does not conform to God’s
design, intention, and purpose for human sexuality. Therefore homosexuality is indeed sin.

3. If homosexuality is not God’s design, intention, and purpose for human sexuality then
why and how did homosexuality come into practice?
While God declared all of His creation including His design, intention, and purpose for
human sexuality to be very good (Genesis 1:31), the reality is creation fell from its pristine
state, as revealed in Genesis 3. This fall into sin has not only brought death and judgment
from God but has rendered humanity corrupted by sin. This corruption by sin is the root
cause for humanity perverting and distorting God’s good gift of human sexuality (Jeremiah
17:9; Matthew 15:19).

4. What about those who say they were born homosexual?
People are not born of homosexuals to be homosexuals; instead, they are born of
heterosexuals to be heterosexuals. However, because of the fall, people are born with the
inclination to sin. Thus homosexuality is not a genetic issue but a spiritual issue. Now
granted there may be some circumstances or situations that may condition people to go down
the path of homosexuality, but that is the case with many sinful lifestyles people choose. Yet
people are ultimately accountable for the choices they make.



 5. Does the Bible actually condemn homosexuality?
While the homosexual agenda has become more aggressive is the last few years the
reality is homosexuality is not a new phenomenon. The Bible does not hide from its readers
the fact that this distortion of human sexuality is an issue that can be seen as early as the
book of Genesis and even in the book of Revelation.
First, in Genesis 18-19 one can read about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, two
cities that were known for homosexuality. Second, in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, God
specifically condemned homosexuality in the law He gave to ancient Israel. They were His
redeemed people and part of enjoying this blessing was to live with a right understanding of
human sexuality. Third, in Romans 1:26-27 the sin of homosexuality is referred to as “being
against nature” and “shameful.” Fourth, in Revelation 21:7-8 a distinction is made between
those who have turned from sin and put their faith in the Lord Jesus and those who have
continued in their sin and not believed the Gospel. “He who overcomes shall inherit all
things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving,
abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their
part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” The
sexually immoral here refers to those who have lived an unrepentant life of rebelling against
God’s design, intention, and purpose for human sexuality. Certainly homosexuality is in view
here.
While there are other references that could be pointed out these are important because
these accounts reveal that homosexuality has been condemned by God before He gave the
law to Israel, in the law, and during the New Testament age; and those who continue to rebel
against God’s design, intention, and purpose for human sexuality in this life will face eternal
condemnation.

6. Did Jesus ever address homosexuality?
Some may claim that Jesus never directly addressed homosexuality, but upon closer
examination He did indirectly address this issue. First, He referred to the destruction of
Sodom and Gomorrah as a historical fact (Matthew 10:15; 11:24). Second, when Jesus was
asked about marriage, He actually affirmed God’s original design and plan for heterosexual,
monogamous marriage when He said, “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them
male and female. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh’” (Mark 10:9-6).



 7. Is marriage a social institution or a moral institution?
If marriage was man’s idea or an institution established by government then man and
government could claim to have some say over what constitutes marriage. However, as
revealed in Genesis two, marriage was not established by the government, for there was no
government, and neither was marriage man’s idea for the Scripture says, “And the LORD
God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to
him.’” That helper would be a distinctly different gender. God brought the woman to the
man, they were joined together, and the institution of marriage was established. This is
important because it reveals that marriage is a not a social institution; instead it is a moral
institution because marriage originated with God and was established by Him.

8. How should Government respond to the institution of marriage?
Romans 13:1-5 shows that civil government is actually appointed by God, and civil rulers
are even referred to as God’s ministers. Along with this, the role of civil government is to
restrain evil and promote good. In order for civil government to do this there must be a basic
understanding of good and evil. As for the institution of marriage—heterosexual
monogamous marriage is part of the created order that God called very good (Genesis 1:31).
Thus for government to fulfill its rightful role in society with respect to marriage it should
affirm heterosexual monogamous marriage.

9. Does government have a vested interest in monogamous heterosexual marriage?
Yes. Much can be said about this but for now the research of anthropologist J.D. Unwin
will be mentioned. After researching the historical decline of numerous cultures he
discovered that “strict marital monogamy” was fundamental to the stabilization and growth
of society.

10. Why should Christians be concerned about the institution of Marriage?
Since God created and established marriage for all of humanity, all of humanity should
be concerned about a right understanding of marriage. Believers, however, have an extra
incentive to be concerned about the institution of marriage, because God uses the institution
of marriage as a picture to reveal Christ’s relationship to the Church (Ephesians 5:22-32).
This reveals that the marriage relationship points to a greater relationship. However, when
the institution of marriage is not what God intends it to be, then it undermines the analogy of
Christ’s relationship with to the Church.
 11. How should Christians respond to the institution of Marriage and the battle being
waged against it?
First, Christians should live according to God’s design, intention, and purpose for human
sexuality regardless of what is going on in the world. Second, Christians should share the
truth about God’s design, intention, and purpose for human sexuality with others. If this
witness to the truth cannot be found in Christians then where will this witness come from?
Third, out of love for God and love for one’s neighbor Christians should resist the attempt to
redefine marriage, knowing that marriage as designed and established by God is good and
right for humanity.

12. What is the problem with marriage equality?
This is a common argument but it is a flawed argument. The phrase “marriage equality”
is used as an attempt to make anyone who disagrees with same-sex marriage look bad. The
fallacy of this argument is in its premise as it suggests there is some inequality in marriage
that must be fixed. The reality is the institution of marriage is open to any male and female
who choose to commit their life together. It is an institution that God has given to all of
humanity. While the Bible does instruct that Christians are to marry other Christians,
marriage is the one institution that can be enjoyed by all. What homosexuals are attempting
to do is use the good institution of marriage to force society to accept behavior that is
immoral. The consequence of this is that if marriage does not mean something distinct and
unique then marriage does not mean anything at all.

13. What about those who say, “It is my life I can live however I want”?
This kind of thinking is rampant in contemporary American culture and it stems from a
couple of things. First, when people are only concerned about themselves and what they want
it is really nothing more than pride and selfishness disguised as individuality. What these
people fail to understand is that while God has given humanity the ability to make decisions
and choices, these decisions and choices are not immune from consequences. Second, such
thinking also comes from confusing two contrary ideas—ordered liberty and autonomous
liberty. “Ordered liberty is a concept of freedom that is restrained by moral obligations. This
concept of freedom always involves freedom for as opposed to freedom from. Autonomous
liberty is a concept of freedom that is absent of obligation. It is always freedom from and is
never freedom for. Freedom, thus conceived, is defined by what it lacks—no limitations, no
responsibility, no accountability—not by what it entails.” 2


2
 Daniel R. Heimbach, “Understanding the Difference Between Religious Liberty and Religious Autonomy,” in
First Freedom, eds. Thomas White, Jason G. Duesing, and Malcolm B. Yarnell III (Nashville: B & H, 2007), 133–
34. Those who insist that they can live life however they want without any consequences
should consider the following two Proverbs: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but
its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12), and “Pride goes before destruction, and a
haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

14. What is at stake on this issue?
The issue of homosexuality is a much bigger issue than many people realize. For
example, people are forfeiting and losing the ability to simply discern between right and
wrong. There is good and evil in the world and a society that loses the ability to discern
between right and wrong, good and evil is like a human body that loses its immune system.
You become susceptible to anything.

15. But someone in my family or a friend of mine is homosexual?
No doubt this is a struggle that many have to deal with. However the reality is family
members and friends are not perfect, nor are they infallible. Conduct that God clearly warns
against is not justifiable because a person is in my family or a friend of mine. If this were the
case no one would ever be wrong for anything because everyone has a family member or
friend somewhere.

16. But how can you deny homosexuals the love they feel?
Here a distinction must be made between love and lust. In order to have a right
understanding of love one needs to consider I Corinthians 13:4-8. In these verses Paul writes
“Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.” Thus there is a moral quality to
love as it makes a distinction between right and wrong and rejoices in truth. Also when one
considers these verses it can be seen that love is selfless. Lust on the other hand is just the
opposite. There is no moral quality to lust. It is simply an attitude and desire that is focused
on getting whatever it wants. Also lust is not selfless but selfish as it is concerned with self
gratification. Homosexuality is not an issue about love but lust. The Bible warns against lust
and how a life controlled by lust is contrary to the will of God. (I John 2:16; II Peter 1:2-4;
Titus 2:11-15).

17. What about homosexuals who say they can’t change?
Part of the homosexual propaganda is to try to convince people they cannot change. This
line of thinking is convenient for homosexuals because it is an attempt to silence their own
consciences and those who question homosexual behavior. However this line of thinking is also contrary to the Gospel. The Gospel message is that
God saves sinners through His Son. Paul wrote in II Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone
is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Also
I Corinthians 6:9-11 testify to the reality that God is able to redeem and transform
homosexuals: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who
practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were
washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by
the Spirit of our God. Verse 11, which is italicized, certainly speaks to the fact that the
Gospel message has the power to change the life of homosexuals.

18. Do Jesus’ words about believers being salt and light have some application to this
issue?
Many are familiar with the metaphor Jesus used in Matthew 5:13-14 that believers are the
salt of the earth and the light of the world. However, the only way for Christians to be salt
and light on this issue is to affirm what God’s word teaches about human sexuality. If we
don’t we will certainly lose our saltiness and put our light under a basket.

19. If we hold to what the Bible teaches will we become targeted and face all kinds of
challenges from the homosexual community?
In Matthew 5:9-11 Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness'
sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and
persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be
glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before
you.” Christians must remember that the authenticity of our faith is our willingness to suffer
for righteousness sake. The truth of the Gospel message is of more value than anything the
world can offer.

20. How should Christians respond to homosexuals?
Today, the idea is presented that homosexuals are a protected group of people and to
offend a homosexual is a heinous crime against humanity. The truth is homosexuals, just like
heterosexuals, are people created by God who have fallen into sin and need the Gospel. Thus
Christians should not fall to the temptation to lower God’s standard for human sexuality,
because in the Cross God’s standard of righteousness was not lowered but satisfied in Christ.
Instead we should always seek to be a living and verbal witness of the power of the Gospel,
for the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope for fallen humanity. 

Memoralizing a Life: Clarence Peake

In what might be one of the latest memorial services ever conducted, almost 60 Coca-Cola employees gathered in the upstairs conference room at the SPC Bottling Plant last night at 10:00 to celebrate the life of Clarence Peake. Clarence passed away on May 17th following a short illness and previously had worked the 3rd shift at the plant for the past five years. The employees of the bottling plant demonstrated tremendous love and support for Clarence's family by taking up a monetary collection and signing their names on a t-shirt they presented to Clarence's wife, Somonya. She was genuinely overwhelmed by every one's generosity and kindness. During the 45 minute memorial service Clarence's co-workers shared personal memories and stories of the impact he had on their lives, providing tremendous encouragement to Somonya and the other family members that came out. I concluded the service with the hope of eternal life found only in Jesus Christ. I first explained the reason why we suffer physical death and experience disease in our bodies. I shared the Genesis 3 story to emphasize the sinfulness of man, but my central passage was John 11:25, 26 as I concluded with the question Jesus asked Martha following the death of Lazarus..."Do you believe this? Jesus stated that He was the "resurrection and the life and he who believes in Him, though he may die, shall live." I chose not to give an invitation, but urged everyone to acknowledge their sin before God, be broken over it, stand destitute before Him, repent of their sin, and place their full faith and belief in Christ, His work on the cross, and His resurrection. This is the only message that can change a person's life and provide them hope of life beyond this planet.
In the end almost 60 people heard the gospel in clarity and purity and were left with the free will decision to respond to Christ invitation to be their Savior!

 

Yearning For God

"Do you love to be much with God, to climb up near to God, to love and long and plead and wrestle and stretch after Him? Are you weaned from the world, from its praise, from the hatred, from the scorn? Do you give yourselves clean away to God, and all that is yours? Are you willing that your will should be lost in His great will? Do you throw yourself into the arms of God for time and for eternity? Oh, search your hearts and try them! Ask God to do it for you, and to “lead you in the way everlasting.”

Written by Robert Murray McCheyne, 1839

Just as Christ Loved the Church: Easy Believism leads to Easy Divorcism

Since January of this year, I have counseled with numerous individuals who are already separated, thinking about separation, or filing for divorce and not a day goes by that I don't hear of another person who has been divorced for a number of years. I certainly understand why non-believers get divorced, they have no understanding of what marriage is. In fact, without knowing what God's Word says about marriage, they are blind and ignorant. Since marriage was created by God to be a living portrait on earth of the loving relationship of Jesus Christ with His bride, the church, marriage between a man and woman is to be the same. Everything about a marriage is to glorify God and everything about marriage is to be holy, since God is holy. Thus there really is no such thing as a non-Christian marriage, despite what the world says, especially same sex marriage. Paul wrote to the Ephesian church that "husbands were to love their wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her, to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless" (Ephesians 5:25-27). There is a lot being said in these verses and to be honest I didn't understand all of what Paul was saying when I got married, but I do now because I have matured as a Christian and have continued to die daily to myself. First, when Christ died He sanctified and cleansed the church of all its sin with His blood. He cleanses every Christian from their old ways of sin and sets them apart for special service to Him. Marriage is about love and the kind of love Paul refers to here in the Greek is agape love. The kind of love that seeks the highest good of the other, even if it means to the detriment of one's own comfort, safety, or benefit. Husbands are called to unconditional, self-sacrificing love, that is what the marriage relationship is about. The reason Paul points to Christ is because He is the perfect example of the kind of love expected of godly husbands. Authentic Christlike love means surrendering, sanctifying, forgiving, and honoring. Christ surrendered Himself to death on the cross for our eternal good. If a husband is submitted to God, they exercise humility and are to be willing to give up whatever is needed for the sake of his wife. If a husband's love isn't sacrificial, his wife knows it. If a husband is selfish, the marriage is suffering. If a husband isn't doing for his wife what God expects, then it makes it difficult for his wife to submit to his leadership and to ultimately to lordship in Christ. Finally, husbands must honor their wives, recognizing them as precious gifts from God, this will have a sanctifying influence on his wife. The husband will encourage her spiritual growth and emotionally care for his wife as Christ cares for the church.
In conclusion our world is full of easy believism, a casual view of sin, and a low view of scripture. As a result, easy divorcism is what occurs in churches as Christian couples divorce at the same rate as non-believers who have zero understanding of marriage. A tragedy that is destroying the church and our nation.

The Heart

Have you ever wondered why there is so much crime, so much immorality, murder, sexual abuse, child neglect, drug and alcohol addiction, terrorism, etc... The answer is simple, human sin and the wickedness of the human heart. It's in Genesis 6:5 that we first learn how wicked the human heart is. "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart were evil continually" This speaks to the depravity of humanity. It's doesn't matter what the medical community says, the human heart is more than a blood pumping organ, all of life and our thoughts flow from it. In the Hebrew Bible there is no word for mind, so heart represents a person's thinking as well as their emotions. I hope you're getting the picture, the human heart is wicked and evil and when fed with the sinful desires of this world it becomes corrupted beyond cure. In Jeremiah 17:9, the prophet writes that "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?" This verse reiterates the desperate (or incurable) wickedness of the human heart. God makes it clear why we sin and why we have such depravity in our world, it's a matter of the heart. Our hearts are inclined towards sin from the time of birth because of the fall of humanity in Genesis 3. Even as a born again believer, we can still yield to a specific temptation, or we can ask God to help us resist temptation when it comes. Throughout the New Testament we see Jesus reading the hearts of people on many occasions, another indication of his divinity and in Matthew 15:18-20 Jesus spoke these words, "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." Jesus is telling us that the human heart is innately corrupt and everything we do and say is first conceived inside of the heart.

In conclusion, the word "heart" occurs 78 times in the Old Testament  and 64 times in the New Testament and in every instance the heart refers to the thoughts or feelings of the mind. There is only one hope for the heart to be transformed, which goes back to Deuteronomy 30:6 "The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your dependents, and you will love Him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live." Paul would later compare the circumcision of the heart to a new life and relationship with God found only in Christ. In Ezekiel 36:26, God promises to give a new heart and a new spirit to anyone who comes to Christ to be cleansed. It's only by the regeneration of the human heart that God imparts new spiritual life to dead and darkened hearts. This is what being born-again is all about. The sinfulness of the human heart can only be overcome by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Trust in the blood of Christ to cleanse you of your sin and repent of those wicked sins with complete faith. Never believe your heart is good apart from Christ, but understand that wickedness reigns which is why sin has ravaged our planet causing unspeakable crimes and destruction. 

ACTS-ion - The Series (The spirit of Simon)

The book of Acts offers much more than just Christian history, it offers good theology for Christians living in today's modern culture. The story of Simon the magician in Acts 8:9-25 is a story every evangelist needs to study. Simon was a man who practiced sorcery and magic in Samaria and he boasted that he was someone great. However, one day Philip came to town "preaching the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ." This passage states that the men and women of Samaria were baptized en masse, and it also says that "Simon himself believed and was baptized," Following his baptism Simon was following Philip everywhere and was astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw Philip perform. But, did Simon really believe or was he simply fascinated with the works performed by Philip, since they were like his own trade of magic?
Philip had done his job, he shared the gospel message of Christ and Simon stated he believed, so Philip most likely baptized him. After hearing about the good news that "Samaria had accepted the word of God," Peter and John came to town. When Peter and John arrived they prayed that the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit since it had not yet came upon the Gentiles, so Peter and John placed their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. What's important to understand here is that the book of Acts presents no set pattern for the receipt of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes the Spirit is connected with the laying on of hands, sometimes not. Sometimes coming of the Spirit precedes baptism, sometimes it follows.
But back to Simon. When he saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on the apostles hands he offered them money so he could be given this power. Peter rebukes Simon harshly by stating that "he would have no part in this ministry, because his heart was not right before God." Peter goes on to tell Simon to repent and that "he saw that Simon was full of bitterness and captive to sin" (Acts 8:23).
But how could this be? Scripture said that Simon "believed and was baptized."

So here is what we need to know.....just because a person professes belief with their mouth, doesn't always mean they believe in their hearts. Simon professed belief to Philip, but their was never an inward change that occurred. Simon professed his belief and even followed through with baptism, but he still manifested the signs of his old unregenerate nature. Simon never truly believed, he was "still captive to sin." Peter didn't possess the power to see into Simon's heart as Jesus did, he observed his visible fruit by his actions and determined that Simon was not a genuine believer. Something every evangelist must do as we share the gospel. In fact its often been said that Simon responded to greed, not to the gospel, in other words, Simon was attracted to how he might be blessed by "this Jesus" he had just learned about and professed to believe in. Similar to those who buy into the prosperity gospel preachers in our modern culture.

The evangelist sows the seeds of the gospel, but must be careful to discern which people are genuinely broken over their sins and understand their need for forgiveness. Churches are already full of false converts so we must discern and proceed with caution before asking for decisions.It's always been the Holy Spirit's job to grant salvation, not the sower. Pressure doesn't benefit the soul, it leads to false assurance. How a person comes to the point of salvation is a mysterious thing that only the Spirit knows.

What became of Simon? Many early church fathers believe he became the father of all Christian heresy known as Gnosticism.