Saved Baptized Empowered

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

SAVED BAPTIZED ENPOWERED

Acts 8:14-25

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money 19 and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin." 24 Then Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me." 25 When they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

NIV

We have come face-to-face with one of the first pieces of evidence that receiving the Holy Spirit is not automatic upon accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, as is often taught. Following their acceptance of Jesus, they were baptized as well. Here was an entire group of new believers who heard Philip's message about the good news of the kingdom of God. Yet they had not received the Holy Spirit until Peter and John prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit, and when they laid their hands on them, they received the Holy Spirit. We are not told what evidence there was that the Holy Spirit came upon them, but we know from the word of God and experience that the Holy Spirit manifests Himself within a believer in various ways, often through one of his gifts and his fruit. However, the one piece of evidence that should be present is the Holy Spirit's power. There is another truth that is given to us in this passage, and that is about Simon thinking that he could pay to have the same power he thought Peter and John had. The sending of the Holy Spirit comes through the power of God. Jesus told his disciples that he must go and that he would send the Spirit from his Father. The only way to receive the Spirit is through faith in Jesus Christ. Just like the free gift of God, our salvation and the reward of eternal life, receiving the Holy Spirit is also a free gift of God. Simon was wrong in his thinking; he just wanted the power to perform more magic. Peter and John rebuked him, and we are told that he sought forgiveness. However, the story is about receiving the Holy Spirit. It might happen on the day of our salvation, or some days later, as it was with those new believers in Samaria. But the truth, as Peter and John indicated, is that accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is followed by Baptism and the reception of the Holy Spirit. Those are three different experiences every believer should have. We are saved, baptized, and empowered.