Acts 8:20 (KJV) But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
These harsh words indicate how terrible Simon’s sinful desire was. They also show that he had not yet repented, trusted in Christ and been made right with God. True believers will not perish with their money ( John 10 : 28 ), and new believers are not like Simon in the other ways Peter describes him.
Why do we seek God? Simon the Sorcerer thought he could buy the gift of the Holy Spirit, and he got quite the response! His selfish motivation was revealed in his actions. Here’s a way to test our motives: Do we seek to know and do God’s will, or do we hope to bend Him to our will ? If we desire God simply because of what we hope to gain in this life, it’s time to reexamine our motives.
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