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Can one become Lost, again? ACTS 8:9-25
The question, “can one become spiritually lost, after he or she has been saved” is answered in the Bible. One does not have to speak with very many people before someone will respond, “it does not matter how I live, because once I’m saved I’m always saved.” This is a sad statement. It ignores passages that clearly state we are accountable for the way we live (1 Pet.1:13, 4:7, 5:8). Acts 8:9-25 speaks of a man, named Simon, who was saved, and then determined lost if he did not repent. For Acts 8:13 says, “Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles, and the signs which were done.” The apostles were the only people who were directly given the gift of the Holy Spirit to enact miracles after the ascension of Christ. Yet Simon saw the apostles work the power of the Holy Spirit, by giving the Holy Spirit to others (Acts 8:17). Acts 8:13 said Simon “was baptized” thus he was saved. Yet his heart of greed and desire for “power”, particularly the super-natural kind was very strong (Acts 8:19). With audacious force, Simon, “offered… money…saying, ‘give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 8:18-19). The response of an inspired apostle Peter, to a new convert, Simon, who has fallen out of step with godliness shows that once Simon was saved he was not always saved. Peter responded, “your money perish with you, for you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you… you are poisoned by bitterness and bounded by iniquity…” (Acts 8: 20-23). Clearly, just because Simon had once been saved from his sins of sorcery, and general life of sin after he “believed” and was “baptized” (Acts 8:13). That did not mean he could not fall out of favor with God. In fact, Simon fell out of a Godly life very quickly. Peter’s apostolic rebuke to Simon included these words: “your heart is not right in the sight of God”, “repent…of your wickedness”, “pray (to)…be forgiven”, “you are poisoned”& “bounded by iniquity” (Acts 8:20-23). If ones heart is not right, if one must change from sin, if one needs forgiveness, if one has to pray to God, if one is poisoned and chained by sin, as clearly seen in Acts 8, a Christian can become lost again. The beauty of this passage, in its entirety, is that Simon took to heart the preaching that he heard from Peter. He knew that just because he was saved did not mean he was free to live his life however he wanted to. For he said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me” (Acts 8:24).The Christian today has the same responsibility as Simon in the first century. Although Simon was not suppose to live a life of sin after his baptism, he was still capable of “bitterness” and “iniquity” (Acts 8:23). He was told to stop his sin. Christians today have this same command. Christians aught to ask other Christians to “pray to the Lord” on behalf of one who wants to be loosed from their “iniquity” (Acts 8:23,24). It is a marvelous attestation of bravery when a Christian affirms his or her imperfections, and asks for God’s forgiveness and the prayers of others. Just as Simon did not want “the things which” Peter had “spoken” to happen to Him, Christians today aught see there is a need to stay devoted to righteousness, and opposed to evil. (Acts 8:24) Just because one can be lost again, does not mean one must be lost forever. . By: J.R. Rosado |
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