Message #57454

[Psalm 51:17]

I don't want to get off-topic here, but I'm bringing this up, so that I can drive home a point here...

Acts 8:18  And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
Act 8:19  Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
Act 8:20  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Act 8:21  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Act 8:22  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Act 8:23  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Act 8:24  Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

Every time I read this passage - it just sounds like that Simon the sorcerer NEVER got saved - look at what he said("...none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me"). Does this really sound like genuine repentance? I'm not saying I'm 100% right about this - however, if Simon was truely born-again, he would have continued with the apostles and disciples, but didn't(1st John 2:18-19).

When I subsequently went to a web site with a list of commentaries on this, guess what - they were SPLIT 50/50 on this(some thought he was truely born-again, and some didn't).

OK - my point here is that I believe there are some things in scripture(more of the minor-leaning things) that, IMHO, God doesn't make that clear. B/c he knows not only it's alot for us to bear, but this verse came to mind...

1 Corinthians 8:1  Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
1Co 8:2  And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
1Co 8:3  But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

Our LORD doesn't want us to be puffed up with too much knowledge - but ultimately have CHARITY. Remember brethren - it ultimately what is sown IN OUR HEARTS, NOT in our HEADS!

Mark 7:20  And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
Mar 7:21  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
Mar 7:22  Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
Mar 7:23  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.


So getting back on to this discussion - I agree with Mark on this - there's no way Satan could have fallen in Genesis 1. Look how many "...and God saw that it was good." phrases in it. So to drive my final point home on all of this - I don't think our LORD wants to us to know all of the gritty details over the exact times Satan fell, b/c ultimately it will puff us up with too much knowledge, and he wants us to WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT(2nd Cor 5:7-8). Just KNOW the BASICS.(man fell in the garden of Eden b/c he fell for Satan's LIE. Sin lead to death. Jesus Christ came to die for all of the sins of the world, so that he can give eternal life to everyone that believeth on his name)