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(KJV) Acts 8:12
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
THEY BELIEVED … THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST / ACTS 8:12
The Samaritans had fully met the conditions for receiving spiritual salvation and were Christians before the Spirit came upon them.
- They “believed” and were “baptized” (Acts 2:38). Two facts make it clear that the faith of the Samaritans was genuine saving faith (the kind that gave them a legitimate personal relationship with God).
- Both Philip (Acts 8:12) and the apostles (Acts 8:14; 14:4) considered the Samaritans’ faith to be valid.
- The Samaritans publicly acknowledged their commitment to Christ by water baptism. Scripture affirms that “whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). The baptism did not save them, but it was a means of identifying with Jesus (Romans 6:4) and publicly testifying to their faith in Christ. As a result of that faith, they had been spiritually “born again” (John 3:3-6) and had the Holy spirit living within them (Romans 8:9).
- Their receiving the Holy Spirit several days later (Acts 8:17) was not for salvation. It was rather a receiving of the Spirit as the disciples did at Pentecost, to equip them with power to serve Christ and spread His message (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4). Luke uses the term “receive the Spirit” mainly in an empowering sense (Acts1:8; Acts 2:38; Acts 8:17; Acts 10:47; Acts 19:2), not in the sense of spiritual salvation.
- Some have taught that the Samaritans’ faith was not a spiritually saving and renewing faith (the kind that brought them into a personal relationship with Christ). However, it is unreasonable to believe that Philip, a man full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3-5), would baptize, heal, and command demons to come out of people whose faith he thought was not genuine.
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Some of our Post That Might Interest You, All Out of the Current Book / Chapter
- WHEN THEY HEARD THIS / ACTS 11:18
- THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME ON THEM / ACTS 19:6
- SPEAKING IN TONGUES / ACTS 10:46
- GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVORITISM / ACTS 10:34
- THEY RECEIVED THE HOLY SPIRIT / ACTS 8:17
- HAD NOT YET COME UPON ANY OF THEM / ACTS 8:15-16
- THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / ACTS 4:31
- FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / ACTS 2:4
- THEY WERE BAPTIZED / ACTS 19:15
- THIS CORRUPT GENERATION / ACTS 2:40
- REPENT AND BE BAPTIZED / ACTS 2:38
- FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN AND FOR ALL / ACTS 2:39
- WORSHIPING … AND FASTING / ACTS 13:2
- KEPT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT FROM PREACHING / ACTS 16:6
- GUIDED BY GRACE HOME
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