Why Has God Given Us A Gift?

Acts 8:20-22

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Here, we see something rather startling indeed. There came a man unto the apostles as they were going about preaching Jesus. You might wonder to which apostles this man had come. There is none named of them here in the text save for Peter. Then too is seen the matter of a certain disciple, Phillip, by name who did a great work. More so, God used this man who heard the Word and believed, to preach with great power and authority indeed. Is this not a testament to the gospel's power and results when hearts and lives are changed the same way, every time. More than that, he did what Peter himself had once done on the day of Pentecost just before. See his being baptized of the Spirit, filled, healed, delivered and preaching with power all in the same breath.

The gospel, or the good news unto salvation must work the same way every time, else it be no gospel at all. Since this is Christ of whom we speak, he has been proven most precious and holy. This then is the gift of God, as Peter would say, to his people. How many of you know that gifts are something freely given, and almost never earned. Indeed, if we wished, there is nothing we could ever have done to receive it. It just so happens that God is higher than any of us think or even imagine. So too is there naught any can do to approach or to bring him down say to our level. Had God not come down to bring us up to his Son, we might not even be saved at all. The gift of God is a mighty funny thing my friends and not one to be taken lightly. It is one that speaks only of himself.

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

This man which heard the Word, Simon by name, saw the commotion and wondered what on earth could be happening. He too it seemed wanted some such of this gift. Now the text says this man was a sorcerer by reputation. This means he made his living doing witchcraft about the city, using the dark arts for hire. His business would have been very hurt by this Phillip and his preaching of Jesus. So, he did what any sane businessman would have done, looking for new tricks to learn to save his failing business. Perhaps you remember Peter so long ago, struggling to walk on water to Jesus. He had gotten out of the boat on a whim. But what should become of him now, sinking like a stone in the water. Had God not intervened, he would have all the way down to the bottom of it.

It was this gift of Jesus then that saved him. Yes, I know, the text says the gift of God, but Jesus is God too, is he not. Hence one form can be used to refer to the other which could not say be used with anyone else. It should be seen too that Simon's works kept people bound. For when the Son of John 8:36 sets men free, they "shall be free indeed." As much as Simon wished or wanted to receive, the condition of his heart it seemed kept him well apart from the Lord. His works were the exact opposite of the ones God had come to bring. His condition was almost that of the night as when one has turned out the lights. It is a scary thing indeed is it not to have no part in ought of the Lord. For his presence then was the very thing that would have cast Simon's place down.

Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

Simon then needed to turn unto God from his sorcery and then be accepted. But look at this thing here if you will. The power of God casts down imaginations and brooks no others. Indeed, it casts out strongholds as those things that must go. How Simon needed a cleansing indeed, had he but turned to the Lord. As the prophets have said, a pure heart and a contrite spirit when given to God will not be despised. When really, it's all some of us have ever really had to bring in the first place. Purchasing the gift then with money as though one to be ordered, possessed, or even controlled would have been wrong.

For God is not owned nor yet owed to any, not even such as a man. Should repentance come, forgiveness then would soon follow and with it some restitution, or the making things right. From there, all he ever had to do was trust in the Lord and the gift would soon come. How good God is watching out for his people. He is not owed unto any but rather comes of his own, say free will. How much more should we trust him my friends to change each heart and each life, for in it is he ever so good to us, my friends.