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Simon is headed toward the sin unto death, as was the case with Ananias and Sapphira. He is
not headed toward hell, because he has received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Instead,
Simon has opened himself up to the destruction of his physical body because of his thoughts and
words against the gospel and the will of God.

Act 8:21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of
God.

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

The utterance given by the people is speaking in tongues. Simon wants the authority associated
with the Holy Spirit, but his motives are wrong. Peter tells Simon he has no part in operating in
the power of God because of his wrong heart.

To fully enter into the plan of God, our motives and desires should be to help others, not to
enhance who we are. The focus should be on God, not on us!

PETER CALLS SIMON TO REPENTANCE

Act 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine
heart may be forgiven thee.

Sin always begins with the thought of the heart. Not only should we ask forgiveness for the act
of sin, we should also ask forgiveness for the thought of sin (1 John 1:9).

Act 8:23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Peter perceives in his spirit that Simon’s heart was not right before God (Mark 2:8; Luke 9:47).

8:23 The Bonds of Unforgiveness, DELIVERANCE. A sorcerer is one who deceives,
manipulates, and delights to control others and does so by demonic enablement. Peter
identified the basis for Simon’s sorcery as bitterness---the deepening effect of
unforgiveness (verse 2). Here is warning regarding the danger of tolerated or embraced
unforgiveness, which may, like poison, permeate and bind the soul, ultimately corrupting
everything around it. In Simon’s case, his bitterness shaped his passion to control others
(verse 19)---which prompted his quest to purchase the ability to impart the gift of the
Holy Spirit. Though having believed and been baptized (verse 13), the residue of his past
bondage surfaces as he unworthily seeks power to manipulate others for self-exalting
purposes. Peter discerns the root of his bondage (verse 23) and summons Simon to
repentance and deliverance. Though Simon did not repent, this episode still points to one
of the foremost keys to deliverance from entrenched bondage in a believer’s soul---the
act of unforgiveness. Forgiving others from our heart flushes out the “poison” with the
power of the Cross. In contrast, unforgiveness can, as with Simon, lead down paths we