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THE TWO LAWS OF PARDON - II
Gus Nichols

THE LAW TO CHILDREN OF GOD

In the case of Simon, the sorcerer, we find the second law of pardon, the law to erring children of God. Philip preached Christ unto the Samaritans; and "when they believed Philip preaching things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women" (Ac 8.12). Simon, the sorcerer, did the same things the others did; and if they were saved, so was he. If their faith was genuine, so was his; for the record says: "Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered beholding the miracles and signs which were done" (Ac 8.13). He had come to the promise that said: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mk 16.16). He had done what peter told alien sinners to do on Pentecost, and thus had obeyed the first law of pardon, the law to alien sinners. However, this man Simon later sinned in trying to buy the power to confer the miraculous gift of the Spirit upon others. Time enough has elapsed between his baptize and his sin that Peter and John heard about the word being received in Samaria, and came down there to confer this power upon those converted (Ac 8.14-18). It is false to say he turned right around and sinned after his baptism, as some have said.

"But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me" (Ac 8.20-24) Please note that Peter, the same preacher who told aliens to on Pentecost to "repent and be baptized...for the remission of sins," here told a church member, one who had already been baptized, to "repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray to God." Why the different answers? Why tell some to repent and be baptized, and the other to repent and pray? Because there are two different laws of pardon--one to the alien, which includes baptism, and the other to the child of God, which includes prayer instead of baptizm.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray for pardon (Lk 11.4). he also taught them that they would have to forgive others in oeder to be forgiven (Mt 6.9-15). John teaches disciples to confess their sins (I Jn 1.9). Hence, the second law of pardon is repentance, confession, and prayer.

SOME QUIBBLES REFUTED

1. It is argued by some that Simon did not have genuine faith. However, the Bible says he believed "also," or the sme as the others in the previous verse. He was not the only one who believed as he did; neither did the others believe properly if he did not. Simon believed "also." His faith was like the faith of the Samaritans (Ac 8.12,13).
2. But others say Simon had never been truly converted, or saved, else he would not have sinned later. One might as well argue that Peter was still a child of the devil when he denied the Lord (Mk 14.66-72). Children of Gad are sometimes so weak that they are soon removed from the right way after conversion (Gal 1.6).
3. Others say Simon was not saved, or he would have received the Spirit along with the others and would not have had occasion to try to buy this gift. But he was not trying to buy the Spirit for himslef, but rather the power to confer the spirit upon others (Ac 8.19).
4. Still others argue that supposing he was a child of god, he could not have perished, for they say only aliens can perish. But Peter denied this theory of "once in grace, always in grace." He said: "Thy money perish with thee" (Ac 8.20). He was in danger of perishing.
5. Some say his heart never was right before God, but Peter used the present tense and said: "Thy heart is not right." He did not say it never had been right.
6. It is further argued by some that he never had repented; hence, he was never saved. But he was not called upon to repent of all he ever did in his life that was wrong, but to repent of "this thy wickedness" (Ac 8.22). "This" sin of trying to buy the power to confer the Spirit on others was his ony sin. He was not told to repent of all the wickedness he had ever done, as though he had never been converted. Furthermore, he was not told to pray that all the thought of his heart be forgiven, as though all his thought up to this time had been evil. But Peter said: "Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought [singular.--G.N.] of thine heart may be forgiven thee" (Ac 8.22). Only one "thought" of his heart needed to be forgiven, and that was the thought "that the gift of God may be purchased with money" (Ac 8.20).
7. I have heard other say that Peter said Simon was "yet" in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. But Peter did not say this. The word "yet" is not in the passage. Peter simply used the present tense and said: "Thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity" (Ac 8.23).
8. All the foregoing quibbles are made in an effor tot prove Simon was an alien simmer so as to have an example of conversion in which an apostle told an unsaved man to pray for pardon without baptism. But remember this man had already been baptized (Ac 8.13). It is a clear-cut case of the possibility of apostacy and the second law of pardon. It proves the fact that a child of God can so sin as to "perish," and that if members of the church do not repent of the "wickedness" they will not be forgiven. It is a perversion of the truth to change the two laws of pardon and teach that baptism is for Christians and that aliens should pray for pardon.

--Gospel Advocate, October 5, 1944