When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” (Acts 8:18-23)
This Simon was originally practicing magic in the city of Samaria, and even arrogantly claimed to be the messenger of God. Later, when Philip spread the gospel to Samaria, he also accepted the gospel and was baptized. When the apostles learned that the Samaritans believed the gospel, they asked Peter and John to go there and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the apostles had the power to send the Holy Spirit down, he also wanted to have it. Simon thought that the gift could be bought with money, so he directly took the money and wanted to buy the power from the apostles to call down the Holy Spirit. The apostles naturally rejected Simon’s absurd request. We can see from Peter's severe rebuke that Simon’s heart was not right because he wanted to use money to buy this gift to satisfy his own desires, not to serve God and His church.
In fact, this kind of wickedness still exists in the church today. People seek spiritual gifts not to serve God and the church but to achieve their own personal purpose.
Some people seek spiritual gifts in order to make their own name known, to make themselves feel more powerful and spiritual, to have others exalt them, and to make themselves better before others. These things often occur in charismatic churches, or in some churches where the believers desperately pursue the gifts such as speaking in a tongue or healing. I have had this kind of experience before. At that time, I pursued spiritual gifts mainly because I wanted to be a member of the spiritual elite, so as not to be inferior to others.
Some people seek spiritual gifts to get more benefits. Some people even seek spiritual gifts out of jealousy or comparison. When they see others have such gifts, they also want them.
There are not only some people in the church seeking spiritual gifts for personal selfish desires like Simon, but some also use money to buy spiritual authority like he wanted. Sometimes people use their donation to ask the church to give them positions to gain spiritual authority.
Spiritual gifts are given to people by the Holy Spirit as He wills, not according to man's own decision. When people seek spiritual gifts, they seek God’s mercy and He is still sovereign. The Holy Spirit gave His gifts to His people to build the church. In other words, spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit is given to people to serve God and the church, not for their own desires.
Today, we must once again reflect on whether we are seeking God’s spiritual gifts to better serve Him and His church or to satisfy our own selfish desires. If it is not to serve God and His church, we must repent before God and pray for his mercy and forgiveness. Those who possess spiritual gifts and authority must also be alert not to fall into temptation and offend God.
(Note: The author of this article is a full-time co-worker of a grassroots church in Fujian)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
使徒行传灵修系列：你求恩赐是为了什么
西门看见使徒按手，便有圣灵赐下，就拿钱给使徒，说：“把这权柄也给我，叫我手按着谁，谁就可以受圣灵。”彼得说：“你的银子和你一同灭亡吧！因你想 神的恩赐是可以用钱买的。你在这道上无份无关，因为在神面前，你的心不正。你当懊悔你这罪恶，祈求主，或者你心里的意念可得赦免。我看出你正在苦胆之中，被罪恶捆绑。”（使徒行传8:18-23）
这个西门原本是在撒玛利亚城里行邪术，甚至妄自尊大自称为神的使者，后来腓利把福音传到撒玛利亚时，他也接受了福音，受了洗。当使徒们得知撒玛利亚人信了福音，就让彼得和约翰去到那里，给他们祷告，为要使他们领受圣灵。当西门看见使徒们居然拥有使圣灵降下的能力，他便也想要拥有。西门以为这个恩赐是可以用钱买的，于是直接拿钱要跟使徒们买这个使圣灵降下的能力，使徒们自然是拒绝了西门这个荒谬的要求。从彼得严厉的责备中可以知道，西门想用钱财来买这个恩赐，他不是为了服侍神和神的教会，而是他的心不正，为了满足自己的私欲。
西门这种为了个人私欲而寻求神的恩赐，其实这种恶行在现今的教会当中也依旧存在。这些人寻求神的恩赐，并不是为了服侍神和神的教会，而是为了达到自己私人的目的。
有些人寻求神的恩赐是为彰显自己的名，让人觉得他更有能力，更加属灵，让众人来高举他，使自己在人前得荣耀。这种现象在灵恩教会中，或特别喜欢追求属灵经历的教会中就时常会出现，比如拼命追求方言或医治的恩赐。我曾经也有过这种经历，当时追求属灵恩赐的目的，很主要的一个原因就是想让自己成为属灵精英中的一份子，免得低别人一等。
有些人寻求神的恩赐则是为了谋利，利用恩赐来赚取更多的利益；有些人寻求是神的恩赐甚至是出嫉妒或攀比，看见其他人这么有恩赐，所以自己也想要。
教会中不仅有像西门为了个人私欲寻求神的恩赐，也有像西门这种用钱来买属灵权柄的。时常有人打着给教会奉献的旗号，然后用这种方式来要求教会给予对方职分，以获取属灵权柄。
神的恩赐是由圣灵随己意赐给人的，并不是人自己可以决定的，人寻求神的恩赐，那也是寻求神的怜悯，主权仍旧在神。圣灵赐下祂的恩赐给祂的百姓，其目的也是为了造就教会。换句话说圣灵赐下祂的恩赐，是让人来服侍神，服侍教会，不是让人来满足自己的私欲。
今天，我们必须再次反思自己寻求神的恩赐到底是为了服侍神和神的教会，还是为了满足自己的私欲。若不是为了服侍神和神的教会，必须要悔改在神的面前，也求神能怜悯赦免。拥有属灵恩赐与权柄的，也要时刻警醒自己，免得因此落入试探当中，以致于得罪神。
（注：本文作者为福建一基层教会全职同工）
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.” (Acts 8:18-23)
This Simon was originally practicing magic in the city of Samaria, and even arrogantly claimed to be the messenger of God. Later, when Philip spread the gospel to Samaria, he also accepted the gospel and was baptized. When the apostles learned that the Samaritans believed the gospel, they asked Peter and John to go there and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the apostles had the power to send the Holy Spirit down, he also wanted to have it. Simon thought that the gift could be bought with money, so he directly took the money and wanted to buy the power from the apostles to call down the Holy Spirit. The apostles naturally rejected Simon’s absurd request. We can see from Peter's severe rebuke that Simon’s heart was not right because he wanted to use money to buy this gift to satisfy his own desires, not to serve God and His church.
In fact, this kind of wickedness still exists in the church today. People seek spiritual gifts not to serve God and the church but to achieve their own personal purpose.
Some people seek spiritual gifts in order to make their own name known, to make themselves feel more powerful and spiritual, to have others exalt them, and to make themselves better before others. These things often occur in charismatic churches, or in some churches where the believers desperately pursue the gifts such as speaking in a tongue or healing. I have had this kind of experience before. At that time, I pursued spiritual gifts mainly because I wanted to be a member of the spiritual elite, so as not to be inferior to others.
Some people seek spiritual gifts to get more benefits. Some people even seek spiritual gifts out of jealousy or comparison. When they see others have such gifts, they also want them.
There are not only some people in the church seeking spiritual gifts for personal selfish desires like Simon, but some also use money to buy spiritual authority like he wanted. Sometimes people use their donation to ask the church to give them positions to gain spiritual authority.
Spiritual gifts are given to people by the Holy Spirit as He wills, not according to man's own decision. When people seek spiritual gifts, they seek God’s mercy and He is still sovereign. The Holy Spirit gave His gifts to His people to build the church. In other words, spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit is given to people to serve God and the church, not for their own desires.
Today, we must once again reflect on whether we are seeking God’s spiritual gifts to better serve Him and His church or to satisfy our own selfish desires. If it is not to serve God and His church, we must repent before God and pray for his mercy and forgiveness. Those who possess spiritual gifts and authority must also be alert not to fall into temptation and offend God.
(Note: The author of this article is a full-time co-worker of a grassroots church in Fujian)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
Devotional Series From Acts: Why Do You Ask for Spiritual Gifts?
