Acts 8:12

But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

'BUT WHEN THEY BELIEVED PHILIP'-People who had been giving Simon their attention now give Philip their attention and obedience.

Point to Note:

McGarvey notes, 'This case of conversion was well chosen by Luke, because the subjects of it, up to the moment in which Philip began to speak to them, were under the spell of. magician, and the miracles wrought by Philip were brought into direct comparison with the wonders wrought by Simon. The fact that the people without hesitation gave up their faith in Simon as the great power of God, and implicitly believed in what Philip did and taught, can be accounted for only on the ground that there was such. difference between the tricks of sorcery and the miracles, that the people, even though completely deluded by the former, could plainly see, when once the two were placed side by side.' (p. 140)

This is another passage which persuades this writer that the devil doesn't perform the miraculous. For if Simon had really being doing miracles (albeit by demonic power), then how could the people have seen any difference between what Philip did and what Simon did. The fact that people so quickly dropped Simon and that even Simon himself was amazed at what Philip was doing, proves that Simon had only been doing humanly devised tricks.

And BE IMPRESSED that prejudice, ignorance, or the way you were raised are NOT surmountable barriers in understanding and obeying the truth. These people, loyal and deceived followers of. fake--quickly obeyed the gospel.

'PREACHING GOOD TIDINGS'-2097. euaggelizo yoo-ang-ghel-id'-zo; from 2095 and 32; to announce good news ("evangelize") especially the gospel: -declare, bring (declare, show) glad (good) tidings, preach (the gospel).

'THE KINGDOM OF GOD'-i.e. the Church (Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28; Revelation 1:5; Acts 2:47; Colossians 1:12). Notice that Philip isn't preaching that the Kingdom of God is at hand, for it was already in existence (Mark 9:1; Hebrews 12:28).

'THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST'-Which would include such things as: (1) There is salvation in none other (Acts 4:12). (2) That Jesus has all authority, He is the Lord (Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36).

'THEY WERE BAPTIZED, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN'-Here we find faith and baptism linked together once again (Mark 16:16; Acts 18:8; John 3:5; Hebrews 10:22). Notice how preaching the gospel includes preaching about baptism and the church. And that preaching the gospel cannot be separated from preaching biblical doctrines, for doctrines makeup the gospel message, i.e. doctrines about sin, salvation, Jesus, etc....Those who argue, 'preach the man, not the plan', actually end up preaching. gospel laced with human tradition and denominational error. For if you eliminate the need to be baptized from your preaching, you will substitute something in it's place.