Simon the Sorcerer and the Danger of a Hardening Heart
Why Simon's Story is a Warning -- and Why It's Not the Norm for the Faithful Christian
The man known as Simon the Sorcerer turns out to be one of the most serious warnings in the book of Acts. He began well. But he veered dangerously off course. His story, found in Acts 8:9-24, is often cited as proof that a Christian can fall from grace. And that’s true - a Christian can fall from grace. But if we stop there, we risk misapplying the text and missing the real warning it offers.
A Start in the Right Direction
Acts 8 tells us Simon believed and was baptized (v. 13). He was amazed at the miracles and signs performed by the apostles, and he followed Philip. By all appearances, Simon became a disciple of Jesus.
But something was wrong beneath the surface. When Peter and John came to Samaria and laid hands on the new believers to receive the Holy Spirit, Simon offered them money, hoping to buy that power for himself (vv. 18-19). His desire wasn’t to glorify God; it was to regain the influence he had once wielded as a sorcerer (v. 9). His request revealed a heart still poisoned by pride and ambition.
A Sharp Rebuke and a Chance to Turn
Peter’s rebuke is among the strongest in the New Testament:
"May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart's intent may be forgiven. For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness." (Acts 8:20-23, CSB)
I bolded the words in the quote as they are not light words and suggest that Simon’s issue was spiritual at the core, not just behavioral. The language Peter uses is not trivial. To be "bound by iniquity" is not the normal struggle of a growing Christian1. This was the language of enslavement.
It’s important to see what Peter didn’t say. He didn’t declare Simon beyond hope. He didn’t pronounce final condemnation. But He did tell him to repent and pray, because the door was still open.
What Happened to Simon?
Acts doesn’t tell us whether Simon truly repented. Verse 24 records his fearful response:
"Pray to the Lord for me... so that nothing you have said may happen to me."
This statement is not the same as repentance. In fact, it does sound more like fear of punishment than sorrow for sin.2 It is certainly not a confession. We don’t know everything about Simon after this moment, but based on what Luke records, his repentance seems shallow or incomplete compared to others in Scripture.3 It is worth our time to compare Simon’s response to other examples of repentance in scripture. For example, when David was confronted, he said plainly, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Sam. 12:13). In Psalm 51, he pours out sorrow over his sin and takes full responsibility. Others, like the prodigal son and Zacchaeus, also show heartfelt confession and life change.
What we do know from early church history is that Simon eventually became a false teacher. Writers such as Justin Martyr4 and Irenaeus5 describe him as the founder of dangerous heresies and Gnostic thought. If those reports are accurate, Simon never truly repented. He crossed the line from weakness to rebellion. He chose to walk away.
What About Everyday Christians?
Simon’s story is a warning, but it’s not the norm. There’s a massive difference between someone like Simon and an everyday Christian who is walking in the light but struggling with sin, temptation, and personal growth.
1 John 1:7 describes a very different kind of person:
"If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."
Walking in the light isn’t sinless perfection. It’s honest, humble, and repentant discipleship. It’s trusting Christ, confessing sin, seeking His will, and depending on His grace6.
Simon, on the other hand, is what happens when pride drowns humility, and ambition overtakes submission. His is the story of a man given grace who chose self-exaltation over transformation.
What Simon Teaches Us
Simon’s story reminds us:
Yes, Christians can fall. That happens when they willfully persist in rebellion and reject the truth.
But God gives space for repentance. Peter’s invitation shows that grace is still offered, even in grievous failure.
Not all sin is the same. Weakness and rebellion are not equal. God distinguishes between a struggling heart and a hardened one.
Conclusion: Stay Soft, Stay Humble
Simon had a chance to repent. At that moment, the gospel was still powerful enough to save him, if he would surrender. History suggests he did not. But we don’t have to follow that path.
If your heart is still soft... if you still care about pleasing the Lord... if you are still convicted when you fall short... you are not like Simon. You are walking in the light. And the blood of Jesus is still cleansing you.
Simon’s story isn’t meant to make you afraid of your imperfection. It’s meant to warn you about the danger of a hardening heart.
Stay tender. Stay teachable. Stay near the cross.
Because if you’re still following—even limping—you are still His.
The phrase “bound by iniquity” (Greek: sundesmon adikias) literally means “chained” or “enslaved” to unrighteousness. It is a strong and graphic term. Peter is not describing a passing misjudgment or a minor misstep. The word sundesmos is used elsewhere in the New Testament to describe being tightly bound (e.g., Ephesians 4:3, Colossians 3:14), but here it’s applied to sin, implying spiritual captivity. In context, Peter is warning Simon that his heart is still gripped by the same corrupt motives that defined his former life as a sorcerer. This doesn’t mean Simon was beyond hope, Peter calls him to repent, but it does show that despite his baptism, he was not yet a participant in the transformation of his heart. This kind of language also connects to Paul’s teaching in Romans 6:16-18, where one is either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. At the very least, Peter is saying Simon is not free. He’s still tangled up in the mindset and desires of his old life.
Simon’s concern seems to be focused on avoiding punishment rather than restoring his relationship with God. His words reflect fear of consequences rather than sorrow over sin, unlike Zacchaeus (Luke 19:8) or the prodigal son (Luke 15:21), both of whom showed clear repentance through confession and changed action.
The contrast in responses highlights a biblical truth: true repentance involves personal ownership of sin, confession, and a desire to be restored to God—not just fear of the consequences. (See also 2 Corinthians 7:10.)
Justin Martyr, a Samaritan himself, in his First Apology (mid 2nd century, ~155 AD) identified Simon Magnus as a historical figure and claimed he was worshipped by some in Rome:
“And, thirdly, because after Christ’s ascension into heaven the devils put forward certain men who said they were gods; and these not only are not persecuted by you, but are even held in honor. There was a Samaritan, Simon, a native of the village called Gitta, who in the reign of Claudius Caesar, and in your royal city of Rome, did mighty acts of magic, by the art of demons operating in him. He was considered a god, and as a god was honored among you with a statue…”
— Justin Martyr, First Apology 26
Justin further notes that almost all the Samaritans at the time considered Simon “the first god” and credited him with founding a heretical sect.
Irenaeus gives a more detailed theological critique of Simon and his followers, stating:
“Simon the Samaritan, from the village called Gitta… was the first who came forward in his own name, claiming that he was the God above all power… and that he had appeared among the Jews as the Son, in Samaria as the Father, and among the other nations as the Holy Spirit… He was glorified by many as if he were a god.”
— Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1.23.1
Irenaeus names Simon as the founder of Gnosticism and a source of destructive heresy in the early church.
Some critics suggest that recognizing continual cleansing or trusting in God’s grace for sins we may not immediately confess is an attempt to cover sin without repentance. This misrepresents the point. Scripture teaches that repentance, confession, and prayer are essential responses to sin (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9), and no faithful Christian should minimize them. But Scripture also describes the grace of God as a continual covering for those who “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7), that is, those who are living by faith, striving to follow Christ, not persisting in rebellion. The concern isn’t about removing repentance, it’s about rightly locating salvation in God’s mercy, not in perfect recall or timing of each act of confession. Grace is not license to sin; it is the hope of those who humbly keep turning back to Christ.
Simon’s earning attitude (trying to buy God’s gift) contrasts with Jesus’ invitation to take the water of life without cost. Thinking we have to be obedient enough to acquire grace is NOT a “safe” way to be saved. The warning sign of an earning attitude is one’s own inability to be at peace with others, (regardless of whether or not they are at peace with us, Rom 12:18) while still loving them enough to tell them the truth, as Peter told Simon. Either grace or truth without the other is madness.
“Your heart’s intent” is the key phrase in this account. The intent of Simon’s heart was dark and corrupted. Conversely, it is possible for some people with good hearts to commit sin, largely out of ignorance (see 2 Chron. 30:18-20). God can work with the latter, not the former.