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The example of Peter
Acts 8:18-24
"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. Perhaps he will 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)
Peter was a new man after the resurrection of Christ. Although his convictions didn't hold up under pressure when Jesus was being tried, Peter was now a man with solid principles that would not bend.
One of the leaders of the early church, Peter and the other apostles traveled from town to town sharing the gospel and performing miraculous healings through the power of the Holy Spirit. One of those who responded to their message was Simon the Magician. A man who earned his living performing street magic, Simon would have been fascinated by the power demonstrated through these men of Christ. He became a believer and was baptized. However, his salvation was shallow. Before long, he began to resort to his earlier habits. He saw the financial possibilities of using the Holy Spirit to generate revenue, and asked Peter to train him so that he could perform them on his own. Peter may already have known his motives, but they became obvious when Simon offered to pay Peter for this training.
Peter may well have needed money, which could be why Simon used it as a lure, but this time he would not be swayed. Peter rebuked Simon harshly for the offer. He didn't justify the offer as "training fees" for ministry work. He saw that accepting this money would give Simon an incorrect view of what was really happening when people were healed. And he valued Simon's salvation enough to protect him from this misconception.
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