It is apparent that the Samaritans must have spoken in tongues, for the Bible says, ". . . Simon
SAW that through the laying on of the apostles' hands THE HOLY GHOST WAS GIVEN ..."
(Acts 8:18). What did Simon see? You certainly can't see the Holy Ghost, for He is a Spirit and
cannot be seen with the physical eye.
Therefore, there had to be some kind of physical sign or evidence whereby Simon would know
that the Samaritans had received the Holy Ghost. There had to be something that would
register on Simon's physical senses whereby he could tell that the Samar itans had received
the Holy Ghost. Simon didn't receive the Holy Ghost himself, but he could see that these
others had received Him.
One minister said to me, "It may have been that Simon just saw that the Samaritans were full
of joy." This couldn't explain it, however, and joy couldn't be the sign that Simon had seen,
because the believers were already filled with joy when Philip preached Christ unto them.
ACTS 8:5,8
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and PREACHED CHRIST unto them....
8 And THERE WAS GREAT JOY IN THAT CITY.
Therefore, the Samaritans already had great joy, so that could not have been the sign or
evidence which Simon saw that indicated the Samaritans had been filled with the Spirit.
As I said, since the Holy Ghost can't be seen with the physical eye, there had to be some kind
of sign that would cause Simon to know that these Samaritans had received the Holy Ghost
when Peter and John laid hands on them.
All evidence indicates that the sign that was manifested was speaking in tongues. Speaking in
tongues was the sign that convinced Simon beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Samaritans
had received the Holy Ghost (we discuss the Bible evidence for receiving the Holy Spirit in
Chapter 9).
Two Separate Experiences: Saul's Conversion and Baptism in the Holy Spirit
The passage in Acts chapter 9 which records Saul's baptism in the Holy Spirit also shows us
that receiving salvation and receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit are two separate
experiences.
We know that Saul was already born again when Ananias came to lay hands on him, but Saul
had not yet received the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Saul's Conversion
We know Saul had already been converted or born again on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:1-9)
for three reasons. First, in Acts 9:15,16, Jesus, speaking to Ananias in a vision, called Saul His
chosen vessel.
ACTS 9:15,16
15 But the Lord said unto him [Ananias], Go thy way: for he I Saul] is a CHOSEN
VESSEL UNTO ME, to bear MY NAME before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of
Israel:
16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for MY NAME'S SAKE.