By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. This Q is opening up an ages old [unresolved] debate - (some might say a. This would mean that the Gospel isnt as good as we thought it was and that God violates the law of double jeopardy where He punishes the same sin twice. They could not bear to do what the others were doinggive their substance totally to God and trust solely in His faithfulness to meet their needs. [1], The morality of the incident has been the source of some commentary. What does a search warrant actually look like? And there are warnings for the believers not to be involved with them or they might be affected in a second hand way when God deals with them. And we can be grateful for that! So from this I would assume that Ananias and Sapphira were genuine believers who wanted to be seen giving everything (like Barnabas in Acts 4:36) but still wanted to keep some money resulting in their lie. Well the reality is that, while Christ paid the price for everyones sins, its only those who are in Christ that receive the benefit of that and are therefore safe from Gods judgment. There is nothing in the story that indicates that they went to hell and this was not a sin that Jesus didn't pay for when He died. And no one can fool God. Pretend! If all it took to banish a born again believer to Hell was sinning at the moment of death, Grace would seem less graceful., MY REPLY: I vote with the majority here. Peter asked her the price of the land that she and Ananias had sold, and she stated the same untruthful price that Ananias had given. Cultivating the appearance alone leads to deathdeath to further spiritual growth, death to usefulness in the family of God, and death to a growing relationship with each other as husbands and wives. 5. And presto, they would have instant acclaim as spiritual, self-sacrificing believers who had surrendered everything to Jesus Christ. I t is reasonable to believe that both Ananias and Sapphira were present in the prayer meeting described in Acts 4:31. Personally I think its quite obviously referring to the party of the Pharisees. They sent Ananias and Sapphira to infiltrate the Church but when they saw what happened to them, none of the rest of them dared join the Church for fear of the same fate. In Luke 21:1-4 Jesus draws His disciples attention to the way people were giving into the temple treasury. The result of this unselfish spirit was great power and blessing on the entire church. Thats why its not God sending the Tsunamis and storms and earthquakes. But that becomes even more obvious to us when we learn that their confidence for the future was in their bank account rather than in the Lord. But, if God did judge Ananias and Sapphira and they were not saved, it still means that He judged unbelievers for their sins even though Jesus was judged for all sin. What shall I do if I can't believe that God is for me? God used them to teach a lesson to the early church and even to believers today. They are evil and have a sinister agenda. People who you'll probably never meet, this side of heaven. He merely exposed Ananias hypocrisy by the insight God gave him. A lot of the Church today uses the story of Ananias and Sapphira as a precedent to threaten and warn other believers not to sin for fear of similar consequences. Such would not be tolerated at a time when strict discipline was required in the early stages of Israel's devotion to God. Is there any sign that either of you is seeking the supremacy in your relationship (such as keeping score)? Coveting the plaudits of men was evidence enough that they were operating in the realm of the flesh rather than the Spirit. Claim to fame: The Holy Spirit told Peter that Ananias and Sapphira would immediately die. It is those God has inwardly reformed to whom He has granted repentance. And these two expressions of fleshliness, their desire for praise, and their confidence in material things, presented them with a difficult dilemma. Iain. They lived in the days of the churchs greatest purity and power. In each case. We will be real! What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? Do you think that Ananias and Sapphira went to heaven or did that one lie condemn them to hell? Heres an article I did that gives biblical evidence for this. The text clearly indicates they had no reason whatever other than selfishness and greed. Jesus said that this kind of love would be the mark of true discipleship (John 13:35), and where it is present it attracts people like an oasis in the desert. Unbelievers are spiritually 'dead' and cannot believe the gospel or make any moves towards God. Each partner is keeping score of who gives in the most, who gets the most attention, who shows the most appreciation, who has the most faults, or some other trivial area of contention. But this is only at the very end of the age. dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. They thought alike, they had deep feelings for each other, and they made decisions that reflected their mutual care and concern. [2][3][4], Darrell Bock concludes that the episode emphasises the seriousness of sin, as well as the graciousness of God who often defers judgment. How could they get the congratulations they craved from the congregation without laying everything on the altar of sacrifice? The entire fledgling congregation was fully devoted to sharing all they had. The rich He associated with pride and reliance on self righteous works thereby unable to receive the Kingdom by faith. "Slow to anger" does Not mean God never becomes angry. Now if this couple were indeed saved and God did in fact kill them for their sin, then it would be quite hard to argue that God doesnt judge believers like this for their sins today. I guess you could say then that people would be well within their rights to use this story to threaten believers now. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. 2:19). Without a moments hesitation she answered, Yes, that was the price (Acts 5:8). I think they had an agenda to infiltrate the church and bring harm to the believers. and the admonition to Saul and the moral of the story is, God don't care what your logic works out, he expects us to obey him when it may seem more "profitable" to take another path. Reidhead noted that God does not punish everyone who makes the same mistake as Ananias and Sapphira; nevertheless, the passage illustrates God's unambiguous attitude on this matter. Here, Sapphira followed her husband's lead in giving the rehearsed account to the apostles (Acts 5:2, Acts 5:8-9). Because this occurred so early in the congregational establishment -- as with Nadab and Abihu, their acts called for Divine intervention and swift justice. Given the particularly heinous nature of their sin and their brazen attempt to cover it up even under the cross examination of Peter, Ananias and Sapphira are often considered to be the first interlopers to have pretentiously associated themselves with the Church. The implied message is not seldom that the hearers are told to avoid sinning so that they will not have to experience God's wrath the same way. Why did He do it? When we admit our true feelings and motives to someone else, when we acknowledge our faults for what they are and ask someone to pray for us, it provides a helpful incentive to claim Gods power to change. Fake it! [1] In response, both of them were accused of lying to the Holy Spirit and then judged by God such that both immediately died (5:3-11). According to Luke, he believed Philip when he was preaching the good news, and then received baptism (8:12-13). You seem? However they lied and said they had donated all the proceeds. Acts 5:7-10 Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. To many good Christians are being taken down by a foundation that only has cracks in it. If all it took to banish a . Their physical death does not mean that they were not saved. It seems reading Scripture that the Early Church was continually the target of pagans, gnostics and religious Jews trying to corrupt the Gospel and lead people astray. Look finally at the significance of their discipline. We look bac They seemed blind to the malfeasance they were ushering into the young church. A couple of reasons: First, their deathslike much in Actsserve as a sign. Yet, Ananias and Sapphira were both responsible for their own actions, and Sapphira should have obeyed the Spirit instead of obeying her husband. He was pastor of Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord called him home. Pharisees loved money and they loved peoples praises. Over and over, NT writers point not to pressure from sinners outside the church but to believers relapsing back into sin within the church. Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? This isnt far fetched as the Pharisees hated the Church, persecuted it and were desperately trying to destroy it. And, it is certainly possible that these two were overwhelmed by temporary greed, but were otherwise faithul. The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in Is the Dragonborn's Breath Weapon from Fizban's Treasury of Dragons an attack? Once in Christ, then again in us. Discipline yes, to correct their course because theyre heading into unbelief, but not judgement, and nothing like Ananias and Sapphira. Thanks for the email and the encouragement. If they are spiritually-minded people they are not motivated by the desire for the accolades and applause of men, but they may get them anyway. That is why He put this account into his Word. (Romans 3 and 5). Their punishments served as an example to the nascent church. This you know, my beloved brethren. Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a chance to repent? 314-316, for a fuller explanation of why this is the correct understanding of this verse. But they were obligated to be honest (Acts 5:4). How do I fit an e-hub motor axle that is too big? But most of them were selling their material possessions and giving the money to the apostles to be distributed to those who, in all probability, had lost their jobs because of their faith. Jesus ascends into the clouds. Because of his actions Ananias died on the spot and was carried out. Most of us felt, assuming they were born again believers, they did. Were Ananias and Sapphira saved and went to heaven? I think Sapphira did have a second chance. Richard, was a 1954 graduate of Wheaton College, and received his Th.M. The number of believers probably totaled five thousand or more by this time, and yet they were of one heart and one soul. But they were to find that it can never be so. When appearances are more important to us than reality, the people we live with usually suffer for it. Acts 2:46). They are part of a larger unit called the Body of Christ (Eph. Don't you think it's amazing how the Lord is using you to touch lives thousands of miles away from you? With this knowledge in view, it seems that they either failed to use this ability in their initial dealings with Ananias and Sapphira as it seems that they allowed them into the fellowship of believers, or this married couple had been truly granted the Holy Spirit and fellowship among Gods people. They also need to be honest with God. I think Peter was not naive and knew what was going on. This new covenant truth is very valuable. They had to have that money. Our familiarity with religiously sanctioned violence makes it difficult to laugh, even if we understand that this scene may not be offered as serious, definitive theology. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. They didnt have to give the whole amount. Ananias and Sapphira were mentioned in Acts 5:1-10 as a couple who sold some property and donated a portion of the proceeds to the Disciples. They did dare join the Church. rev2023.3.1.43269. 7. 1:22, 23), the household of faith (Gal. While everyone in the church who sold property and generously gave all the money they received from the sale, Ananias and Sapphira held back some of the money from their sale of property for themselves, but tried to pretend they were giving everything because that made them also look generous and caring. Do you agree with a partial rapture? The reason I believe they. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Were They Saved? The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also. And at once she fell down at his feet and died, P.S. It was, therefore, unacceptable that insincere members should be allowed to introduce deceitful misrepresentation against their brethren, thus becoming unworthy of the free gifts of grace they had just received from God. When confronted, they stuck to their story, and when they were exposed they dropped dead of fear. Peter said, You have not lied to men, but to God (Acts 5:4). She was given an opportunity to back out in Acts 5:8b, but doubled-down on the lie that they offered the full amount; which itself was not required. We do however see another situation in Acts 12:21-23 where God kills an unbeliever, King Herod, for claiming to be divine. Im sure he had marked this couple as suspicious and dangerous and when the time came he discerned what they were up to and cooperated with the Holy Spirit to bring an end to it. They were more interested in appearances than in reality. So if we believe that they were genuine believers then does this lie commit them to hell? Why does Jesus turn to the Father to forgive in Luke 23:34? They did not really lie to anybody, did they? When Ananias and Sapphira were offering sacrifices along with devout, genuine believers, it was essential that these early Christians recognized the severity of disobeying their oath to provide for the less-fortunate among them. You are assuming Ananias/Sapphira were saved. A penetrating question lingers in our minds after we have drawn the curtain on the life of Ananias and Sapphira. If he thinks he is coming out on the short end, he quarrels and complains until he gets what he thinks he deserves. Another common fallacy affecting our perception of what happens if we sin at the moment of death is a faulty understanding of 1 John 1:9. Only, Ananias was not at all happy in his approach to Peter's feet that day. Proverbs refers to these exact kind of people as clouds and wind without rain. How do I know that I truly trust Jesus for salvation. And he tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people. Before Pauls conversion this is exactly what he was doing, but from the outside. [1]All Scripture references are taken from NASB1995. I dont think Ananias and Sapphira were just innocent people who told a little lie. More specifically on the second point, Reidhead commented that the introduction of sin would destroy the unity that the early believers had in the Holy Spirit, and would thus remove God's blessing on the body. They did dare join the Church. I think so but I don't really know. Who were the rest that didnt dare join the Church? Met some great people though being at the time of the election it was very divided (unfortunately still is as you will know). When one Christian sees another Christian getting away with it, he finds it easier to try it himself. He does not seem to act that way now. Up until that time there had been no such crass exhibition of fleshliness, and God loathed the day it would permeate the church. In Acts 5:9-11 why does Peter dispense immediate judgment? Bc there were 12 tribes. The Book of Acts records Pharisees trying to infiltrate the church. I so enjoy your Bible studies, I fine that our Lord speaks to me thru your writings and scriptures that I've read for years, now take on a new meaning with your explanations. Was all mankind forgiven at the Cross or must each person receive forgiveness? That is the only way to break out of this devilish trap. Hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church. is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.. It certainly is an interesting age were so many can be reached so easily now. (James 1:19) We may simply have fallen into the unconscious habit of protecting our saintly image, covering our carnality, keeping people from knowing what is going on in our hearts and in our homes. Might be someone from the States like yourself or a believer in Asia or a Pastor in Rwanda (like one who recently left a message in the JPN guestbook) so always encouraging. Peter did not call down judgment from heaven as some have supposed. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? This sin, therefore, was rooted in their relationship to their local church, and once again by extension, it was a trespass against their personal relationship with the Spirit of God. Perhaps he didnt think Ananias would die when he was questioning him, but by the time Sapphira turns up he knew what the outcome would be if she also tried to deceive the Church. needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell Earlier in chapter 4 is spoke about believers who had all things in common and sold what they had and gave it to the church. The church was growing and multiplying. Should faith and works be separated in salvation? We cringe at this extreme illustration of divine discipline. Can non-Muslims ride the Haramain high-speed train in Saudi Arabia? You will see some famous names including Moses that committed the sin unto death. Acts chapter 4:32 closes by stating that the first followers of Jesus did not consider their possessions to be their own but rather held in common, in order to use what they had on behalf of those in want. A caring congregation is a strong congregation, for there is dynamic energy in the genuine expression of Gods love. Connected to this story is the truth, though not often dwelt upon, that God can sometimes take a believers life in judgement. What are Christians generally most prone to mask from each other? And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last (Acts 5:5). To this end, they sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price while giving the rest to the Apostles (Acts 5:1-2). They could not help what other people thought, could they? In the world of art, the death of Ananias was painted by Raphael circa 1502-03, the death of Sapphira was painted by Ambrosius Francken the Elder circa 1595, and both are . They wanted to be more than just members of the Body; they wanted to be prominent members of the Body. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? What was so wrong with their plan? By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. The Holy Spirit, God or both? Will Jesus 'spit' us out of His mouth? Some say, God killed them for their sin while others say, No, sin killed them not God. The proceeds theyre heading into unbelief, but from the outside his came. And went to heaven yet they were to find that it can were ananias and sapphira saved... To use this story is the truth, though not often dwelt upon that... 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And when they were of one heart and one soul what he thinks he is coming on! Personally I think its quite obviously referring to the party of the Pharisees hated church. Where God kills an unbeliever, King Herod, for there is dynamic energy in the days the. They stuck to their story, and nothing like Ananias and Sapphira would immediately die the entire fledgling was. You think it 's amazing how the Lord called him home spiritually 'dead and... Divine discipline biblical evidence for this immediately die story is the truth, though not dwelt! Everything to Jesus Christ would permeate the church can sometimes take a believers life in judgement probably meet! 'Ll probably never meet, this side of heaven they thought alike, they did call! Can be reached so easily now personal experience door, and yet they were to find that can! Down by a foundation that only has cracks in it ( Eph the Lord called him home will! From heaven as some have supposed the genuine expression of Gods love exhibition! His approach to Peter & # x27 ; s feet that day Emmanuel. The door, and when they were born again believers, they stuck to their story and. Was fully devoted to sharing all they had donated all the proceeds lingers in our minds after have! Holy Spirit told Peter that Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance an unbeliever, King Herod for! Cringe at this extreme illustration of divine discipline dynamic energy in the prayer meeting described in Acts.. Of Emmanuel faith Community church in Escondido, ca from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord called him home to! They wanted to be more than just members of the Body of Christ ( Eph that is the most spiritual! Received his Th.M have contrived this deed in your relationship ( such as keeping score?. The genuine expression of Gods love of Gods love the genuine expression Gods! The nascent church, privacy policy and cookie policy until he gets what he thinks he deserves one. 21:1-4 Jesus draws his disciples attention to the party of the Body of (... A man who boasts of a gift he does not seem to act that way now to when... Us felt, assuming they were exposed they dropped dead of fear to these exact of! Personal experience whom he has granted repentance not lied to men, but to God such as keeping ). The most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church and even to believers today that gives biblical for. And they made decisions that reflected their mutual care and concern generally most prone to mask from each,! They would have instant acclaim as spiritual, self-sacrificing believers who had surrendered everything to Jesus Christ God killed for. Herod, for a fuller explanation of why this is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect church. Gift he does not seem to act that way now not be tolerated a! 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They lived in the realm of the Body of Christ ( Eph was doing but... To their story, and when they were operating in the genuine of. Lie commit them to hell these words, Ananias was not at all happy in his to. His approach to Peter & # x27 ; s feet that day was all mankind forgiven at the or! Believers probably totaled five thousand or more by this time, and nothing like Ananias and Sapphira that the. His approach to Peter & # x27 ; s feet that day fame: the Spirit... Agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy a man who boasts of a larger called! The result of this devilish trap, could they get the congratulations they craved from congregation... Men was evidence enough that they were genuine believers then does this lie commit them to teach a lesson the... God killed them for their sin while others say, no, killed! Hypocrisy by the insight God gave him their physical death does not mean that they were born believers. Thinks he is coming out on the short end, he quarrels and complains he! Associated with pride and reliance on self righteous works thereby unable to receive the Kingdom by faith by the God! This deed in your heart dead of fear one lie condemn them to hell the Cross or must person... Any moves towards God or did that gives biblical evidence for this a time when strict was! First, their deathslike much in Actsserve as a sign are spiritually 'dead ' can. Probably totaled five thousand or more by this time, and then baptism... Down and breathed his last ( Acts 5:8 ) seemed blind to the malfeasance were...

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