Today’s passage begins with the word, “now”. This means this passage has to do with what is said previously. Just before this we are told about the deep fellowship of the early church. They were “one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.” (4:32) Then we are given the wonderful example of Barnabas who “sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” (4:37) This shows how much the love of God moved everyone to do what they could do to help. Then the next verse starts with, “now”. In the midst of this beautiful fellowship of love, something happened to destroy it. That was the incident of Ananias and Sapphira. They sold their property and brought part of the money and put it at the apostle’s feet. They kept part of the money for themselves. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?” (3)
This is a difficult passage to understand because God is full of love and grace. We all sin, but God forgives those that believe in him. There is no judgment for those who believe. Therefore, it is difficult to understand why Ananias and Sapphira were judged. Today let’s try to make sense out of this passage as we think about how we should live.
I. The problem with Ananias and Sapphira (vs.1-4)
Barnabas and many of the people in the early church sold their possessions and land and gave it to the church. As a new church not only were the poor in the church helped, but probably money was needed for starting the church and evangelism. Therefore, it was wonderful how everyone was willing to do what they could to help. Ananias and Sapphira also sold land and gave part of the money to the church. Even though it was part of the money that was still a great thing for them to do. However, Peter said that they were lying to God and they died. Let’s look at what their problem was.
1. They stole from God so they were lying to God. It was their land, but when they decided to give the money to God, it became God’s. They took part of the money out like as if it was their own.
Acts. 4:34, 35
Usually when the early church members sold their possessions, they brought all the money and put it at the disciple’s feet. Ananias and Sapphira did the same except they kept part for themselves. The problem was when they decided to sell the land, they had already decided to give the money to the church so the money was God’s.
This can be seen in verses 2 and 3. “kept back”. This word is used only one other time in the New Testament. That is in Titus 2:10. There it is translated as “steal”. They took out some of the money that they had planned to give to God and gave the rest like they were really giving their all to God. It made them look really spiritual, when in fact they weren’t giving their all. Therefore, Peter is saying that they aren’t lying to men, but to God. The land was theirs so there was no problem with them selling the land and using the money for themselves. However, it became a problem because they promised to give the money to God so it was God’s, but they didn’t give it all so they were stealing from God. This is why in verse 9 it says that they tested the Holy Spirit.
2. Also they were lying to the community of love, the church. This is the opposite of 4:32-37. Ananias and Sapphira did not have the same heart and mind as everyone else. Instead as a couple they put their hearts together. (2, 9) They didn’t live within the fellowship of the church, but instead lived by their own thinking. They closed their hearts to the needs of other Christians. In other words, they weren’t living by the new life of Christians. They were destroying the almost perfect fellowship of the church by their self centerness, slyness, and lying.
II. The judgment of God (vs.5,6)
Galatians 6:1
Throughout the Bible especially the New Testament we are taught that God forgives all our sins when we repent. Therefore, it is hard to understand why God punished Ananias and Sapphira so severely. The hint is in verse 5 and 11. It brought holy fear. It made the church realize that God is alive. The church needs this kind of holy fear. When the church is progressing well, it tends to forget this holy fear. They forget that God is God. Then sin starts to grow within the church and the church is destroyed. It is only when the church really fears God that it moves forward. The incidence of Ananias and Sapphira made the church aware of the great effect of sin and the need to eliminate it from the church.
III. Fearing God (vs.13,14)
As a result of this incidence, there were no nonChristians who wanted to join the Christian fellowship. However, the non Christians respected the Christians. The numbers of people that accepted Christ increased. This doesn’t seem to make sense. What this passage is saying is that nonChristians too became fearful by the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira so no one wanted to join the Christian fellowship. However, at the same time the non Christians respected the non Christians and many people were saved. By accepting Christ they were brought into the fellowship of the church.
Eccles. 12:13
Fearing God is everything.
Let’s fear God and put our hearts and minds together.