March 11, 2015 (Wednesday)
Tonight at Bible Study and Prayer Meeting we will study Acts 4:32-5:11.
The first paragraph of this section of the Bible tells us about how the early believers loved one another. Acts 4:32 says the multitude was one heart and one soul. This was the essence of their being, not a nice way to describe their cooperation with each other. Suddenly they were Christians (although not yet called that), and found themselves cut off from their past life, their families and their jobs. This lonely existence, new to them and painful to them, brought them together. They had their faith in common.
This new fellowship had people within their number who had suffered the loss of all and were suddenly in need. No problem. Those who had property and possessions sold them as the need presented itself and brought the money to the apostles, to be distributed to those of their number who were in need. Joseph, a man from Cyprus, sold his property and gave the entire purchase price to the church. The people appreciated that selfless act, and started calling him Barnabas (son of encouragement). No doubt many were talking about what a great man Barnabas was for doing this.
A married couple, Ananias and Sapphira, were caught up with envy of the praise offered to Barnabas, and wanted something like that for themselves. They longed for the recognition and praise. They sold some property and brought money to the apostles, telling eveyone they were giving the entire purchase price, pretending to follow the example of Barnabas and others. But it was a lie. They kept back some of the money for themselves.
Somehow the Lord revealed their deception to the apostles, and Peter confronted them about their sin. Then, much to the the shock and surprise of everyone, they suddenly died. Peter had reminded them that the property was theirs to keep or sell as they pleased, but their lie could not be tolerated. The church was new and in its early existence, and the moral standard for believers was high. Punishment of such open hypocrisy and devious behavior had to be swift and public, so that all might know that believers in Jesus Christ were sincere, benevolent, generous and loving. The onlookers would know that, and the believers would be impressed by the seriousness of sin and avoid it at all cost.
Evidently this was a one-time, and one-of-a-kind, act of God. We don’t believe that God strikes us dead immediately, on the spot, when we sin. That does not seem to be the way He works today. But sin is still serious, and is ultimately punished. “Whatsover a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Although sin may be against other people, it is primarily against God. That’s what makes it “sin.”
We are saved by God’s grace, which is undeserved mercy from the God of all people. We rejoice in the grace of God. “Amazing grace!–How sweet the sound–that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found–’twas blind, but now I see!”
I’ve attempted to explain the experience of Ananias and Sapphira, although it is still mysterious to me. It is indeed shocking. I don’t understand why things happened that way then, and why they don’t always happen that way today. But I accept the Word of God, and include this experience of the early church as being one of those things that will no doubt be explained in full for our understanding, if we desire it, when we all get to Heaven.
In the meantime, I will focus on those verses that I understand quite well, like Acts 16:31, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,” or “Romans 10:9-10, “If you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” This is possible because of the love of God; that I do understand, and for that I am eternally thankful.