There are many way the historical account of Ananias and Sapphira can relate to modern Christians. Here is one (my) take on the issue.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ananias, Sapphira and mean old Peter - What is the first sinful and disobedient crisis to strike the early Acts 1st century New Testament Church of Jerusalem? This crisis took place one night at a Church meeting and this crisis centered around earthy possessions. This crisis is described for us by the Apostle Luke as follows:“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?" She said, "Yes, for so much." Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.” Acts 5:1-11This is Luke's account of the first crisis of the first and pure church in the book of Acts. Luke is telling us: if you want to look at unfaithfulness to the blood of Christ and lying to the Holy Spirit first look at the possessions of the members of the church! Luke describes the cold death of these two deceivers with pitiless, stark, dispassionate and clinical detail. This is nothing new for Luke for it reflects the harsh, uncompromising, and blunt detail he used in describing the way Jesus Himself told the story of the Wealthy Fool of Luke 12. This fictional Wealthy Fool was coldly and divisively dealt eternity of death instead of eternal life in this parable by Jesus Christ Himself for “storing up” his treasures and more importantly trusting in his treasures to provide for his needs. Luke knew that one of Jesus’ own disciples was the first of billions to abandon Jesus for the love of money and/or earthly possessions and treasures! And the Epistle of James (1:9-11) indicates that more than one early 1st century church congregation was laid to ruin and destroyed by the failure of Christians to keep money and possessions in there place, which is service of God and the advancement of His Kingdom.Think about how the Apostle Luke links money and materialism to self and even worse Holy Spirit deceit. You can’t over look this question when reading this historical account: Did Peter accuse Ananias and Sapphira of greed or idolatry as he could very well have? No, Peter accused them of lying - not only of self deceit, but also far, far, far worse - Holy Spirit deceit?Ananias and Sapphira echo our own self deceit and that of our ancestors before us. “I’m not really that well off compared to others”“I have worked hard for this: my family and I deserve it”“ Their are plenty far richer and more financially secure than I.”“ When Jesus said all he really meant only some or most.”Our un-holy self lies, self deceit and un-righteous materialism are the correlate to our “faithless” attempts to deal with our own insecurity by taking matters into our own hands instead of trusting in the promises of a Holy and Righteous God!I submit, Luther was right when he declared security as the ultimate idol. Human history and the pages of the Bible consists of nothing less than the willingness of the human spirit to exchange absolutely anything -family, health, nation, church, truth, love, Jesus, Holy Spirit, or even God Himself- for a small and false taste of security. It is human nature to seek to live by ones own wits rather than by faith in God and his promises. This “self preservation” is hard wired into our animalistic brains to secure and establish our own lives by our own means rather than giving our lives in service to others and live by undying faith in God.Who thinks the tone of Luke's historical narration seem harsh, severe, and completely uncompromising? Is Luke is showing us that this is the manner in which we should confront falsehood and deceit within our own Church? Yes, Yes, Yes! Can you deny the fact that the confrontation always seem overly severe and unloving to the one entangled by the deceit and sin of their own flesh? The cost according to Luke of not confronting fleshy deceit in this manner is nothing less than death! We should also take note this first time Luke uses the word “Church” and consider for ourselves: We must confront materialism, self deceit and Holy Sprit deceit with the same stark, open, dispassionate, public, and bold manner as Peter did with Ananias & Sapphira of his congregation as we do with the Ananias’s & Sapphira’s of our own congregation! This example was set down by Peter the rock of the church and was described by the Apostle Luke as most likely a first hand witness!!! No one can deny that this New Testament Biblical example bears a terrifying contradiction and strikes hard and firm against he the modern version of the “good”, kind, gentle, ear tickling pastors and evangelists of our churches today! Where is the compassion? Where is the love? Where is the mercy, grace, gentleness of the Church? If Peter was a good pastor and shepherd over his 1st century, New Testament, Acts Church he would have surly dealt with poor Ananias and Sapphira more gently and caring. If Peter would have only had a proper modern western Bible college or seminary education, a good course in pastoral counseling and would have read 1 Cor. 13 (the love Chapter), than he would have been a good pastor and been more understanding of Ananias and Sapphira and their current level of spiritual growth. Should Peter have rejected the methods of his teacher Jesus (who preached in the style of Isaiah, Amos, Jeremiah, and John the Baptist)? Shouldn’t have Peter realized his lack of love? Then Peter would then have surely been able to clearly see that although Ananias and Sapphira may be wealthy or affluent, here was a married couple who were at only at mere infancy in their personal process of spiritual growth. Why didn’t Peter have the good sense to lovingly and gently lead this couple to find a more a meaningful and productive (purpose driven) way of life wrapped in the eternal love, mercy, grace, and peace of Jesus Christ instead of confronting them in a manner in which shocked them to death and struck fear in the hearts of the rest of the congregation? I’ll tell you why, Peter was at Pentecost and was filled with the Holy Spirit.If we are to honestly hold up to light the example Peter laid forth and as described by Luke, our present pastoral situation is in startling and life threatening need of re-evaluation. We say we need to tolerate the Ananias’s and Sapphira’s of our own congregations because we love them, (1 Cor. 13) or because of the grace, compassion, mercy, acceptance of Jesus and salvation. If this is your excuse then you are in fact saying that you have more love than did Peter for the 1st century Acts Church he was the pastor and shepherd over.If you think you have more love, grace, acceptance, mercy, or compassion of Jesus Christ than the Apostle Peter and the congregation which he was pastor over you are plain and simply leading your own Ananias and Sapphira delusion of self and Holy Spirit denial which will only lead to eternal death. This is a lie and rampant in the church today!The truth:We cannot even slightly imagine the means (broken and empty humility weeping at the feet and heart of Jesus) of breaking free of the deceit, pride, greed, and idolatry of our own materialism that enslaves our lives to sin. So, we dare not tell the Truth and Eternity of the Gospel of Christ as Peter so boldly did for all to see and fear in this very first recorded sinful and disobedient crisis to strike the early Acts 1st century New Testament Church of Jerusalem. This crisis took place one night at a Church meeting, this crisis centered around possessions and is described by the Apostle Luke as follows:“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?" She said, "Yes, for so much." Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.” Acts 5:1-11~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
