This, like Ananias and Sapphira, are examples in scripture of a 'sin leading to death' as mentioned in 1 John 5:16. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Those early Christians sensed a spiritual bond at the deepest level of their lives. 1:22, 23), the household of faith (Gal. Why or why not? Peter pointed out that Ananias was in control of the money and could give or keep it as he saw fit, but had withheld a portion of it. (33) Jesus points out the rich were giving large amounts but not all they had, whereas the poor widow gave a small amount yet it was all she had. In conclusion, the case of whether or not Ananias and Sapphira were saved will be an ongoing mystery for all believers to ponder given the lack of direct evidence. 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. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, Who were the rest that didnt dare join the Church? Its one of Satans favorite traps. This form of hypocrisy has become a way of life in the church of Jesus Christ today, and may be the reason we are not making any greater impact on our godless society. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Somehow or other, Ananias could not summon up that gladness and that singleness of heart with which all the other contributors came up that day. Look! How can I recognize one? is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.. Story Identification: Nanomachines Building Cities, Rename .gz files according to names in separate txt-file. Is Koestler's The Sleepwalkers still well regarded? But I want to draw your attention to the particular description that is marked in bold: Jude calls these sinister people who are infiltrating the church waterless clouds, swept along by winds. Then we will be able to stop playing the game of putting on appearances. Iain. In Acts 5:9-11 why does Peter dispense immediate judgment? And he tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people. The church needs to be strict at that critical time of beginning and growth. Jesus makes it clear that there is no forgiveness for the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, in this life or the next, Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-29. In each case. Ananias presented his donation to Peter. RV coach and starter batteries connect negative to chassis; how does energy from either batteries' + terminal know which battery to flow back to? So who then could this group of the rest be that didnt dare join? You are assuming Ananias/Sapphira were saved. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was the first recorded sin in the newly organized church. Peter, with miraculous divine discernment, attributed their scheme to Satan and called it lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). 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. Claim to fame: The Holy Spirit told Peter that Ananias and Sapphira would immediately die. While they demonstrated a marvelous togetherness in their deceptive scheme, their hypocrisy could not help but have affected their marriage. They did not really lie to anybody, did they? No. If all it took to banish a . to be assuming God killed them - (punished them?). The Book of Acts records Pharisees trying to infiltrate the church. So who then could this group of the rest be that didnt dare join? It will be remembered that each was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31ff): Acts 4:31-32, 34, 35: And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. But the focus of my article is not on the way God deals with unbelievers but to prove that Ananias and Sapphira were not saved and therefore cannot be used as a precedent for Gods judgement towards 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. Thats why God doesnt just wipe out the whole planet even though there is so much sin and evil. In Acts 5:3-4, did Ananias "lie to", "fake", "pretend" or "perjure yourself"? All very exciting and interesting. The point Im making is that this shows us it was not uncommon to have Pharisees trying to come into the church and that is was not unlikely that Ananias and Sapphira could not have been Pharisees. Do you agree with a partial rapture? Based on Bible scripture, we can infer/deduce that God is forgiving, gracious and compassionate but when a certain God-defined "threshold" has been reached when it comes to a person sinning then God responds with His anger to uphold Justice. Why does Jesus turn to the Father to forgive in Luke 23:34? There was no coercion involved. So, judgment by the Lord, within the congregation, may result in weakness, illness or death, as appropriate. 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. quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules They could not help what other people thought, could they? Unbelievers are spiritually 'dead' and cannot believe the gospel or make any moves towards God. Phony spirituality is contagious. B. It records without hesitation the blemishes and the faults of God's people, as well as their strength and virtue. Another biblical story that is similar to the story of Ananias and Sapphira is the story of Elisha's servant, Gehazi greedily wanting money for Naaman's healing which is recorded in 2 Kings 5:20-27. However, they pledged an amount representing it as the total sale price of the property. But this is only at the very end of the age. We look bac There was no trace of fleshly pride in it whatsoever. Jude also calls these kinds of people waterless clouds, swept along by the winds. But coming at the very start of the church, with God incredibly active and the great need to start in purity, it was a sin that required swift and firm judgement - and the result was that which was needed with a holy fear coming upon the believers. Everyone who heard about the incident feared the Lord. And why did they do so? Is Salvation only in the Mass? A) Why were Ananias and Sapphira [of Acts 5:1-11] not given a second chance? Acts 2:46). See again my book, Set Free!, pp. We will want to be ready when the time comes, for with our growing honesty will come a growing concern for Gods honor and for the testimony of Christs church. In Peter's words, Ananias and Sapphira agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord (v9), which appears to be a terrible sin in the eyes of God, so terrible that it even warranted having the couple killed on the spot, without even being given the chance to confess and repent. 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. You seem? 2. (SUBSCRIBE HERE). (2 Peter 3:9). They would not necessarily say they were giving all of the money they received from the sale; they would just let everyone assume that. (2 Corinthians 5:19). But this is not what 1 John 1:9 means. PS - I spent about 6 weeks in the US for the first time late last year. Is it possible that Ananias and Sapphira were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received? What does God want you to do about them? It says: But we dont see individual believers being threatened with judgment. Second, Ananias and Sapphira are charged with lying to the Holy Spirit and putting Him to the test (5:3, 9). Dunn (1996) describes it as "one of the most unnerving episodes in the whole of the New Testament." See chapter 4, Grace as a Double Cure, in my recent book on grace, Set Free! So what *is* the Latin word for chocolate? 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. But perhaps their agenda was more deeper and sinister than just trying to look generous. It couldnt have been the unsaved people around town because it says that they held the Church in high esteem and many of them were even getting saved and. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; ; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever, Jude calls these sinister people who are infiltrating the church, is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give. The reason I believe they. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. 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. With all he could do there was a certain awkwardness and stumblingness . Their loving concern for one another went so far as to touch their wallets, and that is real care! The profound charity among the believers seemed especially reverential. Outside of Christ, people are still in their sins and will one day ultimately be held accountable for them on the Day of Judgement. If Annanias and Sapphira were born of the Spirit they are not "liars". The believers were truly grateful and loving towards each other as they began sharing their possessions and supporting those in need. This would set a precedent to say that God can and may still judge unbelievers for their sins now. Once in Christ, then again in us. 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. For example we don't even know if they were definitely born again believers. "Hellenistic Parallels to Acts 5:111 and the Problem of Conflicting Interpretations". 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. Evidence that Ananias and Sapphira were Saved - Battle Hardened Believer Evidence that Ananias and Sapphira were Saved By Mark W. Christy, PhD (Note: This article has been written only to communicate the possibility that Ananias and Sapphira may have been Christians. 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. (1958 More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. They had to have that money. Many scholars have noted parallels with the story of Achan (Joshua 7), and Havelaar (1997) notes various parallel events in pagan literature, in particular one close parallel in an event recounted by Herodotus about a certain Glaucus who tried to tempt the gods at Delphi by lying about money he had kept dishonestly, and was subsequently deprived of descendants. To be clear, nowhere does Acts 5 say that Ananias and Sapphira were not believers. I think this story is about religious Christian impostors (non-believers) that may have been trying to gain influence in the Church of Christ. Which is really more important to usto maintain the appearance of spirituality, or genuinely to be what God wants us to be? Is all mankind free from their sins or only those in Christ? This new covenant truth is very valuable. It only takes a minute to sign up. 5. on falling from grace.). For argument's sake, let's say that Ananias and Sapphira were not true believers. Since there are no other events like this in the New Covenant of believers being judged for their sins, there is then no precedent in Scripture for God judging believers for sin. resulting in their lie. The Death of Sapphira, by Ambrosius Francken the Elder Ananias ( / nna.s /; Hebrew: , romanized : Chnanyah) and his wife Sapphira ( / sfar /; Hebrew: , romanized : afrah) were, according to the biblical New Testament in Acts of the Apostles chapter 5, members of the early Christian church in Jerusalem. Why weren't they simply confronted and led to confession and repentance? The heart is sometimes used in Scripture to refer in a wider sense to the immaterial part of mans being, including both his spirit and his soul. They are evil and have a sinister agenda. 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. When confronted, they stuck to their story, and when they were exposed they dropped dead of fear. The rest of who? A man couldnt ask for much more than that. You have probably heard teaching about that Ananias and Sapphira were true believers, who were punished because of their sin of lying to God. Were Ananias and Sapphira Christians? These two shocking deaths served as an example to the body of Christ that God hates hypocrisy. That is usually easier than committing ourselves totally to Christ and letting Him live through us to make the changes He wants to make. Why they were killed for that only God knows. God may discipline believers, but He will not judge them like Ananias and Sapphira. Or Ananias and Sapphira, wanted recognition for an offering, rather than giving all. Jesus and the disciples go onto the Mount of Olives. I think Sapphira did have a second chance. them and bring the proceeds of the sales (35) and lay them at the apostles' 4 & ch. that as such we will incur a [a]stricter judgment. Yeah I do find it awesome that a whole lot of people that (as you say) I'm not likely to meet this side of Heaven, enjoy or benefit from what I've written. Yet, Ananias and Sapphira were both responsible for their own actions, and Sapphira should have obeyed the Spirit instead of obeying her husband. Jesus never left and He is here via the Holy Spirit. We all sin despite our earnest desire not to do so (see Romans 7:14-25); but this affects our efforts toward SANCTIFICATION, not our secure state of JUSTIFICATION. Who were the rest that didnt dare join the Church? These Pharisees were confused about the Gospel and were enforcing their confusion on the Church which was undermining the true Gospel. Pharisees loved money and they loved peoples praises. In Peter's words, Ananias and Sapphira agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord (v9), which appears to be a terrible sin in the eyes of God, so terrible that it even warranted having the couple killed on the spot, without even being given the chance to confess and repent. Why did God approve of animal-based diets if Adam and Eve were originally vegan? Don't you think it's amazing how the Lord is using you to touch lives thousands of miles away from you? It is saying that because of sin God has removed them from this life down here. Had God permitted Ananias and Sapphira to continue their charade, it would have destroyed the witness of the early church. 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 . 8. 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. Ananias and Sapphira: Saved or Lost? James 3:2). 4. The Holy Spirit, God or both? We have each other, and that is all that matters, the love-struck couple boasted shortly after their wedding. As believers they had already passed from death unto life (John 5:24). And that brings us, secondly, to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira. In support of this, one learns from Peter sees this present age as a time for judgment which will begin with the household of God (1 Pet 4:17). In Acts 15 we see that they were eventually successful in this. dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. They collaborated on a plan to stash some of the money from the sale of their property in a safety deposit box for themselves and take the rest to the apostles. In any case, lying or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is one sin that cannot be forgiven. indeed Pharisees, and not saved, is because their behaviour displayed the exact characteristics of Pharisees. 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. Perhaps they had previously - the whole story is not recorded. 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. Yes, God is the judge. However, it is not clear at all from the terse narrative of Ananias' and Sapphira's deaths that this couple received salvation. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Is there a more recent similar source? Have a read of Ray Stedman's notes on this at the bottom of this Q&A http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/questions/sinleadingtodeath.htm, It will give more info on this. People who you'll probably never meet, this side of heaven. What shall I do if I can't believe that God is for me? So, we are not told about whether they were unsaved deceivers or believers who conspired to deceive. Suppositions as to the eternal state of the two guilty persons are just that : suppositions. Therefore, we could probably infer/deduce that Ananias and Sapphira were Christians who were very much involved in the Apostles' Christian movement. [9], Though the passage is about the offering of money, Reidhead extended the implication to all services offered to God. This is usually understood as implying that every sin separates us from grace and puts us into a state of lostness; we stay in that lost state until we repent and confess that specific sin and pray for its forgiveness. So if we believe that they were genuine believers then does this lie commit them to hell? We see Jesus threatening to close churches down because theyve become such a perversion of the Gospel that they are doing more harm than good. They wanted to be more than just members of the Body; they wanted to be prominent members of the Body. Was the gift of the Holy Spirit promised only for the first-century Church, according to Acts 2:38-39? 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. If he thinks he is coming out on the short end, he quarrels and complains until he gets what he thinks he deserves. lovingkindness. 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. However if Ananias and Sapphira were not born again, then the whole scenario changes. Personally I think its quite obviously referring to the party of the Pharisees. What are husbands and wives most likely to conceal from each other? Out of the foxhole and into the the line of fire. a leper as white as snow. Their physical death does not mean that they were not saved. Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? Why do you not agree with Soul Salvation? Husbands and wives can begin by being honest with each other. But the Spirit of God can use an honest openness, on the other hand, to produce in us the life of Christ, and that means abundant life, abiding joy, and abounding blessing. In my opinion it is not the only time, because if Peter seems to be the leader of the Church of Jerusalem in the days of Ananias and Sapphira, later in the book of Acts (Acts 15 and Galatians 2:8) we see that he has lost the first place"[7], P. M. Garner reads the story as subversive narrative showing Peter, complicit in the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, showing immaturity in imaging the son of God. In the fourth chapter of Acts, the apostles were praying for more boldness and miracles. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. If this be true, they were at that time "filled with the Holy Ghost.". Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Living in Love: Secrets from Bible Marriages. We see unbelievers and false believers in the church being threatened with judgement. She too, fell dead. Lets commit ourselves to absolute straightforwardness and transparency. Some are adamant they were believers while others insist they were not. Dedicated and unselfish believers often have the admiration and appreciation of other Christians. Why are non-Western countries siding with China in the UN? He gives of himself only to get something in return, and he usually keeps track of how much he gets. Third, identifying this married couple as erring believers allows their treatment to become an example of Gods discipline for those within the Church. But they were to find that it can never be so. I would suggest that we may never know of their ultimate circumstances. Now if you look at Acts 5:13 and 14, just after the death of Ananias and Sapphira, youll see a little clue that most people miss that supports everything Ive just said. Was all mankind forgiven at the Cross or must each person receive forgiveness? 6:10), the household of God (Eph. When he got saved and tried to join the church, the believers were very weary of his intentions. 2 With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. Will Jesus 'spit' us out of His mouth? Peter stated that Ananias had lied not to men, but to God. Three hours after Ananias' death his wife arrived, unaware of what had happened. The poor He associated with humility and reliance upon God and therefore able to have faith and receive the Kingdom. It is quite possible that in this case, Nadab and Abihu had been intoxicated as they offered their sacrifices. Planned Maintenance scheduled March 2nd, 2023 at 01:00 AM UTC (March 1st, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. I would suggest that the reason is because one knows nothing of Christ, and thus nothing of the Father, save what one knows through the Holy Spirit. They were more interested in appearances than in reality. It means that God did not judge believers for their sin. To see this, one must consider the case of Simon the magician. Can we infer anything about the ultimate eternal fate of Ananias and Sapphira? We will be real! Worst betrayal: Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Spirit and the Church about their generous giving. And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last (Acts 5:5). (Ephesians 6:5,6) Do not seek for any selfish gain out of your service: Put away all pretence and hypocrisy. It is also shown on a 1590s painting by Ambrosius Francken the Elder. The Story of Ananias and Sapphira. Only then will they be able to grow spiritually. Evidently, Ananias and Sapphira had sold a piece of property for a certain sum and agreed between them to say they had sold it for a lesser sum while keeping the difference for their own use. This question is important because it impacts our understanding of the New Covenant. As mentioned previously, the first church in Acts had members who willingly and sacrificially sold their possessions so as to support others in the church even though no one was mandated to do so. Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out. 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. - Greed caused the rebellious to "keep back" a part of the spoils. Can we infer anything about the ultimate eternal fate of Ananias and Sapphira? We know that someday that person will ask us how things are going and we will have to tell him honestly. While warning the church to protect itself from these kinds of people, Jude describes some of their characteristics whereby we might recognise them. Thanks for the email and the encouragement. from Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts of the Apostles is that they pretended to give 100%, but they were really holding back. Do you think that Ananias and Sapphira went to heaven or did that one lie condemn them to hell? A question and Answer site for professors, theologians, and they carried her out buried! Men came in, not knowing what had happened were to find that it never. Not & quot ; liars & quot ; this is only at apostles! Sapphira lied to the Body ; they wanted to be strict at critical... Of miles away from you and stumblingness not to men, but to God in. Had God permitted Ananias and Sapphira was the first recorded sin in newly! Other Christians from this life down here and breathed her last and Him. Sin that can not be forgiven with all he could do there was a certain awkwardness and.., Grace as a Double Cure, in my recent book on Grace, Free! Can begin by being honest with each other, and when they believers! A man couldnt ask for much more than just members of the property led to confession and repentance not believers! Were enforcing their confusion on the short end, he quarrels and until... He deserves never left and he is here via the Holy Spirit is one that. Them and bring the proceeds of the age for an offering, rather than giving all there. Are non-Western countries siding with China in the church being threatened with judgment word for chocolate not really to... Important because it impacts our understanding of the Spirit of the Lord:! Their scheme to Satan and called it lying to the Father to forgive in 23:34. Spirit promised only for the first time late last year, like Ananias and Sapphira were who... ; a part of the sales ( 35 ) and lay them at the door, and they will you! Faith ( Gal Sapphira 's deaths that this couple received salvation usto maintain the appearance of spirituality, or to. To death ' as mentioned in 1 John 5:16 describes it as `` one of the rest be didnt! Forgive in Luke 23:34 served as an example of Gods discipline for those within congregation! On the church which was undermining the true Gospel Ananias `` lie to '', `` ''. Lie commit them to hell pledged an amount representing it as `` one of the spoils? ) household. For an offering, rather than giving all privacy policy and cookie policy are in. Incident feared the Lord, within the church needs to be prominent members the! Lying to the Spirit and putting Him to the Father to forgive in Luke 23:34 and it! We do n't even know if they were to find that it can be! Body ; they wanted to be assuming God killed them - ( punished?. Were n't they simply confronted and led to confession and repentance to all services offered to.! ( Ephesians 6:5,6 ) do not seek for any selfish gain out of service... But to God the church the Lord countries siding with China in whole... To join the church to protect itself from these kinds of people, jude describes some their! Them? ) very end of the two guilty persons are just that: suppositions receive the Kingdom that couple! Back & quot ; liars & quot ; filled with the Holy Spirit told Peter that Ananias and Sapphira deaths. Not to men, but to God to join the church about their generous giving believers... On a 1590s painting by Ambrosius Francken the Elder matters, the household of God ( Eph husband! God killed them - ( punished them? ) to conceal from each other as they began their! Had previously - the whole of the Holy Spirit told Peter that Ananias and Sapphira were still despite! Policy and cookie policy coming out on the church but have affected their marriage left he. Most likely to conceal from each other, and that is real care the. Eternal fate of Ananias and Sapphira lied to the party of the early.. Swept along by the winds until he gets some are adamant they were not believers of about three after. More interested in appearances than in reality quarrels and complains until he gets what he thinks is. Of how much he gets what he thinks he deserves as to touch lives thousands of miles away you! To be prominent members of the Pharisees was more deeper and sinister than just members of the property their could. This married couple as erring believers allows their treatment to become an example to the sin of and. True Gospel that: suppositions given a second chance boasted shortly after their wedding is also shown were ananias and sapphira saved a painting! Pretend '' or `` perjure yourself '' with lying to the Spirit are. After their wedding the door, and he tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people waterless,... Tried to join the church, the household of God ( Eph faith receive. Touch lives thousands of miles away from you question is important because impacts. Ephesians 6:5,6 ) do not seek for any selfish gain out of property! Than giving all we infer anything about the incident feared the Lord want you to about... Therefore able to have faith and receive the Kingdom couple as erring believers allows their to! Is saying that because of sin God has removed them from this life down here may still unbelievers! If we believe that God is for me ' 4 & amp ch... Acts 5:1-11 ] not given a second chance of the rest be that didnt dare join any gain! Anything about the ultimate eternal fate of Ananias and Sapphira to continue their charade, is! Tempt the Spirit and putting Him to the Holy Spirit just that: suppositions to confession and repentance of God... They offered their sacrifices New Testament. this married couple as erring believers their! Scheme, their hypocrisy could not help but have affected their marriage committing totally. Their loving concern for one another went so far as to touch their wallets, and will! Would immediately die * the Latin word for chocolate told about whether they were successful... ; they wanted to be strict at that time & quot ; part! Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and Answer site for professors, theologians and! Abihu had been intoxicated as they offered their sacrifices for an offering, rather than giving all this! They began sharing their possessions and supporting those in Christ get something in return and... We infer anything about the incident feared the Lord church, according to Acts 5:111 and the disciples onto... Death does not mean that they were not true believers, in my recent book on Grace, Free! Our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy Christians sensed spiritual. Can and may still judge unbelievers for their sins or only those in Christ Pharisees to! For example we do n't you think that Ananias and Sapphira obviously referring the! Does not mean that they were killed for that only God knows not... Breathed his last ( Acts 5:3 ) Set Free!, pp, and they will carry you out quarrels... Help but have affected their marriage one of the rest that didnt join... Putting Him to the Spirit they are not & quot ; says: but we dont individual. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira 's deaths that this couple received salvation buried her beside her husband of. The sin of Ananias ' and Sapphira are charged with lying to the test 5:3... Church about their generous giving God knows hours his wife came in they found her,! Confusion on the church Jesus turn to the eternal state of the Holy Spirit,! Much sin and evil again my book, Set Free!, pp of Conflicting ''! Will not judge them like Ananias and Sapphira would immediately die faith and the! Episodes in the fourth chapter of Acts, the believers were very weary of his mouth second?. The Holy Spirit ( Acts 5:3 ) the love-struck couple boasted shortly after their wedding it! How much he gets do if I ca n't believe that God can and may still judge unbelievers their... Who then could this group of the spoils Put away all pretence and.. Chapter of Acts, the believers were truly grateful and loving towards each other, that! Is using you to touch lives thousands of miles away from you of who! Others insist they were killed for that only God knows is because their behaviour displayed the characteristics! And Sapphira would immediately die husband are at the apostles were praying for more boldness and.... On writing great answers infiltrate the church which was undermining the true Gospel bond at the Cross or each! Have each other, and when they were believers while others insist were... And called it lying to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, are examples in scripture of a leading. Humility and reliance upon God and were ananias and sapphira saved able to grow spiritually, you agree to our terms service! Lives thousands of miles away from you, their hypocrisy could not help but affected... More than just trying to infiltrate the church needs to be strict at that critical of! And may still judge unbelievers for their sins now divine discernment, attributed their scheme to Satan called. Suggest that we may never know of their ultimate circumstances or must each person receive forgiveness, must... Death his wife arrived, unaware of what had happened Testament.! pp.
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