The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged usto get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around whena gentle hand touched my shoulder.
I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with asmile that lit up her entire being.
She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"
I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.
"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.
She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids..."
"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to betaking on this challenge at her age.
"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!"she told me.
After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milk shake.
We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this"time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.
Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easi ly made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.
At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet.I'll never forget what she taught&nbs p;us. She was introduced and stepped up tothe podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her threeby five cards on the floor.
Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone andsimply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskeyis killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know."
As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.
There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.
We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!
There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.
If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't doone productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-sevenyears old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.
Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.
The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather forthings we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."
She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose."
She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago.
One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.
Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.
When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they'll really enjoy it!
These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.
REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living by what we get, We make a Life by what we give.
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
THE SIN OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA
1. INTRODUCTION.
This topic I will be sharing on the sin of Ananias and Sapphira which was one of my written term paper which I prepared for the book of Acts course. It is an accumulation of points that I had gathered from the internet and an interesting subject to write about. The book of Acts is the story of an emerging early Christian church. It is a time where Jesus' disciples were put into the whole world's ministry on their own to reach out to all i.e. Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost pasts those that do not know the resurrection and the promises of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time where Christians depends on each others for encouragement spiritually or financially. The story or the drama of the judgment of God on Ananias and Sapphira found in Acts 4:32-5:11 is or was the most tragic episode of the Book of Acts or in the New Testament. The author of Acts intention of writing out this portion of the story in a way to my opinion has a desired to make known to readers during that era (community), the church of Jerusalem and an ideal "morale" of sharing lived to future generation to come of the crime that is cheating God or thinking God does not know what is in our heart and mind. Before I talk about the story of Ananias and Sapphira, we need to know the themes of the book of Acts. There are four themes which to me are - first, it serves as a handbook for the early conversion; second, it is a book of devotion of Christian to their Lord which demands tremendous personal discipline in their spiritual lives e.g. in the Gospel, Jesus worshipped in the synagogue "as was his custom" (Luke 4:16) while in book of Acts, the first few chapters describe the disciples in the temple praying but during Paul's ministry was punctuated by spirituality and shows Christians who suffered shame for the cause of Christ (Acts 5:41); third, joining together of the Jew and Gentile into one body; and fourthly, provides a history of the early church. Therefore, it is obvious that God has to be in certain way strict to His believers so that it aids as a lessons to all those believing and coming in Him.
I read somewhere that it is interesting to note that in the passages about Ananias and Sapphira the word "Church" in Acts 5:11 appear for the first time as a name for this early Christian community. Hence, we begin to understand that it was an extremely important obligation rested upon the believers in this leading member of the first Christian church to act properly. In failing to do so God has to be very strict just like the early sin of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve sins were paid by spiritual death.
2. THE STORY OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA.
The name of Ananias means "Jehovah is gracious" because God has been gracious to him. He got everything - house, land and a beautiful wife, Sapphira. The name of Sapphira means "beautiful" or "pleasant" and it is a name which is also given to precious stone of deep purple blue. Both of them love the Lord and they were also having fellowship with the Christians of that time. During that period, the Christians of the early church had to sell off their possessions and money to the church to build up that early church. Those that gave up everything probably received the enthusiastic appreciation of the whole community or congregation. It was something the people or believers do for the love and glory of God. It was not a grandstand or pride of doing it but the love of the kingdom of God. Barnabas the first to sacrifice everything according to Acts 4:36, 37. I do not know why Ananias and Sapphira chip in to give their possession in the first place. All I can think of maybe they want acclamation, recognition, acceptance or pride. They wanted to be more than just members of the body of Christ just like most of us. We do because we want to be prominent and praises of men but when we do not get what we want or wish than we turn away. Just two months back, my church elected a few committee members of the church. There were two brothers that were not accepted after an opened election and both of them began to give up what they were doing for the church. I was sad because we all need them to serve the church as we are lacked of man's power. Is it so important to hold a post in order to serve our might Father in heaven. I just do not know what to say but pray for them. In this case, both of these couple saw the situation, longed for it and there where their trouble they were heading.
One day Ananias came with his bag of money to where the Christians were gathered. The book of Acts opens the chapter five with a certain man coming forward at the time when everybody was watching, he presented his gifts to the apostles. The real problem arose was when Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, decided to get some glory for themselves. Their scheme was very simple that was first, to sell some property, second to contribute part of the proceeds, and than report that as the total selling price in which they did not report the actual sold price. They were expecting something nice would be mentioned to them just like the rest who gave up everything. The people were already amazed thinking what a good man he was. But he did a terribly wicked thing that no one in the congregation knew. He kept part of the possession he sold to himself. He appeared pious and godly as the gathering praise him but devil was in his heart. God knew it and Peter spoke forth His word to Ananias (Acts 5:3) and upon hearing his word Ananias died. The whole congregation must be silenced and only fear must have captured their attention. After three hours (Acts 5:7), Sapphira came into the scene and she did not know what had happened to her husband as she did likewise. She also died which what the story explains. What was the morale of the story as what the Chinese likes to say after telling a story? The answer is SIN and the penalty is DEATH!
3. THE SIN OF LYING.
Before venturing deeper into the subject of lying, let us ponder about spiritual being. During this incident were Ananias and Sapphira really been filled with the Holy Spirit or otherwise. I really do not know whether he was really filled with God's spirit or not since both husband and wife lie to God if not neither he and the wife should not have lied. Was it possible they were not filled by the Holy Spirit instead the spirit of evil. According to Grayson Ensign, a former Bible College professor and missionary to Jamaica made this statement:
" We have empirical evidence that Christians have been invaded by evil spirits, for we have extensive notes on the more than one hundred and fifty with whom we have worked in securing deliverance by the Lord Jesus Christ….Our testimony is grounded in literally hundreds of hours of deliverance work where we have experienced the most wonderful liberation of Christians from the control of evil spirits. We have been reared in a tradition that taught demons could not invade or control people and certainly not Christians. We tested every conceivable theory of explanation for what was happening. The only explanation that was systematically consistent and in harmony with the Word of God was that our brothers and sisters had been invaded by evil spirits". [1]
Therefore, if it is really the case than surely God must be angry so it was an instantaneous death for such a case. If not God should be more lenient on this matter. Anyway, it is quite argumentative on this spiritual sort of matter which I am not writing for this term paper but on the sin of Ananias and Sapphira.
What is lying? According to the Old Testament lying is actually bearing false witness that is the ninth commandment found in Deuteronomy 5:20. It is condemned through the word of God and a high penalty for lying (see Deuteronomy 19:16-23). What causes people to lie? Well, I can find eight reasons. First, lie for malice that seeks to do harm like gossiping or half-truth that causes serious injury especially emotional consequences. Second, lie of fear that is to escape something, properly to escape one lie to another. That is why it is good not to lie because once you lie, it led on to another and later it accumulated into a mountain of lies that cannot get out. Third, lie of carelessness in speech or action that deliberately or carelessly make statements or doing things without thinking, factual or reason for doing. It causes more harm than good. Fourth,
Lie of boasting that is talking big or making speech that means for own advantages. Fifth, lie by keeping silence so that we do not sin or to avoid trouble or ridicule but in many ways it is still a sin when that lie creates problem. We need to be careful of what things we should keep silence or tell out. Wrong silence is normally lying to self because we try to keep our sinful motives, thoughts and actions from someone to know. We keep quiet because we know the truth but if we keep quiet to help a person or situation, it is a different situation. There are many kinds of lying but the above are just a few examples for me to illustrate and remember LYING is a serious crime to people as well to God and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (see Revelation 21:8).
Lying was the sin of Ananias and Sapphira. Lying was the crime but this transgression is not ethical at all. What is so wrong of what they did? They did not really lie to anybody from the story incident. They just gave what they felt like giving and said nothing about what percentage of the total sale price that was represented. They helped the church and they helped themselves so what was so wrong about the whole crime. Is not God so unfair that they cannot keep part of the contribution for their future? The crime of Ananias and Sapphira was a crime not against the apostles or the body of the church but against the Spirit that was so crucial at that moment of time. Ananias and Sapphira was the instrument of Satan to battle against the church and God. This resulted death and Peter's discourse mentions nothing but the lie he had put forth to God. It was theological transgression. They were neither obligated to sell their property nor obligated to give all to the church. BUT they were obligated to be honest (Acts 5:4). Therefore, the serious crime of both of them were dishonesty, deceit, hypocrisy, pretense, indicating spirituality in their life for people to see and hiding themselves in a behind the Satan's mask. This was their real appearance and only God knew when Peter said, “You have not lied to men, but to God” (Acts 5:4). If God was to allow this than the early church will be threatened in its missionary efficacy which was so important at that time as I was mentioning earlier. This may lead to community danger where they are no unity i.e. having an ideal of one heart and one soul in serving the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a fraud that God must immediately denounce before it penetrated the very first church that Christ had started in the first place.
What we have learned here is the fleshly desire for praise and preeminence which both of these married couple exhibited brought about the first sin of the early church. A few things or characteristics that we can identify from this incidents which essential for a growth of any churches today is that loyalty and trust in a congregation is important, preservation of communal convictions with a congregation and not those outside the group unless it is our task to assist or help them and that it. It is an obligation to provide the need of one another in the church. We should not be concerned with our own but those we worship together in one church. Consciousness of having a united destiny in sharing the gospel to the world as Jesus Christ has instructed us all.
We got to be aware that it was not a sin for Ananias and Sapphira to keep a portion of what it had been sold. Peter surely had made it clear that they do not need to sell nor give everything they had. The sin now is the pretending to giving all. It is all about lying about our generosity (Acts 5:1-11) is wrong. It is wrong to give in order to receive man's recognition. That is one of the main reason that man does in order to gain something which God does not like at all. Next we can see hypocrisy in this case. According to Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, a hypocrite is a person that pretends to be very virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc but they person does not in anyway possess these quality. God hates hypocrisy and falsehood and worst still they lied to the Holy Spirit. They were actually publicizing their generosity to get something (e.g. Matthew 6:1-4). Even in today's world, man still proceeds to be like Ananias and Sapphira but they do not instantly die because we must not forget God will one day demand a strict account of how we deal with our possession when coming to give to God. I am not talking about tithing but what we do for God. We need to do good deeds for the reason that we love God and not something in return. I also know that good people who pretend are subjected to discipline in order to keep God's community healthy because He wants to weed out our deception and pretense.
4. AN ORIGINAL SIN OF THE CHURCH.
There were probably a total of five thousand or more believers at that time and yet they were of one heart and soul. The bond together in one cord of Christ’s love and life, they know their deepest level of their lives to belong to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. All these resulted in an unselfish spirit with were a power and blessing to the whole church. Luke in a way wanted to make known to the readers of this book that the original sin of the church is a sin of money which as it is for today.
The tendency and pattern of what we learned in Ananias and Sapphira is not something rare or new. In the Old Testament there were so many incident that such things happened. We read about Abel and Cain. Abel gave the best while Cain did not give his best but second best. He killed his brother out of jealousy and later tried to lie to God. In the book of Malachi, the people of the day of Malachi tried to cheat on their offerings. The Bible clearly said bring the best or full tithes to the Lord, so that you will show God you are giving the first and the best in your heart. It is sad that they offered to God not the tenth sheep that was fat but exchanged it with the skinny sheep. When they were questioned by the Priest, they would try to cover it with all sorts of excuses. There is another story of Achan the soldier. Achan had gone off into battle and came back safely. He supposed to give the booty to God as a thank offering but as usual he kept some of the loot for himself. He kept about two hundred pieces of silver, a solid bar of god and a very beautiful wood carving from Babylonia. He liked it so much that he buried the things beneath the floor in his tent. God was angry so the Israelites began to lose it war so Joshua asked God the reason for the defeat and found out someone was cheating on God. Joshua was suspicious so he searched Achan's tent and found the buried offerings beneath the tent. Achan supposed to admit his sin but yet he still lying. His sin caused him his life including his wife, his children and his properties. God wiped out his land by burning them to the ground and it is now called The Ban. Just imagine the mistake of what they all make and then try to cover it up. We are getting ourselves into further trouble because nothing could be hidden from the sight of God.
In the story of Ananias and Sapphira, it speaks of two things that are the important of one's Christian to search for "spiritual things" or for "material things." The early church believers were filled with the Holy Spirit working in the lives. On the other hand, the church needed money to see that the gospel could be spread through tout every corner of the land. Spirit and money go together in the book of Acts but the moral realities of the story is that if we cling on money to much than it can kill! We read in the beginning of creation when a man and woman were created in the Garden of Eden. They tried to deceive God and what we learned they received death. God had told Adam and Eve that if they ate the forbidden fruit that would surely die but the referred to listen to the sweet lies of Satan. This was the same case with Ananias and Sapphira; Satan filled their hearts and caused them to lie to Peter, telling him that they had put all the money into the treasury of the disciples. In the Garden of Eden, it was not an instant death but as being separated with God - it was just the same. Now God decided to set up a church and this thing still happened so it was an original sin to the church as well as an original sin in the Garden of Eden. God did not want to see this thing happened during that time so He put them to death so that everybody knew what they had done and the consequence of a serious crime or wrong. That is why it is not so serious compare it with nowadays where anyone can go away unpunished by being what Ananias and Sapphira did.
5. AN ETHIC OF SHARING.
In this story we have learned that no Christian couple can be an island to themselves. We all function as part of a large units called the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22, 23) or the household of faith (Galatians 6:10) or God (Ephesians 2:19). As a family of God we are not a single family unit but a relationship on a large spiritual family scale as it is as a relationship of a husband and wife. As a partner we should not have selfish needs to seek more for ourselves from a relationship. We see Ananias tried to cheat a certain portion as just the wife did likewise. Was not it obvious they had an ugly intention to covet some things. What were the things? Firstly, they coveted their money. It was not a wrong thing to keep money we they needed or wanted because it was given blessing from God. What was wrong was their attitude about the money that they preserved for God. They wanted cost-free sacrifice. They were so hypocritical that they had no fear of God in their eyes. They thought God did not see or act and they were wrong. Secondly, they coveted praise that was they wanted spiritual prestige and like what Proverb 11:2 said, "When pride come, then come dishonor" and as well in Proverb 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction." And thirdly, I think they were coveting the possession between themselves. If not why both of them came to Peter at different timing! Where is the ethic of sharing in this case?
In a marriage life, we love and trust our spouse. Married couples in the Lord have a duty to keep each other from sin and we look out at each others in case we sin. There are occasions when one of the couple unintentional being rude (too blunt and straight forward) while in public and one of the couple senses it. One of the couple should immediately silently indicate the counterpart faults. We look out for each others and refuse to participate in sin together because we do not want to hold each accountable for our sin or wrong doing. The concept of submission does not extend us to submitting into sin because as Christian couples we have a community and God to watch out. Ananias and Sapphira probably sold out an impressive sum so tempting that we lose control of their greed. It would be nice if the husband, Ananias or the wife, Sapphira could acknowledge their greed and voice out the sin before it was too late.
The church during this time only one church and the community were undergoing prosecution. There were many instances, the apostles needed to go to spread the gospel so the unity of the community was very important. Giving was based on free-wills and unity among the member of the body of Christ. Real unity was based on friendship, love and seeking the good of each others. This unity was a unity based on relations of mutual caring that do not diminish because of money or wealth. We see that when all of them gave up every things. It was an ideal church, the very first church built by the faith of the Apostles upon the instruction of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus reminded them earlier so many times in the gospel, the love of God is only true when you love one another. The oneness of the body of Christ, as their fellowship was understood, was a gift of God, a result of their dwelling in God as God in them (see Ephesians 4:4-6). Peter as well as Paul have spoke under the guide of the Holy Spirit when dealing in the aid in establishing unity in any situation. The congregation is a place of giving, forgiving, loving, trusting and many more. There should not be cheating, hating, lying, hypocrisy and anything that spoil the atmosphere of love and cooperation within the community as John 13:34-35. How would effect the early church when Ananias and Sapphira created the first sin not only against the Spirit but also the whole community of the first church in Jerusalem? That is why the ethic of sharing violated by the action of Ananias and Sapphira.
God interpreted their action as tempting Him. Seeing this action unpunished will affect the goals that opposed the gospel and God could not allow it to go unchallenged. It might have set the whole mission of the church off course where honesty and integrity were the standard God had set that time. Ananias and Sapphira was a shocking reminder to the people that deceitful action should not go unpunished. The penalty had to be paid unless they have repented but in this case, they were not since they kept quiet. They broke all God's rules (Acts 5:3-4, see Colossian 3:9). The church at that time began with great signs and wonders. The first Christian to be the recipients of such great gifts so God saw it was fit to allow death of Ananias and Sapphira to sober up the church and reminding them such great gifts demanded a total submission. It was a valid lesson for the thirty-one A.D.
6. CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR SIN.
The consequence of the sin was the wrath of God. What is God's wrath? According to John Stott, he believes it is "His Holy hostility to evil." He does not like evil doing or saying. The Linguistic understanding to the Greek New Testament is "the deep-seated anger of God against sin." By combining these two ideas, it defines God's wrath as "God's wrath is His holy hostility against man's sin." Like what C.H. Spurgeon said, man's covering is always "excuse-making is the commonest trade under heaven" while God's covering He "cover a man's sins he unveils them." But when He unveils them that are the terrible consequence man must confront which in human's eyes seem cruel. I still remember as a young man reading my Old Testament and finding God to be a very hard and cruel man. It scares me but as I grow mature through the years of experiences and education, I learn it is not so unless we really understand Him and find Him a gentle God. You can never understand a person without taking the time to know him. He maybe rude, harsh and cruel but there is reasons under the sun. You can learn from life experiences that a "sweet talking" man may not turn up the way we expected. Now, let study why God did so in this case!
God must confront man arise primarily out of the universally sinful condition of man's mind. We always like to oppose the things of God. Man is naturally beings that is against righteousness, justice and good because man's quest for carnal satisfaction and self-assertiveness. God on the other hand has elected man to make certain spiritual and moral choices for the reason man has the capacity to change - free will. There is instances man seemingly unable to choose until he is confronted with an option of choice. This confrontation is essential to choose and a choice is essential to change. God has a redemptive nature for man. God never choose man to the source of his or her problem without ever also directing him or her toward a solution. This confrontation is God way of a redemptive nature. Man will not change (for the better in this case) unless confronted for example is succinctly testified to the account of David's wicked son Adonijah. In I King 1:6. David as a father never interfered with his son evil behavior. David failure to confront Adonijah finally resulted in his son disgracing his family and died for his sins. David was so sorrowful over his son dead but what should he have done earlier to redeem and confront his son, he failed. This is David’s lesson and a high price to pay for his mistake. How God does confront mankind? In the Bible the process of His confrontation is not exclusively the work of human counselor. It covers a wide scope of God's confrontation methods like direct divine intervention (Psalm 139:1-24), the written word (Hebrews 4:12,see also John 1:1-5), the Holy Spirit (John 16:5-15), human instrument like teachers, preachers, friends, relatives etc (Ephesians 4:11-13), God-consciousness e.g. reason of conscience (Romans 1:18-20) and many more to name a few but in this case of Ananias and Sapphira, it involves the Holy Spirit, preacher i.e. Peter and God consciousness with instantaneous death.
Chapter 5 verse 11, we learn the general reaction to this severe incident - FEAR. Our God is a loving person and on the other hand, He is not to be trifled with because Apostle John warns, “There is a sin that leads to death” (I John 5:16). In the book of Proverbs, it tells us fear is “the beginning of wisdom” (1:7).How the fear changed our life? This incident was part of transition point, a new period of salvation history. God used this act of judgment as a sober warning to His Church. Well, how do the sins of Ananias and Sapphira caused to the believers in Jerusalem? Firstly, it shook up the church. In verse 11 we see the first appearance of the word "church" in the book of Acts and fear seized the whole church. It stunned the whole community, the membership roll of the church dropped by two people. Do you know that in Matthew 18 there is an instruction for the church to take action on those that refuses to repent of sin? He is to be confronted by one witness to another and yet still refuses to repent than he or she is to be put out of church. God just does not want people like Ananias and Sapphira that failed to live up to His expectation. Next, it shook up the community when "Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events." People that had scoffed at the church as a place of social gathering now began to pay attention that God does in their midst and that small or big sin to God are just a sin to Him. So Ananias and Sapphira learn this life God can punish sinners either by immediate death or by some other means. For Christian today, we do not take this seriously the consequences of our deliberate sinning. But remember God does not like to be mocked (Galatians 6:7-8). He does not leave us unpunished. It is a matter of His timing. The message of this incident is for Christian and non Christian alike is self-evident. Christians must realize his or her selfless character. We must be transparent in our worship to God and not to violate by selfish hypocrisy. We must employ discipline to guard the church's integrity, unity and purity. For non-believers, think twice before joining the holy fellowship in the church. There is a high price to pay. We might not be punished today like Ananias and Sapphira but our sin toward church is written in His book of life. This incident did not only shake the Jerusalem church but generation churches to come like our today.
We also learned from this incident that God takes sin seriously. God hates sin and sin is a BIG deal to God. If we ever doubt it, look at the CROSS - Christ took Himself the sin of every person and endured the horrid consequence of those sins in our stead. In the words of 2 Corinthians 5:21, "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." God does not overlook sin and He must judge it fully. We have only two options. Either we pay it ourselves or entrust it to Christ's redemptive work. If we entrust it to Christ than we need to repent, we also learned that God is HOLY and do not let small sins into our life because to Him it is a huge sins. Do not presume upon God's mercy that our sin is petty or small. God may exhibit patience and mercy but we still have an account of what sin we have done. Let us learn that the consequence of sin is a high penalty to pay in God's sight so never presume God's mercy in our life. Lastly, when God took judgment on the sins of Ananias and Sapphira, the purifying presence of God and His disciplinary were felt by the church in three ways. First, when sin is disciplined there is normally a deep respect for the Holiness of God. "Great fear seized the whole church" (v.11) Second, a release of God's power in ministry. God worked wonder in a disciplined church. People knew God was in their midst and to be taken seriously. And thirdly, there was a natural separation of the wheat and from the chaff.
7. CONCLUSION.
Our salvation in Christ is not based on the things that we do but the consistent attitudes and actions of our new life. Been saved is a saving faith that follows God's word and brings forth fruit. We cannot hear the voice of God if we are rebellious because "If we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remained no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries" Hebrews 10:26-27. God takes sin seriously because all sin is against God and it does not matter what type of sin. Our God is a holy God and abhors all forms of evil. Holiness is a part of His character. Our God is also just which means He executes perfect judgment although to man it seems harsh. If a sin requires death in order to resolve the problem than He will do so (Romans 6:23), God demands us to be HOLY because "holiness" means, "to be set apart for God’s use." The Holy Spirit was working in the first church so He did not want it to be filthy. Pride was in the heart of Ananias because he wanted power. God does not want a church to be a political place where it compromises the truth for the sake of members and money. He does not want people to cut deal. He wanted completely holy believers like what American Tract Society Dictionary defines holy or holiness:
"These terms sometimes denotes outward purity or cleanliness; sometimes internal purity and sanctification. True holiness characterizes outward acts, but still more the motive and intent of the heart. It is an inward principle; not mere rectitude or benevolence, or any one moral excellence, but the harmonious and perfect blending of all, as all the colors of the prism duly blend from pure light. God is holy in a transcendent and infinitely perfect manner, Isaiah 1:4; 6:3. The Messiah is called "the Holy One," Psalm 16:10; Luke 4:34; Acts 3:14; and Holy is the common epithet given to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. God is the fountain of holiness, innocence, and the sanctification. Mankind lost all holiness in the fall; but God makes his people gradually "partakers of his holiness" here, and in heaven they will be found perfectly and for ever sanctified; as an earnest of which, he look upon them as already in Christ, holy and beloved. The Bible applies the epithet holy in a secondary sense to whatever pertains especially to God-to heaven, to his temple, its parts, utensils, and services; to his day, his ministers, priests, prophets, and apostles. The Jews were called a holy people, because they were separated unto God, to be a religious and consecrated people; and Christians, as a body, are also called holy, because they are in like manner separated unto Christ. But a "holy man," in the ordinary Christian sense, is one who exhibits in his conduct the inward purity, benevolence, and holy devotedness to the Savior, with which his heart overflows".
[1] Grayson H Ensign & Edward Howe, "Bothered, Bewildered, Bewitched?" quoted in "Demon Possession & The Christian" by C. Fred Dickason.
This topic I will be sharing on the sin of Ananias and Sapphira which was one of my written term paper which I prepared for the book of Acts course. It is an accumulation of points that I had gathered from the internet and an interesting subject to write about. The book of Acts is the story of an emerging early Christian church. It is a time where Jesus' disciples were put into the whole world's ministry on their own to reach out to all i.e. Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the uttermost pasts those that do not know the resurrection and the promises of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time where Christians depends on each others for encouragement spiritually or financially. The story or the drama of the judgment of God on Ananias and Sapphira found in Acts 4:32-5:11 is or was the most tragic episode of the Book of Acts or in the New Testament. The author of Acts intention of writing out this portion of the story in a way to my opinion has a desired to make known to readers during that era (community), the church of Jerusalem and an ideal "morale" of sharing lived to future generation to come of the crime that is cheating God or thinking God does not know what is in our heart and mind. Before I talk about the story of Ananias and Sapphira, we need to know the themes of the book of Acts. There are four themes which to me are - first, it serves as a handbook for the early conversion; second, it is a book of devotion of Christian to their Lord which demands tremendous personal discipline in their spiritual lives e.g. in the Gospel, Jesus worshipped in the synagogue "as was his custom" (Luke 4:16) while in book of Acts, the first few chapters describe the disciples in the temple praying but during Paul's ministry was punctuated by spirituality and shows Christians who suffered shame for the cause of Christ (Acts 5:41); third, joining together of the Jew and Gentile into one body; and fourthly, provides a history of the early church. Therefore, it is obvious that God has to be in certain way strict to His believers so that it aids as a lessons to all those believing and coming in Him.
I read somewhere that it is interesting to note that in the passages about Ananias and Sapphira the word "Church" in Acts 5:11 appear for the first time as a name for this early Christian community. Hence, we begin to understand that it was an extremely important obligation rested upon the believers in this leading member of the first Christian church to act properly. In failing to do so God has to be very strict just like the early sin of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve sins were paid by spiritual death.
2. THE STORY OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA.
The name of Ananias means "Jehovah is gracious" because God has been gracious to him. He got everything - house, land and a beautiful wife, Sapphira. The name of Sapphira means "beautiful" or "pleasant" and it is a name which is also given to precious stone of deep purple blue. Both of them love the Lord and they were also having fellowship with the Christians of that time. During that period, the Christians of the early church had to sell off their possessions and money to the church to build up that early church. Those that gave up everything probably received the enthusiastic appreciation of the whole community or congregation. It was something the people or believers do for the love and glory of God. It was not a grandstand or pride of doing it but the love of the kingdom of God. Barnabas the first to sacrifice everything according to Acts 4:36, 37. I do not know why Ananias and Sapphira chip in to give their possession in the first place. All I can think of maybe they want acclamation, recognition, acceptance or pride. They wanted to be more than just members of the body of Christ just like most of us. We do because we want to be prominent and praises of men but when we do not get what we want or wish than we turn away. Just two months back, my church elected a few committee members of the church. There were two brothers that were not accepted after an opened election and both of them began to give up what they were doing for the church. I was sad because we all need them to serve the church as we are lacked of man's power. Is it so important to hold a post in order to serve our might Father in heaven. I just do not know what to say but pray for them. In this case, both of these couple saw the situation, longed for it and there where their trouble they were heading.
One day Ananias came with his bag of money to where the Christians were gathered. The book of Acts opens the chapter five with a certain man coming forward at the time when everybody was watching, he presented his gifts to the apostles. The real problem arose was when Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, decided to get some glory for themselves. Their scheme was very simple that was first, to sell some property, second to contribute part of the proceeds, and than report that as the total selling price in which they did not report the actual sold price. They were expecting something nice would be mentioned to them just like the rest who gave up everything. The people were already amazed thinking what a good man he was. But he did a terribly wicked thing that no one in the congregation knew. He kept part of the possession he sold to himself. He appeared pious and godly as the gathering praise him but devil was in his heart. God knew it and Peter spoke forth His word to Ananias (Acts 5:3) and upon hearing his word Ananias died. The whole congregation must be silenced and only fear must have captured their attention. After three hours (Acts 5:7), Sapphira came into the scene and she did not know what had happened to her husband as she did likewise. She also died which what the story explains. What was the morale of the story as what the Chinese likes to say after telling a story? The answer is SIN and the penalty is DEATH!
3. THE SIN OF LYING.
Before venturing deeper into the subject of lying, let us ponder about spiritual being. During this incident were Ananias and Sapphira really been filled with the Holy Spirit or otherwise. I really do not know whether he was really filled with God's spirit or not since both husband and wife lie to God if not neither he and the wife should not have lied. Was it possible they were not filled by the Holy Spirit instead the spirit of evil. According to Grayson Ensign, a former Bible College professor and missionary to Jamaica made this statement:
" We have empirical evidence that Christians have been invaded by evil spirits, for we have extensive notes on the more than one hundred and fifty with whom we have worked in securing deliverance by the Lord Jesus Christ….Our testimony is grounded in literally hundreds of hours of deliverance work where we have experienced the most wonderful liberation of Christians from the control of evil spirits. We have been reared in a tradition that taught demons could not invade or control people and certainly not Christians. We tested every conceivable theory of explanation for what was happening. The only explanation that was systematically consistent and in harmony with the Word of God was that our brothers and sisters had been invaded by evil spirits". [1]
Therefore, if it is really the case than surely God must be angry so it was an instantaneous death for such a case. If not God should be more lenient on this matter. Anyway, it is quite argumentative on this spiritual sort of matter which I am not writing for this term paper but on the sin of Ananias and Sapphira.
What is lying? According to the Old Testament lying is actually bearing false witness that is the ninth commandment found in Deuteronomy 5:20. It is condemned through the word of God and a high penalty for lying (see Deuteronomy 19:16-23). What causes people to lie? Well, I can find eight reasons. First, lie for malice that seeks to do harm like gossiping or half-truth that causes serious injury especially emotional consequences. Second, lie of fear that is to escape something, properly to escape one lie to another. That is why it is good not to lie because once you lie, it led on to another and later it accumulated into a mountain of lies that cannot get out. Third, lie of carelessness in speech or action that deliberately or carelessly make statements or doing things without thinking, factual or reason for doing. It causes more harm than good. Fourth,
Lie of boasting that is talking big or making speech that means for own advantages. Fifth, lie by keeping silence so that we do not sin or to avoid trouble or ridicule but in many ways it is still a sin when that lie creates problem. We need to be careful of what things we should keep silence or tell out. Wrong silence is normally lying to self because we try to keep our sinful motives, thoughts and actions from someone to know. We keep quiet because we know the truth but if we keep quiet to help a person or situation, it is a different situation. There are many kinds of lying but the above are just a few examples for me to illustrate and remember LYING is a serious crime to people as well to God and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death (see Revelation 21:8).
Lying was the sin of Ananias and Sapphira. Lying was the crime but this transgression is not ethical at all. What is so wrong of what they did? They did not really lie to anybody from the story incident. They just gave what they felt like giving and said nothing about what percentage of the total sale price that was represented. They helped the church and they helped themselves so what was so wrong about the whole crime. Is not God so unfair that they cannot keep part of the contribution for their future? The crime of Ananias and Sapphira was a crime not against the apostles or the body of the church but against the Spirit that was so crucial at that moment of time. Ananias and Sapphira was the instrument of Satan to battle against the church and God. This resulted death and Peter's discourse mentions nothing but the lie he had put forth to God. It was theological transgression. They were neither obligated to sell their property nor obligated to give all to the church. BUT they were obligated to be honest (Acts 5:4). Therefore, the serious crime of both of them were dishonesty, deceit, hypocrisy, pretense, indicating spirituality in their life for people to see and hiding themselves in a behind the Satan's mask. This was their real appearance and only God knew when Peter said, “You have not lied to men, but to God” (Acts 5:4). If God was to allow this than the early church will be threatened in its missionary efficacy which was so important at that time as I was mentioning earlier. This may lead to community danger where they are no unity i.e. having an ideal of one heart and one soul in serving the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a fraud that God must immediately denounce before it penetrated the very first church that Christ had started in the first place.
What we have learned here is the fleshly desire for praise and preeminence which both of these married couple exhibited brought about the first sin of the early church. A few things or characteristics that we can identify from this incidents which essential for a growth of any churches today is that loyalty and trust in a congregation is important, preservation of communal convictions with a congregation and not those outside the group unless it is our task to assist or help them and that it. It is an obligation to provide the need of one another in the church. We should not be concerned with our own but those we worship together in one church. Consciousness of having a united destiny in sharing the gospel to the world as Jesus Christ has instructed us all.
We got to be aware that it was not a sin for Ananias and Sapphira to keep a portion of what it had been sold. Peter surely had made it clear that they do not need to sell nor give everything they had. The sin now is the pretending to giving all. It is all about lying about our generosity (Acts 5:1-11) is wrong. It is wrong to give in order to receive man's recognition. That is one of the main reason that man does in order to gain something which God does not like at all. Next we can see hypocrisy in this case. According to Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, a hypocrite is a person that pretends to be very virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc but they person does not in anyway possess these quality. God hates hypocrisy and falsehood and worst still they lied to the Holy Spirit. They were actually publicizing their generosity to get something (e.g. Matthew 6:1-4). Even in today's world, man still proceeds to be like Ananias and Sapphira but they do not instantly die because we must not forget God will one day demand a strict account of how we deal with our possession when coming to give to God. I am not talking about tithing but what we do for God. We need to do good deeds for the reason that we love God and not something in return. I also know that good people who pretend are subjected to discipline in order to keep God's community healthy because He wants to weed out our deception and pretense.
4. AN ORIGINAL SIN OF THE CHURCH.
There were probably a total of five thousand or more believers at that time and yet they were of one heart and soul. The bond together in one cord of Christ’s love and life, they know their deepest level of their lives to belong to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. All these resulted in an unselfish spirit with were a power and blessing to the whole church. Luke in a way wanted to make known to the readers of this book that the original sin of the church is a sin of money which as it is for today.
The tendency and pattern of what we learned in Ananias and Sapphira is not something rare or new. In the Old Testament there were so many incident that such things happened. We read about Abel and Cain. Abel gave the best while Cain did not give his best but second best. He killed his brother out of jealousy and later tried to lie to God. In the book of Malachi, the people of the day of Malachi tried to cheat on their offerings. The Bible clearly said bring the best or full tithes to the Lord, so that you will show God you are giving the first and the best in your heart. It is sad that they offered to God not the tenth sheep that was fat but exchanged it with the skinny sheep. When they were questioned by the Priest, they would try to cover it with all sorts of excuses. There is another story of Achan the soldier. Achan had gone off into battle and came back safely. He supposed to give the booty to God as a thank offering but as usual he kept some of the loot for himself. He kept about two hundred pieces of silver, a solid bar of god and a very beautiful wood carving from Babylonia. He liked it so much that he buried the things beneath the floor in his tent. God was angry so the Israelites began to lose it war so Joshua asked God the reason for the defeat and found out someone was cheating on God. Joshua was suspicious so he searched Achan's tent and found the buried offerings beneath the tent. Achan supposed to admit his sin but yet he still lying. His sin caused him his life including his wife, his children and his properties. God wiped out his land by burning them to the ground and it is now called The Ban. Just imagine the mistake of what they all make and then try to cover it up. We are getting ourselves into further trouble because nothing could be hidden from the sight of God.
In the story of Ananias and Sapphira, it speaks of two things that are the important of one's Christian to search for "spiritual things" or for "material things." The early church believers were filled with the Holy Spirit working in the lives. On the other hand, the church needed money to see that the gospel could be spread through tout every corner of the land. Spirit and money go together in the book of Acts but the moral realities of the story is that if we cling on money to much than it can kill! We read in the beginning of creation when a man and woman were created in the Garden of Eden. They tried to deceive God and what we learned they received death. God had told Adam and Eve that if they ate the forbidden fruit that would surely die but the referred to listen to the sweet lies of Satan. This was the same case with Ananias and Sapphira; Satan filled their hearts and caused them to lie to Peter, telling him that they had put all the money into the treasury of the disciples. In the Garden of Eden, it was not an instant death but as being separated with God - it was just the same. Now God decided to set up a church and this thing still happened so it was an original sin to the church as well as an original sin in the Garden of Eden. God did not want to see this thing happened during that time so He put them to death so that everybody knew what they had done and the consequence of a serious crime or wrong. That is why it is not so serious compare it with nowadays where anyone can go away unpunished by being what Ananias and Sapphira did.
5. AN ETHIC OF SHARING.
In this story we have learned that no Christian couple can be an island to themselves. We all function as part of a large units called the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22, 23) or the household of faith (Galatians 6:10) or God (Ephesians 2:19). As a family of God we are not a single family unit but a relationship on a large spiritual family scale as it is as a relationship of a husband and wife. As a partner we should not have selfish needs to seek more for ourselves from a relationship. We see Ananias tried to cheat a certain portion as just the wife did likewise. Was not it obvious they had an ugly intention to covet some things. What were the things? Firstly, they coveted their money. It was not a wrong thing to keep money we they needed or wanted because it was given blessing from God. What was wrong was their attitude about the money that they preserved for God. They wanted cost-free sacrifice. They were so hypocritical that they had no fear of God in their eyes. They thought God did not see or act and they were wrong. Secondly, they coveted praise that was they wanted spiritual prestige and like what Proverb 11:2 said, "When pride come, then come dishonor" and as well in Proverb 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction." And thirdly, I think they were coveting the possession between themselves. If not why both of them came to Peter at different timing! Where is the ethic of sharing in this case?
In a marriage life, we love and trust our spouse. Married couples in the Lord have a duty to keep each other from sin and we look out at each others in case we sin. There are occasions when one of the couple unintentional being rude (too blunt and straight forward) while in public and one of the couple senses it. One of the couple should immediately silently indicate the counterpart faults. We look out for each others and refuse to participate in sin together because we do not want to hold each accountable for our sin or wrong doing. The concept of submission does not extend us to submitting into sin because as Christian couples we have a community and God to watch out. Ananias and Sapphira probably sold out an impressive sum so tempting that we lose control of their greed. It would be nice if the husband, Ananias or the wife, Sapphira could acknowledge their greed and voice out the sin before it was too late.
The church during this time only one church and the community were undergoing prosecution. There were many instances, the apostles needed to go to spread the gospel so the unity of the community was very important. Giving was based on free-wills and unity among the member of the body of Christ. Real unity was based on friendship, love and seeking the good of each others. This unity was a unity based on relations of mutual caring that do not diminish because of money or wealth. We see that when all of them gave up every things. It was an ideal church, the very first church built by the faith of the Apostles upon the instruction of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus reminded them earlier so many times in the gospel, the love of God is only true when you love one another. The oneness of the body of Christ, as their fellowship was understood, was a gift of God, a result of their dwelling in God as God in them (see Ephesians 4:4-6). Peter as well as Paul have spoke under the guide of the Holy Spirit when dealing in the aid in establishing unity in any situation. The congregation is a place of giving, forgiving, loving, trusting and many more. There should not be cheating, hating, lying, hypocrisy and anything that spoil the atmosphere of love and cooperation within the community as John 13:34-35. How would effect the early church when Ananias and Sapphira created the first sin not only against the Spirit but also the whole community of the first church in Jerusalem? That is why the ethic of sharing violated by the action of Ananias and Sapphira.
God interpreted their action as tempting Him. Seeing this action unpunished will affect the goals that opposed the gospel and God could not allow it to go unchallenged. It might have set the whole mission of the church off course where honesty and integrity were the standard God had set that time. Ananias and Sapphira was a shocking reminder to the people that deceitful action should not go unpunished. The penalty had to be paid unless they have repented but in this case, they were not since they kept quiet. They broke all God's rules (Acts 5:3-4, see Colossian 3:9). The church at that time began with great signs and wonders. The first Christian to be the recipients of such great gifts so God saw it was fit to allow death of Ananias and Sapphira to sober up the church and reminding them such great gifts demanded a total submission. It was a valid lesson for the thirty-one A.D.
6. CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR SIN.
The consequence of the sin was the wrath of God. What is God's wrath? According to John Stott, he believes it is "His Holy hostility to evil." He does not like evil doing or saying. The Linguistic understanding to the Greek New Testament is "the deep-seated anger of God against sin." By combining these two ideas, it defines God's wrath as "God's wrath is His holy hostility against man's sin." Like what C.H. Spurgeon said, man's covering is always "excuse-making is the commonest trade under heaven" while God's covering He "cover a man's sins he unveils them." But when He unveils them that are the terrible consequence man must confront which in human's eyes seem cruel. I still remember as a young man reading my Old Testament and finding God to be a very hard and cruel man. It scares me but as I grow mature through the years of experiences and education, I learn it is not so unless we really understand Him and find Him a gentle God. You can never understand a person without taking the time to know him. He maybe rude, harsh and cruel but there is reasons under the sun. You can learn from life experiences that a "sweet talking" man may not turn up the way we expected. Now, let study why God did so in this case!
God must confront man arise primarily out of the universally sinful condition of man's mind. We always like to oppose the things of God. Man is naturally beings that is against righteousness, justice and good because man's quest for carnal satisfaction and self-assertiveness. God on the other hand has elected man to make certain spiritual and moral choices for the reason man has the capacity to change - free will. There is instances man seemingly unable to choose until he is confronted with an option of choice. This confrontation is essential to choose and a choice is essential to change. God has a redemptive nature for man. God never choose man to the source of his or her problem without ever also directing him or her toward a solution. This confrontation is God way of a redemptive nature. Man will not change (for the better in this case) unless confronted for example is succinctly testified to the account of David's wicked son Adonijah. In I King 1:6. David as a father never interfered with his son evil behavior. David failure to confront Adonijah finally resulted in his son disgracing his family and died for his sins. David was so sorrowful over his son dead but what should he have done earlier to redeem and confront his son, he failed. This is David’s lesson and a high price to pay for his mistake. How God does confront mankind? In the Bible the process of His confrontation is not exclusively the work of human counselor. It covers a wide scope of God's confrontation methods like direct divine intervention (Psalm 139:1-24), the written word (Hebrews 4:12,see also John 1:1-5), the Holy Spirit (John 16:5-15), human instrument like teachers, preachers, friends, relatives etc (Ephesians 4:11-13), God-consciousness e.g. reason of conscience (Romans 1:18-20) and many more to name a few but in this case of Ananias and Sapphira, it involves the Holy Spirit, preacher i.e. Peter and God consciousness with instantaneous death.
Chapter 5 verse 11, we learn the general reaction to this severe incident - FEAR. Our God is a loving person and on the other hand, He is not to be trifled with because Apostle John warns, “There is a sin that leads to death” (I John 5:16). In the book of Proverbs, it tells us fear is “the beginning of wisdom” (1:7).How the fear changed our life? This incident was part of transition point, a new period of salvation history. God used this act of judgment as a sober warning to His Church. Well, how do the sins of Ananias and Sapphira caused to the believers in Jerusalem? Firstly, it shook up the church. In verse 11 we see the first appearance of the word "church" in the book of Acts and fear seized the whole church. It stunned the whole community, the membership roll of the church dropped by two people. Do you know that in Matthew 18 there is an instruction for the church to take action on those that refuses to repent of sin? He is to be confronted by one witness to another and yet still refuses to repent than he or she is to be put out of church. God just does not want people like Ananias and Sapphira that failed to live up to His expectation. Next, it shook up the community when "Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events." People that had scoffed at the church as a place of social gathering now began to pay attention that God does in their midst and that small or big sin to God are just a sin to Him. So Ananias and Sapphira learn this life God can punish sinners either by immediate death or by some other means. For Christian today, we do not take this seriously the consequences of our deliberate sinning. But remember God does not like to be mocked (Galatians 6:7-8). He does not leave us unpunished. It is a matter of His timing. The message of this incident is for Christian and non Christian alike is self-evident. Christians must realize his or her selfless character. We must be transparent in our worship to God and not to violate by selfish hypocrisy. We must employ discipline to guard the church's integrity, unity and purity. For non-believers, think twice before joining the holy fellowship in the church. There is a high price to pay. We might not be punished today like Ananias and Sapphira but our sin toward church is written in His book of life. This incident did not only shake the Jerusalem church but generation churches to come like our today.
We also learned from this incident that God takes sin seriously. God hates sin and sin is a BIG deal to God. If we ever doubt it, look at the CROSS - Christ took Himself the sin of every person and endured the horrid consequence of those sins in our stead. In the words of 2 Corinthians 5:21, "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." God does not overlook sin and He must judge it fully. We have only two options. Either we pay it ourselves or entrust it to Christ's redemptive work. If we entrust it to Christ than we need to repent, we also learned that God is HOLY and do not let small sins into our life because to Him it is a huge sins. Do not presume upon God's mercy that our sin is petty or small. God may exhibit patience and mercy but we still have an account of what sin we have done. Let us learn that the consequence of sin is a high penalty to pay in God's sight so never presume God's mercy in our life. Lastly, when God took judgment on the sins of Ananias and Sapphira, the purifying presence of God and His disciplinary were felt by the church in three ways. First, when sin is disciplined there is normally a deep respect for the Holiness of God. "Great fear seized the whole church" (v.11) Second, a release of God's power in ministry. God worked wonder in a disciplined church. People knew God was in their midst and to be taken seriously. And thirdly, there was a natural separation of the wheat and from the chaff.
7. CONCLUSION.
Our salvation in Christ is not based on the things that we do but the consistent attitudes and actions of our new life. Been saved is a saving faith that follows God's word and brings forth fruit. We cannot hear the voice of God if we are rebellious because "If we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remained no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries" Hebrews 10:26-27. God takes sin seriously because all sin is against God and it does not matter what type of sin. Our God is a holy God and abhors all forms of evil. Holiness is a part of His character. Our God is also just which means He executes perfect judgment although to man it seems harsh. If a sin requires death in order to resolve the problem than He will do so (Romans 6:23), God demands us to be HOLY because "holiness" means, "to be set apart for God’s use." The Holy Spirit was working in the first church so He did not want it to be filthy. Pride was in the heart of Ananias because he wanted power. God does not want a church to be a political place where it compromises the truth for the sake of members and money. He does not want people to cut deal. He wanted completely holy believers like what American Tract Society Dictionary defines holy or holiness:
"These terms sometimes denotes outward purity or cleanliness; sometimes internal purity and sanctification. True holiness characterizes outward acts, but still more the motive and intent of the heart. It is an inward principle; not mere rectitude or benevolence, or any one moral excellence, but the harmonious and perfect blending of all, as all the colors of the prism duly blend from pure light. God is holy in a transcendent and infinitely perfect manner, Isaiah 1:4; 6:3. The Messiah is called "the Holy One," Psalm 16:10; Luke 4:34; Acts 3:14; and Holy is the common epithet given to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. God is the fountain of holiness, innocence, and the sanctification. Mankind lost all holiness in the fall; but God makes his people gradually "partakers of his holiness" here, and in heaven they will be found perfectly and for ever sanctified; as an earnest of which, he look upon them as already in Christ, holy and beloved. The Bible applies the epithet holy in a secondary sense to whatever pertains especially to God-to heaven, to his temple, its parts, utensils, and services; to his day, his ministers, priests, prophets, and apostles. The Jews were called a holy people, because they were separated unto God, to be a religious and consecrated people; and Christians, as a body, are also called holy, because they are in like manner separated unto Christ. But a "holy man," in the ordinary Christian sense, is one who exhibits in his conduct the inward purity, benevolence, and holy devotedness to the Savior, with which his heart overflows".
[1] Grayson H Ensign & Edward Howe, "Bothered, Bewildered, Bewitched?" quoted in "Demon Possession & The Christian" by C. Fred Dickason.
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