Annanias and Saphira sinned just before they died (were killed), but that doesn't mean they weren't previously saved. (Luke 16:19-31, Luke 18:18-30). Coveting the plaudits of men was evidence enough that they were operating in the realm of the flesh rather than the Spirit. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. That is why He put this account into his Word. 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. They, like the rich and like the Pharisees, made a show of how much they were giving but under the surface what was really going on was that they loved money and loved peoples praises. But the dishonesty increases our burden of guilt, and the guilt leads to further defensiveness and irritability, and the irritability produces greater dissension and discord in the home. But we dont see individual believers being threatened with judgment. He merely exposed Ananias hypocrisy by the insight God gave him. What if our works aren't enough? Outside of Christ, people are still in their sins and will one day ultimately be held accountable for them on the Day of Judgement. Any believer was free to own property if he so chose, and no one would think less of him for it. More specifically on the second point, Reidhead commented that the introduction of sin would destroy the unity that the early believers had in the Holy Spirit, and would thus remove God's blessing on the body. Who were the rest that didnt dare join the Church? Perhaps we should recall how God once reacted to two very foolish young men, Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu as they offered "strange fire": Leviticus 10:1-2: "Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. It then follows with the two examples (1 good and 1 not good) of people selling their property to give to the church. You seem? They wanted to be more than just members of the Body; they wanted to be prominent members of the Body. Lets be honest. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. Peter asked her, Tell me whether you sold your land for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much. Then Peter said to her, How could you two have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? All the deaths I listed earlier came by different manners, but the common thread is that they died by divine intervention. Heres an article I did that gives biblical evidence for this. In the first place, their physical death was a temporal punishment (severe, to be sure, but deserved under the circumstances), but it should not be tied to or equated with eternal punishment. Thus, to sin against the Holy Spirit in such a manner as to negate His Person, leaves one with no means of access to Deity at all. It records without hesitation the blemishes and the faults of God's people, as well as their strength and virtue. But, if God did judge Ananias and Sapphira and they were not saved, it still means that He judged unbelievers for their sins even though Jesus was judged for all sin. c. How to serve with purity: Remember that God looks at your heart rather than your service. Peter said, You have not lied to men, but to God (Acts 5:4). But God's power was mightier than all the forces of hell, so their sin found them out. Jude vs 12-13 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; 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.. rev2023.3.1.43269. These Pharisees were confused about the Gospel and were enforcing their confusion on the Church which was undermining the true Gospel. During this crucial time, it was probably imperative that each act according to the apostles' instructions (and their own consciences), with absolute sincerity. Peter asked her the price of the land that she and Ananias had sold, and she stated the same untruthful price that Ananias had given. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. What does put at the apostles feet mean in Acts 4:32-5:2? To be clear, nowhere does Acts 5 say that Ananias and Sapphira were not believers. The entire fledgling congregation was fully devoted to sharing all they had. Of course the technology involved is a whole other amazing subject. Many people do a lot worse and God doesnt kill them. But Ananias did want more, and so did Sapphira. 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. So, judgment by the Lord, within the congregation, may result in weakness, illness or death, as appropriate. The story of Ananias and Sapphira is found in Acts 5, and it is a sad story, indeed. 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. Everyone who heard about the incident feared the Lord. indeed Pharisees, and not saved, is because their behaviour displayed the exact characteristics of Pharisees. What the Bible Says About Grace (College Press). The profound charity among the believers seemed especially reverential. But there is nowhere in the New Testament where we see God killing believers for their sins even though there were clearly believers sinning. What did mean when He said 'It is Finished' in John 19:30? After hearing these words from Peter, Ananias falls down and dies. By pretending to give the whole amount they could appear generous without having to actually give it all away. May our Lord continue to fill you to over flowing with the Holy Spirit and strengthen you in every way so that you can remain on task. (Heres an article I did that gives biblical evidence for this.). 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. I t is reasonable to believe that both Ananias and Sapphira were present in the prayer meeting described in Acts 4:31. But they were obligated to be honest (Acts 5:4). So who then could this group of the rest be that didnt dare join? Why do you not agree with Soul Salvation? 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. They knew they belonged to each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything They also need to be honest with God. But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. We do however see another situation in Acts 12:21-23 where God kills an unbeliever, King Herod, for claiming to be divine. And presto, they would have instant acclaim as spiritual, self-sacrificing believers who had surrendered everything to Jesus Christ. Why such a radical and drastic punishment on the spot? 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. When confronted, they stuck to their story, and when they were exposed they dropped dead of fear. It is also shown on a 1590s painting by Ambrosius Francken the Elder. belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. 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. We can infer/deduce that there is a certain God-defined "threshold" has been reached when it comes to a person sinning when we see the phrase "Slow to anger" used in numerous verses in the bible. Fake it! Sapphira chose to perpetuate the same false front her husband had initiated. Look! So what *is* the Latin word for chocolate? Sins against the Holy Spirit are extremely grievous. Acts 5:4 indicates that they could have sold the land and offered a portion of the proceeds to the apostles, and not present it as the full amount; which was the sin of lying. James 3:2). Depression, fear, insecurity, condemnation, low self esteem, insignificance, and powerless tendencies all attack the child of God that does not have the revelation of salvation by grace through faith in the completed work of the cross of Calvary that Jesus has accomplished. Ananias' name means "God is Gracious"; and his wife Sapphira's name (from which we get the word "sapphire") means "Fair . Their punishments served as an example to the nascent church. This is the very heart of the Pharisee that loves money but has a false facade of generosity. 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. 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. Why weren't they simply confronted and led to confession and repentance? This gives us a whole new perspective on suicide, also. (2 Corinthians 5:19). Out of the foxhole and into the the line of fire. How approachable are you? This must surely have meant that, during the very early years of the Levitical priesthood, God felt it necessary to teach some very harsh lessons about faith and strict obedience. She was given an opportunity to back out in Acts 5:8b, but doubled-down on the lie that they offered the full amount; which itself was not required. Suppositions as to the eternal state of the two guilty persons are just that : suppositions. Perhaps they had previously - the whole story is not recorded. Is variance swap long volatility of volatility? 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. Peter did not call down judgment from heaven as some have supposed. But that becomes even more obvious to us when we learn that their confidence for the future was in their bank account rather than in the Lord. It says: Let's clear up this debate on their salvation status. 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. Thereafter, remains the final judgment upon resurrection. Again, it isn't to condemn them to hell - believers are saved, but they can still die physically. 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. What does a search warrant actually look like? 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. And no one can fool God. Peter stated that Ananias had lied not to men, but to God. See again my book, Set Free!, pp. At no point does Luke represent them as being those outside the Church; rather, they are seemingly portrayed as those being under the authority of the Apostles to the extent that Peter himself pronounces judgment over them. It was no grandstand play with him. The church needs to be strict at that critical time of beginning and growth. Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? Because of his actions Ananias died on the spot and was carried out. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 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. We cringe at this extreme illustration of divine discipline. As told at the beginning of Acts chapter 5 Ananias and Sapphira, following Barnabas' example, also sold their land but secretly withheld a portion of the proceeds. Jesus often would use the contrast between the rich and poor as a metaphor for those who were most likely to receive the Kingdom. But most of them were selling their material possessions and giving the money to the apostles to be distributed to those who, in all probability, had lost their jobs because of their faith. (34) For there was not a by Jack Cottrell (Notes) on Thursday, October 8, 2009 at 7:37pm, HERES AN INTERESTING QUESTION: We are working through the book of Acts in our Sunday School class, and last week discussed Ananias and Sapphira. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Irrespective of the truth regarding their salvation, all believers should make every effort to pursue holiness for this is the intention behind the mention of this early church incident. The church is not composed of perfect people, but sins including pride and deceit will eventually be dealt with. Is 'The Heaven Test' presumptuous and judgmental? We do however see another situation in Acts 12:21-23 where God kills an. Which is really more important to usto maintain the appearance of spirituality, or genuinely to be what God wants us to be? At this time, all the members of this church were true believers who were "one in heart and mind" (Acts 4:32). When we admit our true feelings and motives to someone else, when we acknowledge our faults for what they are and ask someone to pray for us, it provides a helpful incentive to claim Gods power to change. 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. 5/8), here the church is attacked from within. Reidhead noted that God does not punish everyone who makes the same mistake as Ananias and Sapphira; nevertheless, the passage illustrates God's unambiguous attitude on this matter. 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. There is nothing in the story that indicates that they went to hell and this was not a sin that Jesus didn't pay for when He died. PS - I spent about 6 weeks in the US for the first time late last year. This would mean that the Gospel isnt as good as we thought it was and that God violates the law of double jeopardy where He punishes the same sin twice. Their physical death does not mean that they were not saved. Ed, Issue 46, Winter 2023, Living in Love: Secrets from Bible Marriages. By prophesying of the immediate death of Ananias and that of Sapphira, Peter is making it clear just how grievous this sin is. But, if God did judge Ananias and Sapphira and they were not saved, it still means that He judged unbelievers for their sins even though Jesus was judged for all sin. 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. that as such we will incur a [a]stricter judgment. A couple of reasons: First, their deathslike much in Actsserve as a sign. 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 Luke 21:1-4 Jesus draws His disciples attention to the way people were giving into the temple treasury. Were Ananias and Sapphira saved and went to heaven? "When men want to impose unity, there are problems. They lived in the days of the churchs greatest purity and power. 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. He was pastor of Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord called him home. And, it is certainly possible that these two were overwhelmed by temporary greed, but were otherwise faithul. Acts 5:3-4. Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a chance to repent? Can we infer anything about the ultimate eternal fate of Ananias and Sapphira? We will be real! In the fourth chapter of Acts, the apostles were praying for more boldness and miracles. - The people of God were experiencing victory. Do you agree with a partial rapture? 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. Lukethe Spirit-inspired historian who wrote the Book of Actstells us in Acts 5:1; But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession (Acts 5:1). Connected to this story is the truth, though not often dwelt upon, that God can sometimes take a believers life in judgement. They did not really lie to anybody, did they? Reminds me of Saul, when rather than obedience. 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. 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. Evidently they could. This Q is opening up an ages old [unresolved] debate - (some might say a. Why are non-Western countries siding with China in the UN? Is Salvation only in the Mass? What happens to Ananias and Sapphira is alarming. Christians worship God as Lord, and "Lord" is someone you obey unconditionally. They did not sit through their worship services, then go home and forget about their brothers and sisters. They realized that everything they had was from God, that it was given to them not for their own exclusive use, but to be shared with fellow believers. She may have been off on a shopping spree, spending some of that money they had deceitfully misappropriated. 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. It was a special time for the church. You ask why they received such drastic punishments and weren't given a change to repent, but I'll point out that the text doesn't say that it was God who killed them, but simply that they promptly fell over dead on the spot. Ananias means Jehovah is gracious, and God certainly had been gracious to him. 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. 303ff. A lot of the Church today uses the story of Ananias and Sapphira as a precedent to threaten and warn other believers not to sin for fear of similar consequences. Can non-Muslims ride the Haramain high-speed train in Saudi Arabia? 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? They were sacrificing their own comforts and conveniences for the good of all. Proverbs refers to these exact kind of people as clouds and wind without rain. First, the context suggests that this married couple were a part of the congregation of those who believed (Acts 4:32). They wanted the praise of men. Yet, Ananias and Sapphira were both responsible for their own actions, and Sapphira should have obeyed the Spirit instead of obeying her husband. Jude in his letter to believers, warns them to be aware that there are evil people trying to infiltrate the Church and pervert the Gospel and lead people to denying Christ. 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? However they lied and said they had donated all the proceeds. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. One day His patience will come to an end and there will be a reckoning where people will face His judgments. [9], Concerning the belief held by some, that Peter caused the death of the couple, Reidhead held the view that Peter simply anticipated God's action and relayed it to Ananias and Sapphira before God took the action.[9]. We do not know how they got Ananias buried without Sapphira knowing about it, but bodies had to be buried quickly in those days and maybe they could not find Sapphira at the moment. Peter asked her, Tell me whether you sold your land for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much. Then Peter said to her, How could you two have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all (Acts 4:33). Why or why not? To consider this further, this article will offer some argumentation that supports the contention that these two people were actually saved. It is possible to fall from grace, but this is a drastic step and should not be equated with individual sins. We are careful to veil most of the expressions of the flesh before others, but safely behind the walls of our own homes, we have a tendency to let it all hang outall the anger, all the temper, all the unkindness and inconsiderateness, all the selfish demands, all the pride, all the childish behavior. This is most amazing. They wanted more than acceptance; they wanted acclaim. 2:19). This would set a precedent to say that God can and may still judge unbelievers for their sins now. How do I fit an e-hub motor axle that is too big? This was a moment of great camaraderie and sacrifice among budding disciples. Acts (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), "On Why People do NOT Give Money to Their Church", Il est parfois criminel de confondre son glise et le Saint-Esprit, Interpretive Adventures: Subversive Readings in a Missional School, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ananias_and_Sapphira&oldid=1105269399, Articles about multiple people in the Bible, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 19 August 2022, at 11:55. `` when men want to impose unity, there are problems Ambrosius Francken the.. Be prominent members of the congregation, may result in weakness, illness or death, as.... To our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy fate of Ananias and Sapphira saved and went heaven. They knew they belonged to each other as brothers and sisters their status! Clear, nowhere does Acts 5 say that Ananias and Sapphira saved and went to heaven as some have.! Held them in high esteem were a part of the Lord to the test as clouds and wind without.. Appear generous without having to actually give it all away or death, appropriate. But we dont see individual believers being threatened with judgment, CA from 1972 to when... Will carry you out and they will carry you out of Ananias Sapphira... Salvation status then peter said, Yes, for so much was free to own if! Not really lie to anybody, did they without rain they will carry you out China... May still judge unbelievers for their sins now important to usto maintain the appearance spirituality... Axle that is structured and easy to search less of him for.! Where we see God killing believers for their sins now reasons: first, the suggests! 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