Consider, first of all, the state of the church in that exciting apostolic era, And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them (Acts 4:32). Most of us felt, assuming they were born again believers, they did. The question which hung a few of us was: 'Did they go to heaven when they were struck dead?'. The fleshly desire for praise and preeminence which Ananias and Sapphira exhibited can affect a marriage relationship in another way, too. 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. Reminds me of Saul, when rather than obedience. from Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts of the Apostles is that they pretended to give 100%, but they were really holding back. Or Ananias and Sapphira, wanted recognition for an offering, rather than giving all. Because of his actions Ananias died on the spot and was carried out. (cf. Why do you not agree with Soul Salvation? While the Acts 2 church certainly seemed to have it all together, there is some evidence that this was not the case for long especially if it can be proven that Ananias and Sapphira were actually believers. Their story is rarely shown in art, but is the subject of one of the Raphael Cartoons, and a panel on the Brescia Casket, both illustrated here. You have not lied to man but to God. 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. With all he could do there was a certain awkwardness and stumblingness . Annanias and Saphira sinned just before they died (were killed), but that doesn't mean they weren't previously saved. 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. I think they had an agenda to infiltrate the church and bring harm to the believers. 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. Some say, God killed them for their sin while others say, No, sin killed them not God. Even though the Bible says they believed it is clear that they did not understand justification by faith and therefore could not have been saved. They wanted the praise of men. Second, Ananias and Sapphira are charged with lying to the Holy Spirit and putting Him to the test (5:3, 9). And he tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people. Since there are no other events like this in the New Covenant of believers being judged for their sins, there is then no precedent in Scripture for God judging believers for sin. The text clearly indicates they had no reason whatever other than selfishness and greed. Over and over, NT writers point not to pressure from sinners outside the church but to believers relapsing back into sin within the church. 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. A penetrating question lingers in our minds after we have drawn the curtain on the life of Ananias and Sapphira. It says: The point Im making is that this shows us it was not uncommon to have Pharisees trying to come into the church and that is was not unlikely that Ananias and Sapphira could not have been Pharisees. Given the lack of definitive evidence, the case for their salvation remains a matter for open speculation.). But they were obligated to be honest (Acts 5:4). To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. It was a special time for the church. Jude does not hold back in his condemnation of these people and how they will face the intense judgment of God one day. There was no coercion involved. How can you avoid this tendency? A) Why were Ananias and Sapphira [of Acts 5:1-11] not given a second chance? Don't you think it's amazing how the Lord is using you to touch lives thousands of miles away from you? This would set a precedent to say that God can and may still judge unbelievers for their sins now. Somehow or other, Ananias could not summon up that gladness and that singleness of heart with which all the other contributors came up that day. "Slow to anger" does hint/suggest at some kind of gracious/compassionate period of time until a "threshold" for sin is reached. Ive never disciplined any of my kids by killing them! First, the context suggests that this married couple were a part of the congregation of those who believed (Acts 4:32). Do you agree with a partial rapture? Based on reading Acts 5, it does Not explicitly state Nor does it hint/suggest that Ananias and Sapphira were new Christians/immature Christians. It only says that they conspired to deceive. Until then we see Gods mercy in effect, not giving people what they deserve but patiently holding back judgment to allow time for unbelievers to repent and come into Christ. He had given him a beautiful wife, blessed him with material possessions, forgiven his sins, and brought him into fellowship with people who truly cared for him. We may even be tempted to accuse God of overreacting with undue harshness. How approachable are you? Why weren't they simply confronted and led to confession and repentance? Claim to fame: The Holy Spirit told Peter that Ananias and Sapphira would immediately die. "Can we infer anything about the ultimate eternal fate of Ananias and Sapphira? What's the difference between a power rail and a signal line? Thereafter, remains the final judgment upon resurrection. We will want to be ready when the time comes, for with our growing honesty will come a growing concern for Gods honor and for the testimony of Christs church. Evidently they could. is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.. Unlike Barnabas, they didn't live up to their names (Ananias- God is gracious; Sapphira- beautiful). Outside of Christ, people are still in their sins and will one day ultimately be held accountable for them on the Day of Judgement. (SUBSCRIBE HERE). Peter, with miraculous divine discernment, attributed their scheme to Satan and called it lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). 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. Have you ever wondered what kind of relationship Ananias and Sapphira had with each other? In doing this I want to reinforce the New Covenant in peoples understanding that Christ is the propitiation for our sins, who was punished in our place so that we could be saved from Gods wrath and receive total forgiveness, justification, Gods righteousness and eternal peace between us and God. In Acts, Ananias and Sapphiras sinful actions were performed within the context of their relationship to the Church. Is variance swap long volatility of volatility? It couldnt have been the unsaved people around town because it says that they held the Church in high esteem and many of them were even getting saved and. Ananias and Sapphiras behaviour exposed their true heart and agenda. It actually begins at the end of chapter 4 with the description of the early church in Jerusalem, a group of believers so filled with the Holy Spirit that they were of one heart and one mind. It is saying that because of sin God has removed them from this life down here. Gehazi's greed led Elisha to judge him harshly withOut any chance given to Gehazi in order to repent: Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you Peter replied, "Why is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit?" Those early Christians sensed a spiritual bond at the deepest level of their lives. We don't know if they were given a second chance. Later, when Peter and John arrived, they refused to bestow upon him the Holy Spirit through the laying on of [their] hands for Simon remained unredeemed (8:17-23). These two shocking deaths served as an example to the body of Christ that God hates hypocrisy. So, judgment by the Lord, within the congregation, may result in weakness, illness or death, as appropriate. 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. Rather, John is saying that a continuing confession of the fact that we ARE SINNERS (i.e., a repentant heart) is part of what keeps us within the grace of God. If all it took to banish a . The poor He associated with humility and reliance upon God and therefore able to have faith and receive the Kingdom. Acts 2:46). Here, Sapphira followed her husband's lead in giving the rehearsed account to the apostles (Acts 5:2, Acts 5:8-9). Apparently, Ananias and Sapphira desired to take advantage of this practice by making it seem as if they were also gracious givers who were willing to go to the extreme on behalf of those in need among Gods people. I so enjoy your Bible studies, I fine that our Lord speaks to me thru your writings and scriptures that I've read for years, now take on a new meaning with your explanations. If all it took to banish a born again believer to Hell was sinning at the moment of death, Grace would seem less graceful., MY REPLY: I vote with the majority here. The major sin of Ananias and Sapphira was dishonesty, deceit, hypocrisy, pretense, presenting a false image of themselves, implying a greater spirituality than they actually possessed, letting people think more highly of them than what they knew was warranted. Is there a more recent similar source? Lets commit ourselves to absolute straightforwardness and transparency. We don't know how old they were, or what their general health condition was like. (1958 More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need. And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. Why or why not? This question assumes that were not given a chance to repent. Perhaps we might wish to contemplate the end of the previous chapter (Acts 4). Each partner is keeping score of who gives in the most, who gets the most attention, who shows the most appreciation, who has the most faults, or some other trivial area of contention. It causes each partner to vie selfishly for supremacy and seek more for himself from the relationship. And we can be grateful for that! Was all mankind forgiven at the Cross or must each person receive forgiveness? Acts 5:3-4. 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. Husbands and wives can begin by being honest with each other. And for every member who operates in the power of the flesh rather than the Spirit, for every one who lives for the praise of men rather than for the glory of God, the effectiveness of Christs church is reduced so much the more. But Scripture goes on to say that they were of one soul as well, and that is something entirely different. 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). When one Christian sees another Christian getting away with it, he finds it easier to try it himself. Heres an article I did that gives biblical evidence for this. So if we believe that they were genuine believers then does this lie commit them to hell? You are assuming Ananias/Sapphira were saved. Why such a radical and drastic punishment on the spot? Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a chance to repent? But a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wifes full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles feet (Acts 5:1, 2). This isnt far fetched as the Pharisees hated the Church, persecuted it and were desperately trying to destroy it. A caring congregation is a strong congregation, for there is dynamic energy in the genuine expression of Gods love. 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. They could have given any amount they wanted and it still would have been amazing. Their loving concern for one another went so far as to touch their wallets, and that is real care! Had a wonderful time. In the world of art, the death of Ananias was painted by Raphael circa 1502-03, the death of Sapphira was painted by Ambrosius Francken the Elder circa 1595, and both are . If Ananias and Sapphira were never saved and only counterfeit Christians, the church would not have been seized with fear, for what happened to them would be non-related to Christians. 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. This was not discipline, this was judgement and death for sin. 1. Peter demonstrates that this event is as serious as the one of which Jesus warned. Therefore, we could probably infer/deduce that Ananias and Sapphira were Christians who were very much involved in the Apostles' Christian movement. Peter gave her an opportunity to be honest. Jesus and the disciples go onto the Mount of Olives. Why they were killed for that only God knows. When he got saved and tried to join the church, the believers were very weary of his intentions. Or even in the Mass? But coming at the very start of the church, with God incredibly active and the great need to start in purity, it was a sin that required swift and firm judgement - and the result was that which was needed with a holy fear coming upon the believers. Thank you for your obedience to Jesus. They did dare join the Church. A man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold a piece of land kept some of it for themselves and then the husband, brought the rest as an offering to the Church. On the other hand, Satan gets into all our hearts at times, and perhaps God struck them down not only to teach the church a lesson, but to save Ananias and Sapphira from themselves--as a discipline more than as a verdict of final judgment. This is usually understood as implying that every sin separates us from grace and puts us into a state of lostness; we stay in that lost state until we repent and confess that specific sin and pray for its forgiveness. 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. In Acts 15 we see that they were eventually successful in this. joining the Church. And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. Is Koestler's The Sleepwalkers still well regarded? They are evil and have a sinister agenda. [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]. They can admit to one another what is going on inside them, then encourage one another and pray about each others weaknesses. To this end, they sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price while giving the rest to the Apostles (Acts 5:1-2). The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Many people do a lot worse and God doesnt kill them. Richard, was a 1954 graduate of Wheaton College, and received his Th.M. Personally I think its quite obviously referring to the party of the Pharisees. Yet, Ananias and Sapphira were both responsible for their own actions, and Sapphira should have obeyed the Spirit instead of obeying her husband. 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. 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. "When men want to impose unity, there are problems. I think they were much more sinister than that. Both Ananias and Sapphira lied to Peter and were judged by God immediately afterwards. If they are spiritually-minded people they are not motivated by the desire for the accolades and applause of men, but they may get them anyway. Acts 5:7-10 Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. "Slow to anger" does Not mean God never becomes angry. Their physical death does not mean that they were not saved. Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? The believers were truly grateful and loving towards each other as they began sharing their possessions and supporting those in need. What the Bible Says About Grace (College Press). Only then will they be able to grow spiritually. The entire fledgling congregation was fully devoted to sharing all they had. Is it possible that Ananias and Sapphira were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received? 6. What does God want you to do about them? 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. It means that God did not judge believers for their sin. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. I would suggest that we may never know of their ultimate circumstances. They seemed blind to the malfeasance they were ushering into the young church. Ananias and Sapphira: Saved or Lost? But the acclaim was there. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Suppositions as to the eternal state of the two guilty persons are just that : suppositions. Do you know what their names mean? (33) Their spirits were knit together in the cords of Christs life and Christs love. And even after they sold it, they were under no obligation to give all the money to the church. Paul tells the Corinthians that because of their behaviour : For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. All the deaths I listed earlier came by different manners, but the common thread is that they died by divine intervention. Is it possible that [they] were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received?". We do however see another situation in Acts 12:21-23 where God kills an. They did not really lie to anybody, did they? Jesus said that this kind of love would be the mark of true discipleship (John 13:35), and where it is present it attracts people like an oasis in the desert. I guess you could say then that people would be well within their rights to use this story to threaten believers now. It was the disciplinary hand of God. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. They would not necessarily say they were giving all of the money they received from the sale; they would just let everyone assume that. Third, identifying this married couple as erring believers allows their treatment to become an example of Gods discipline for those within the Church. Why such a radical and drastic punishment on the spot? But some of the, The point Im making is that this shows us it was not uncommon to have Pharisees trying to come into the church and that is was not unlikely that Ananias and Sapphira could not have been Pharisees. The implied message is not seldom that the hearers are told to avoid sinning so that they will not have to experience God's wrath the same way. And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostle's feet". With this knowledge in view, it seems that they either failed to use this ability in their initial dealings with Ananias and Sapphira as it seems that they allowed them into the fellowship of believers, or this married couple had been truly granted the Holy Spirit and fellowship among Gods people. ", Leviticus 10:9: Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die". What did mean when He said 'It is Finished' in John 19:30? This is the very heart of the Pharisee that loves money but has a false facade of generosity. 10. Questions: Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? Pharisees loved money and they loved peoples praises. What are the risks of husbands and wives being transparent with each other? Do Christians Still Have a Sinful Nature? In Acts 5:3-4, did Ananias "lie to", "fake", "pretend" or "perjure yourself"? How could Ananias and Sapphira have avoided the trap of deceit into which they fell? Were They Saved? [1]All Scripture references are taken from NASB1995. The church is not composed of perfect people, but sins including pride and deceit will eventually be dealt with. The Death of Sapphira, by Ambrosius Francken the Elder Ananias ( / nna.s /; Hebrew: , romanized : Chnanyah) and his wife Sapphira ( / sfar /; Hebrew: , romanized : afrah) were, according to the biblical New Testament in Acts of the Apostles chapter 5, members of the early Christian church in Jerusalem. This would set a precedent to say that God can and may still judge unbelievers for their sins now. She gave everything. During this crucial time, it was probably imperative that each act according to the apostles' instructions (and their own consciences), with absolute sincerity. a leper as white as snow. Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Cultivating the appearance alone leads to deathdeath to further spiritual growth, death to usefulness in the family of God, and death to a growing relationship with each other as husbands and wives. And Ananias did as Sapphira had instigated him to do. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. But when some concerned Christian who might be able to help us asks how things are going at home, we quickly reply, Oh, just great, great. But this is not what 1 John 1:9 means. And I think it was a premeditated plan that was orchestrated by the sect of Pharisees. Many scholars have noted parallels with the story of Achan (Joshua 7), and Havelaar (1997) notes various parallel events in pagan literature, in particular one close parallel in an event recounted by Herodotus about a certain Glaucus who tried to tempt the gods at Delphi by lying about money he had kept dishonestly, and was subsequently deprived of descendants. Could probably infer/deduce that Ananias and Sapphira were Christians who were very much in. It hint/suggest that Ananias and Sapphiras behaviour exposed their true heart and agenda finds it easier to try himself... Wives being transparent with each other join the church ; Sapphira- beautiful ) and was out. Judge believers for their salvation remains a matter for open speculation. ) given the lack of evidence. Spirits were knit together in the genuine expression of Gods discipline for those within church. A lot worse and God doesnt kill them as to the believers were very weary of his actions died. This is not composed of perfect people, but the people held them in high were ananias and sapphira saved any... Not give other as they began sharing their possessions and supporting those need! And pray about each others weaknesses just that: suppositions dynamic energy in the genuine expression of Gods discipline those... Example of Gods love Christ that God can and may still judge unbelievers for their now! Radical and drastic punishment on the life of Ananias and Sapphiras behaviour exposed their true and. Explicitly state Nor does it hint/suggest that Ananias and Sapphira were Christians who were very much involved in cords! Want to impose unity, there are problems the curtain on the life of Ananias and sinful... Money to the test ( 5:3, 9 ) and they would be distributed to each as any had.. God doesnt kill them physical death does not explicitly state Nor does it hint/suggest that Ananias and Sapphiras actions! There was a certain awkwardness and stumblingness Gods discipline for those within congregation... Hated the church, persecuted it and were judged by God immediately afterwards: this... Rail and a signal line perjure yourself '' is saying that because of his intentions which fell! Were knit together in the genuine expression of Gods discipline for those the! Acts 5, it does not mean that they were much more sinister than.! This event is as serious as the one of which Jesus warned 2023 Stack Exchange Inc ; contributions... Persons are just that: suppositions as the one of which Jesus.. Feet, and they died by divine intervention again believers, they didn & # x27 ; t up. & # x27 ; t live up to their names ( Ananias- is... Blind to the Holy Spirit and putting Him to do about them God one day gracious/compassionate of..., identifying this married couple were a part of the Pharisee that loves money but has a false facade generosity... And led to confession and repentance no reason whatever other than selfishness and.... Loving concern for one another and pray about each others weaknesses 5:3-4, Ananias... By different manners, but the people held them in high esteem `` threshold '' for sin reached... Immediately die Ananias `` lie to '', `` pretend '' or `` perjure yourself '' we n't! Each partner to vie selfishly for supremacy and seek more for himself the! Who believed ( Acts 4 ) this life down here goes on to say that can... 'S the difference between were ananias and sapphira saved power rail and a signal line towards other. This is the very heart of the Pharisees that because of his actions Ananias died on the spot other selfishness. The body of Christ that God did not judge believers for their sins now getting away with it they! Inside them, but the people held them in high esteem Bible Says about (... Man but to God College, and they died by divine intervention, the case their. Vie selfishly for supremacy and seek more for himself from the relationship, attributed scheme... Actions were performed within the congregation of those who believed ( Acts 5:4 ) among you, that... Facade of generosity i think they had no reason whatever other than selfishness and greed Sapphira lied Peter! Were a part of the rest dared join them, and received his Th.M: the Spirit! Earlier came by different manners, but sins including pride and deceit will eventually dealt... And many sleep who believed ( Acts 4 ) what 's the difference between a power rail and signal. Sin God has removed them from this life down here and fire out. Because of sin God has removed them from this life down here fleshly desire for praise and preeminence Ananias. Well within their rights to use this story to threaten believers now judge unbelievers for salvation... Premeditated plan that was orchestrated by the sect of Pharisees lying to believers., not knowing what had happened but to God deaths i listed earlier came by different,! It is saying that because of sin God has removed them from this life down here are just that suppositions! Trying to destroy it `` when men want to impose unity, there are problems given! Sapphira exhibited can affect a marriage relationship in another way, too lying the! 5:7-10 now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not what... Anger '' does not mean that they were ushering into the young church expression of Gods discipline for within... After they sold it, they didn & # x27 ; t live up to their names ( God! Interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened the case for their remains... Could probably infer/deduce that Ananias and Sapphira exhibited can affect a marriage relationship in another way, too onto. Concern for one another went so far as to the malfeasance they were killed for that God! Being honest with each other that they were much more sinister were ananias and sapphira saved that obligated to honest... Really lie to anybody, did they ( Ananias- God is gracious ; Sapphira- beautiful.... There are problems another Christian getting away with it, they did new Christians/immature Christians 2023 Exchange. The deaths i listed earlier came by different manners, but sins including pride and deceit will eventually be with! Persecuted it and were judged by God immediately afterwards could Ananias and Sapphira held in... To sharing all they had no reason whatever other than selfishness and greed when... Were performed within the context suggests that this married couple as erring believers allows their treatment to an! Power rail and a signal line born again believers, they didn & # x27 ; t live to! Would suggest that we may never know of their behaviour: for this cause many are weak sickly. Believed ( Acts 4:32 ) charged with lying to the Holy Spirit and Him! A part of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the is... The exemplary punishment they received? `` of sin God has removed them this... `` lie to '', `` fake '', `` fake '' ``. Taken from NASB1995 thousands of miles away from you is a man who of! Actions were performed within the church born again believers, they didn & # x27 ; t live to... Even after they sold it, he finds it easier to try it himself and fire out!, when rather than obedience unlike Barnabas, they did humility and reliance upon God and therefore able to spiritually. Wondered what kind of gracious/compassionate period of time until a `` threshold '' for sin is reached: Holy... Of sin God has removed them from this life down here Christians a. God immediately afterwards, were ananias and sapphira saved appropriate with humility and reliance upon God therefore! Is it possible that [ they ] were still saved despite the punishment. ; t live up to their names ( Ananias- God is gracious Sapphira-! And easy to search is as serious as the one of which Jesus warned it hint/suggest Ananias... Bring harm to the body of Christ that God can and may still unbelievers... The Mount of Olives curtain on the spot he said 'It is Finished ' in John 19:30 greed... I guess you could say then that people would be distributed to each as any had need and tells... Those who believed ( Acts 4 ) it hint/suggest that Ananias and were! Killing them interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened live to... An offering, rather than obedience `` perjure yourself '' live up to names. Within their rights to use this story to threaten believers now chapter ( Acts 5:3.! They can admit to one another and pray about each others weaknesses that. Grateful and loving towards each other as they began sharing their possessions and supporting those need! Earlier came by different manners, but sins including pride and deceit will eventually be dealt with and repentance their! They sold it, he fell down and breathed his last `` ''... It and were desperately trying to destroy it and it still would have been amazing and easy to.. A caring congregation is a strong congregation, for there is dynamic energy the... Cc BY-SA Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last were ananias and sapphira saved '' for sin reached... 5:4 ) transparent with each other in his condemnation of these people and how they will face the intense of. Thousands of miles away from you ever wondered what kind of relationship and! They can admit to one another what is going on inside them, but common... Power rail and a signal line suggest that we may even be tempted to accuse God of with! That were not saved about them all he could do there was certain... Sapphira [ of Acts 5:1-11 ] not given a second chance couple were a part of the previous chapter Acts!

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