Acts 5:11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
The things that the church heard were the events that transpired with Ananias and Sapphira. They fell down dead one at a time as they lied to the Holy Spirit about a piece of land they sold. They wanted to join with others in the church that sold things and gave the money to the apostles. There was a great need among believing Jews in those days and many people were trying to help. Ananias and Sapphira decided beforehand that they would sell this piece of land but they lied about giving all the money to the apostles. They could have kept all the money or they could have given just a part, but they lied and kept some saying they were giving all. The Holy Spirit made this known to Peter and he confronted them with their lie. They were then struck dead by God for lying to him!
In the early days of the church two priests were struck dead for refusing to regard God as holy. In the early days of the temple, two priests were struck dead for refusing to regard God as holy. Do you remember Nadab and Abihu? They brought strange fire into the Most Holy Place and were killed for it (Leviticus 10). In those early days God acted in a very strong and decisive way to show the people that he meant business about his holiness.
Can you imagine what that early church was like? They people were so shocked by what had happened that they knew that God knew their thoughts and hearts! He still does, by the way! The church should live in a constant state of reverence for the holiness of God. We should do as the preacher says in Ecclesiastes:
Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Don’t lie to God or his people. Don’t lie at all! Let you yeah be yeah and your nay, nay! Have a holy fear of God and revere him as holy. Realize that Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it! The church is God’s family but he will chasten and disciple it’s members.
1 John 5:16-17 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.
Ananias and Sapphira committed a sin unto death. There was no prayer for them. Their time here on earth was over and God took them home. I am quite certain that they were believers who went to heaven, but because they did not revere God and treat him as holy they were taken home.
In Christ,
Rody
