What about Ananias and Sapphira?
Acts 5:1-11
Source: lesmiserablesfilm.com
Recently in Connecticut, a pastor stood in front of his church and confessed to the sin of adultery. Then the pastor fell down dead, right in front of everyone. This proves that God expects his people to live holy lives and if they don’t, he’ll kill them.
Of course, that’s complete nonsense. The story is true – a Connecticut pastor really did die – but the interpretation is wrong. God doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve.
But what are we to make of Ananias and Sapphira? Like the poor pastor they dropped dead in a church (Acts 5:1-11).
The bizarre deaths of Ananias and Sapphira have been debated for 2,000 years. Why did they die? Did God kill them? Why did God kill them? Why is this story in the Bible? Am I supposed to learn something from it? What? Will God kill me if I lie?
Questions like these have provided sermon material for countless fear-mongers. “God killed Ananias and Sapphira because they sinned and if you’re not careful he’ll kill you too! So fear God and behave yourself.”
Has there ever been a more damnable lie inflicted on those whom God loves? (Actually, I can think of several.)
Unpunishable on account of Jesus
I could give you a hundred scriptures to show you that God did not kill Ananias and Sapphira for their sins and to assure you that he won’t kill you for yours, but three should suffice:
(God) doesn’t punish us as our sins deserve. (Psalm 103:10, CEV)
The punishment that brought us peace was on him… (Isa 53:5b)
God is not counting people’s sins against them. (2 Cor 5:19b)
The good news of Jesus is that your sins and my sins and the sins of that Connecticut pastor and the sins of Ananias and Sapphira were condemned on the cross and there is nothing left to condemn.
God was angry with sin, which is why he poured out his wrath and dealt with sin once and for all at Calvary (Rom 8:3).
Those who accuse God of killing sinners are confused about the cross. God doesn’t kill sinners; he saves sinners. God doesn’t hate sinners; he loves them!
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8)
If God killed Ananias and Sapphira then the Bible is wrong and Jesus is not the Lamb of God who carried the sins of the world. (I talk elsewhere about Herod.)
There’s no shortage of sinners in this world. Why would God kill one couple and leave the rest alone?
I’ve heard it said that God killed Ananias and Sapphira to warn and purify the infant church. By making an example out of these hypocrites, the church would be filled with a holy fear and kept safe from liars and cheats.
If so, then God failed spectacularly. Liars, cheats and hypocrites have always been with us, and there were plenty in the New Testament church.
I’ve also heard it said that God set up this killing to establish the authority of his apostles. Never mind that Peter had been commissioned by the Lord and filled with the Holy Spirit. Like a kid going through a gangster initiation he had to kill someone to establish his bona fides.
How absurd! How utterly inconsistent with the message Peter had been commissioned to preach.
Meanwhile back in Connecticut
People sometimes ask me, “Did God kill Ananias and Sapphira?” When I reply in the negative I am invariably asked, “So who did?” as though there was some murder mystery to be solved. But the facts of their deaths may be more prosaic.
The pastor in Connecticut died from a sudden heart failure, which is very sad. Perhaps it was the stress of hiding a lie or losing his reputation that triggered the attack.
At the time of his death there was speculation in the press that he didn’t plan to confess at all – the adultery was a long time ago – but he had been ambushed by church members who had heard about his affair. Emotions were running high. There was shouting. The man died.
Whatever happened, it’s a sad story. But I am struck by the similarities between the Connecticut story and the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira:
- By having a secret affair, you could argue that the pastor lied to his church and to God, as did Ananias and Sapphira.
- The pastor was confronted by church members, as were Ananias and Sapphira.
- The pastor dropped down dead, just like Ananias and Sapphira.
As far as I know, no one is blaming God for the pastor’s death, so why would anyone blame him for the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira? If you must blame someone, blame sin. Sin kills people. Sin ruins marriages and destroys lives. Sin is bad.
And this is why Jesus came – so that you might be free from the curse of sin and live.
If there is any takeaway from the Ananias and Sapphira story, it’s that the wages of sin is death. That’s the bad news. But the good news is that God is good, he doesn’t treat you as your sins deserve.
That’s the gospel of Jesus that we all need to hear!
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My bible has a heading to start ACTS 5 that shouldn’t be there. It says “Ananias and Sapphira”, but they are not the story’s focus. If anything it should say “Peter’s Reputation Restored” which is the focus of the story.
I advocate that we look at the A&S story (that has its climax and ending in vs 16, not vs 11) the same way we look at and celebrate the conversion of the apostle Paul. It’s an instance of God flipping the script. The leader of the CPP (Church Persecution Posse) who wanted to stomp out the Gospel was transformed by God into the Gospel’s number one proclaimer and defender. Do we sit around a debate why God would use Saul to persecute the Church? No, because that’s silly talk. We know He didn’t. Rather, we celebrate how God intervened in Paul’s life and changed the situation. Let’s bring that thinking to the table and read the A&S/Peter story. A&S did something that rubbed Peter the wrong way (not even that bad really, come on, look at it, they sold their house and gave the funds to the church and secretly kept some of it) and Peter gave them a verbal beating. We might say he went off on them with some holy attitude. They both happen to die, word spread, everyone was afraid and was avoiding Peter and the other apostles. Their deaths were just a freakish event that happened. Unfortunately, due to peoples view of it, Peter’s reputation was tarnished and God’s purpose for him, to build His church upon this rock, was taking a hit. But God intervened and set things back on track with such a healing session with Peter at the center of it that (vs15)“people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.” It’s the telling of how God preserved the Gospel and how the Church made it through an ugly bump in the road. We need to see God’s story in the written story. And it’s not that He kills people in the church for certain wrong doings to make an example out of them or because they weren’t true believers or anything of the sort.
Sounds good to me. Thanks Jason.
Some more relevant thoughts:
There is no “God used them as an example” lesson to be learned from their deaths that is pointed out anywhere in the scripture from any of the New Testament writers. That is helpful information for us, because it lets us know we can stop looking for one. The text doesn’t say God killed them. But if your mind demands that He did, you’ll come up with some reason why. Whatever that reason is, it’s guaranteed to NOT gel with His Gospel. The timing and details around their deaths were indeed very peculiar. But there is no more hidden meaning or lesson to be learned from their deaths than there is from any random person that was in yesterday’s obituaries in any random city. In fact, folks attributing the events to God’s hand and looking for His hidden meaning or lesson from their deaths, was, and still is the whole problem. It caused people to be afraid of God, His message, and His messengers, the apostles. Verse 13 tells us they were highly regarded by the people but no one would join them. They didn’t know what to make of them. They were drawn to them and afraid at the same time (some mixed law & Grace there). God fixed this clouded view the people had by using Peter and the others to heal many, many, many sick and tormented people. A clearer and truer view of God was restored and the church moved on. It’s about time that we do the same. It’s as if we are standing there looking at A&S’s dead bodies in shock with our mouths open searching for why God did this. And God is saying, “I didn’t… move along, move along, nothing to see here…. My gospel is not in their deaths, it is in the death of My Son. Come back to REALITY and gaze at the cross… there you will find the truth your heart is longing for.”
PS. I love your work Paul. Thank you!
Nothing to see here? Actually I learned a lot from this story.
That satan is looking for an entryway into my heart and that I better learn to resist him. Make sure that I don’t lie to the Holy Spirit. Watch how I manage my finances. Make sure I am honest. Be quick to forgive anyone that is dishonest. That life and death is in the power of the tongue so I have to make sure I bless everyone, even the dishonest.
But the most important thing I learned is that even though I was saved by grace, it is my responsibility to allow His grace to lead me to a holy lifestyle in case someone like Peter calls me up.
I think A&S is about Peter and the infant church and God dealing with some bad press.
The book of Acts as a whole is the story of the church of Christ growing, thriving, bursting on the scene, and moving forward in spite of tremendous adversity and overcoming one hurtle after the other. The rumors surrounding the deaths of A&S were one such hurtle the early church faced (involving most specifically, Peter’s reputation). A&S is included in ACTS to show that God’s church prevailed and moved forward even though these deaths were misinterpreted. The verses that immediately follow the account of their deaths reveal the point of the story. (vs11)People were struck with fear (because they thought God, by means of Peter, killed them, but He didn’t) and (vs12)were not willing to meet in Solomon’s Colonnade with the apostles like they used to. Peter and the others had the greatest message ever known to talk about but people were afraid and (vs13)didn’t dare join them to hear it. That was a problem. The key verse revealing the point of telling the misunderstood A&S event is next, (vs14)“NEVERTHELESS, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” In fact Gods response to the destructive rumor going around that His apostles were His instruments of death, was to have the apostles go out and (vs15-16)heal ALL the sick that could be found, both in Jerusalem and the surrounding towns. A paraphrase of the whole thing might go like this: There was this one time, when these 2 people died and the word spread that it was God punishing them for their wrongdoing. God knew that this kind of thinking was poison to the minds of His dearly loved children, and not what Christ and His new church was about. So God showed that’s not who He is and that’s not the Covenant of Grace they had been brought into with mass healings that removed their fear and the church came back to its senses. The inclusion of the details of the conversations between Peter and A&S are important because of what’s NOT there. The author’s intention is to set the record straight. It’s as if the author is saying, “The version of the story that you may have heard that includes lightning bolts from God, or blood running from their eyes, or Peter using the force to kill them with the 2 finger choke hold are simply false, it didn’t happen that way. They did talk. They did both die separately and the situation is very odd indeed, but your heavenly Father didn’t kill them.” We do the same thing today when we misinterpret natural disasters and other horrible events as the Judgement of God on sinners. In light of the Gospel, that is ludicrous… just like trying to find a way to justify God killing A&S… He’s NOT claiming that He did. Let Grace be Grace.
Sounds to me like a fear tactic set up by Peter. Peter and the individuals at the scene have to be responsible for the killing. A perfect way to convert…by the sword or gun! It was done before in history why not then?
Wrong! Ananias and Sapphira were truly, truly slain in the Holy Spirit for their wicked deeds that was meant to send a message to the Church. The Holy Spirit KILLED them both, no questions asked, however, they both were given a chance to repent and instead chose to deepen the lie thinking that God could be mocked (see also Galatians 6:7-8 on the consequences of trying to mock God). This is nothing more than ear-tickling as a means to water down the holy wrath and justice of God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Please read Ezekiel 9:1-11 lest anyone of you forget the kind of God we’re dealing with here when it comes to merely overlooking sin, okay? Yes, God is a God of mercy and love and He gave both Ananias and Sapphira one chance (and undeserved chance by the way) to confess their sin before Him and yet, they made Him out to be a liar. Or have you not read: “If we say we have no sin we deceived ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If say we have not sinned we make God a liar and His truth is not in us.” …
If the Holy Spirit KILLED them both, no questions asked, for their wicked deeds (sin), meaning to send a message to the Church, because He needed to take His “holy wrath” out on them because of His Justice. . . . I think He should probably start apologizing to Jesus, because Jesus took ALL of His holy wrath because of His just nature, and His great LOVE for us, by becoming our sin, taking on all of the curses of the Law, and paying in FULL for all the penalty of their sin and my sin (and, the whole world’s, including yours hakebomb).
Tap. . . tap. . .tap. . . .tap (waiting patiently whilst God apologizes to His Son).
Blessings,
Warren (South Carolina, USA)
Clearly Jesus took the penalty for all our sin, past, present and future. But it’s not automatically applied to our lives, we must pay attention to recognize sin and repent for it. Sin can still kill you dead, I don’t care if you are born again and filled with the Spirit. Sin gives the devil legal right to enter you as in the case of Ananias. Only when we admit to it, repent and do like Jesus said: sin no more we escape the consequences. That is what the Grace of God is for, to enable us to live a holly, virtuous life.
Soron I would suggest you admit who healed you before something worse happens to you.
Where does the bible teach that under the new covenant we are to “recognize sin and repent for it” and that “sin gives the devil legal right to enter you”?
I think the bible instructs us to repent from our dead works (thinking we can be righteous on our own), and the last time I looked, Jesus said ALL authoritY is His. Considering what He had to pay for it, I doubt that He is giving any of it back to the devil.
Grace is applied in our lives when we believe / trust Gods promises….not when we recognize sin and repent for it.
Yes sin will kill you and me, and the consequences will be reaped (we reap what we sow), but it won’t be God doing it to us. God killed Jesus Who became my sin, and Who took all the penalty for my sin.
Yes, don’t sin, it will kill you, but not God.
Blessings,
Warren (South Carolina, USA)
Warren, not sure why you think I said God will kill us if we sin. I said, sin can still kill you even if you are a saved and go to heaven. What I meant was that unrepentant sin will give place to the devil to enter in and he only comes to steal KILL and destroy.
You ask where does it say in the new covenant we have to recognize sin and repent for it. In 1 John 1:9 the apostle speaking to believers says that IF we confess our sins God will not only forgive us but cleanse us from the unrighteousness (consequence) of sin. Next he says in 2:1 that if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father (the judge), Jesus Christ. This describes a legal proceeding where the “accuser of the brethren accuses us day and night” but if we admit and repent of sin the blood of Christ will cleanse us.
As you said, Christ has all authority and He will not give it back to satan, He gave it to us. It’s up to us to resist the devil and cast him out. WE have to wrestle principalities, powers and wicked spirits with the armor of God. If we lie and sin we give place to the devil (legal right). You ask where does it say that in the Bible? In Eph 4:25-27. God will not stop the devil if we sin willfully, even though He could. It’s not right. Grace is the power of God to live a holy life.
God didn’t kill Ananias. He lied to the Holy Spirit willfully and didn’t repent when Peter confronted him. As a consequence the passage says that satan entered his heart. Read carefully. Then he died. Doesn’t mean he went to hell. Jesus gives life, satan comes only to steal, kill and destroy. Why is it so hard to see?
Hi Sorin, my bad about about thinking you said God will kill you for your sin. We both agree that it is not God that kills anyone, it’s sin. I think that may have been a mixture response to what you wrote and what hakebomb wrote. My apologies. Why do people on here not Use their real names???
In Eph.4:27 reference you gave, “neither give place to the devil (legal right)”…..I am not sure how you think that allows the devil to enter you. Also, in my understanding, giving place to the devil is just believing his lies…..which is really the only “power” he has.
Blessings,
Warren (South Carolina, USA)
Dear Warren, to give place to the devil means just that, to give him a place in our “house”. He will occupy whatever place he can get in our life. In Matthew 12:43-45 Jesus told us how an evil spirit seeks a house to live in and if we do not make sure there is no place for him, he will bring many of his evil friends and take over so that the condition of the man gets worse. His greatest pleasure is to defile the temple of God which are you and I as believers in Christ. Sin is the gateway by which evil enters in.
In my opinion the nr 1 problem the church has today is ignorance of satan’s devices. How many churches do you know that teach and demonstrate how to cast out devils? Apostle Paul tells us that this ignorance leads to satan taking advantage over us (1 Cor 2:11). I do not want to go into this subject since these comments here are about Ananias story. But we see Ananias opening the door for satan to enter his heart by lying to the Holy Spirit as Peter said.
Please ask the Lord to teach you about how the kingdom of darkness works so you can defeat it. The Bible says the reason Jesus was made manifest was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). I think it’s about time we do the same while Jesus is waiting for his enemies be make His footstool. We are the body of Christ.
God bless,
Sorin
Listen carefully everyone:
Stop trying to used words from the biblical text to deny the truth!
Yes, Jesus died for our sins past, present, and future so that we might not be eternally separated from God and in that we should all greatly rejoice! But some (most) of you are gravely denying the scriptures I’ve provided and are forgetting that while we are still saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8) we are also still held accountable to our actions. I challenge anyone on here to go rob a bank in broad daylight and see if you aren’t held accountable to the law of the land merely because Isaiah 53:5 is taken out of context to somehow “justify” sinning willfully.
The Holy Spirit killed Ananias and Sapphira to send a strong message to the Church and if you can’t correctly discern that than perhaps you need to spend less time under the false teachings of Joel Osteen and more time in the Old Testament to see that God DOES NOT CHANGE. I know, I know it seems “ludicrous” that God would kill but hasn’t Job said, “The Lord give and the Lord take away; blessed be the name of the Lord!”??? The Lord gave them both life and then took their very lives from them for lying to the Holy Spirit, WILLFULLY. Or did you not notice the positive effect their deaths had on the Church afterwards, either?
… And what’s all this nonsense about the Holy Spirit having to “apologize to Jesus” for killing Ananias and Sapphira? April’s Fool’s, right??? (I DO hope so.) Or was Jesus not CRYSTAL CLEAR enough about him now having been given ALL authority in heaven on earth after his glorious ascension to the Father (Matthew 28:18)? Yes, it was by Christ’s own authority alone that Ananias and Sapphira were slain in the Spirit as a result of having lied to the Spirit of God in turn, lied the the entire Godhead, three-in-one.
Amen and amen.
God has not and will not take life away from anyone. He offers life to everyone who will take it.you think in the flesh , live in the flesh and speak from the flesh.what makes you think that you are any better than Ananias or Sapphira. Have you kept all your commitments to God ?? Ever lied about how Much you pray, read your bible, tithe.Positive effect on the church, this comment just illustrates you state of mind believing God sent Jesus so that he could rule through fear, everything Jesus done speaks against this , he rules in love . There is one that rules by fear and you speak a similar language.
Paul,
This response by hakebomb, have you ever seen a clearer example on here of the “mixed grace” message?
Blessings,
Warren (South Carolina, USA)
Dear friend (hakebomb),
I can certainly see that there is nothing that could be put in writing here that will change your mind. That’s understandable. You are obviously passionate about where you stand. I would only ask that you look closely at where you are standing. To me, your choice of words comes across condescending. That doesn’t bother me, but it is very revealing. It sounds like you think A&S got what they deserved. Do you?
Do you really think your words are gospel laced? I don’t know you but, this is what I hear when reading your comments: Your security/confidence is in your adherence to some set of standards, thus your dedication to that standard is diligent and you are ready to defend your efforts when they are challenged in a way that declares them worthless. That’s a draining way to live; I’ve been there (as I’m sure most people in this thread have also). The problem with such living is that you are limited to your own ability to remain faithful to your standards. You will maximize other’s sins and minimize your own. You’ll be fake and phony to those in your circle of influence. You’ll try harder and harder to rise to the challenge of your righteous obligations but fulfillment will stay just out of reach, or be temporal at best. When others don’t agree with you or find value in your dedicated efforts you will pull out the big sticks of God’s holiness and His wrath to motivate them.
Jesus’ Gospel calls all of us to recon our efforts as worthless, and come to Him for LIFE. The Gospel is not just His death on a cross but His resurrection from a tomb. He rose then so we too can be raised to live a NEW LIFE – literally His life in us.
Hakebomb, your tone is a familiar one. It’s from someone under the weight of religion and they think it’s not fair that others won’t share the burden. Sorry, but I won’t leave Christ to join you. Rather, I urge you to jump ship my friend. Abandon those religious shackles. Those of us on this thread who have discovered the true Grace Gospel have actually found the LIFE you are trying, with great zeal I’m sure, to live.
With love,
Jason
Thank you Jason for this reply to the situation I see what you are saying and many that are still trying not yet, for these as I was in past had not come to the end of the energy of my own flesh, yet when I did raise the white flag in giving up to the enemy camp that I though was, ib trying o do right in my own energy and saying I was doing as God wants me to, I came to the end in trying hard, seeing no way I can be perfect yet wanted to.
well when this happened I gave up on me doing what I can’t do, God showed me Col1:22-23 and ever since this is what I stand in in believe and asked for the new life Christ came to give me and God then showed me I am reconciled (forgiven) completed forever and am not saved by his death , am saved by his risen life that only Father gives when one asks seriously to know truth over error and is willing to get out of God’s way to use them to tell truth, and this is not me that does this telling it is God that does this, as shown us through Paul in Gal 2:20-21
Thank you deeply for the response you gave it hits home deep
You’re welcome homwardbound, and thanks right back to you. Those are some encouraging verses you pointed out, some of my favorite. Reconciled by His death, saved by His life! Good stuff! I wonder how the story would have gone had Peter addressed and corrected A&S with likewise encouragement rather than strong rebuke. Just curious.
That is funny, because he did.
Acts 5:3-5Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV)
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
See what Peter said, was this not in your own power to give what you decided to, and it is not the people you lied to but God.
Now surprised in how could you know, my bet is he in shock had a heart attack, and the same happened to his wife.
Kind of like when Nathan went to King David to tell him of a man that did wrong, and David said we should not allow this, and Nathan replied this man is you.
Think King David was shocked here as well, except King David repented, and said he did not do this to just Bathsheba’s Husband, he sinned against God true repentance to God and God forgave him.
Here in Acts is after the fact Christ died for all, redemption forgiven in Christ’s death alone 100% for eternity it is done John 19:30, leaving one thing left to believe, receive the new life in Spirit and truth of the risen Christ from Father and see truth over error
And if not at first see, Father resides in his ones that believe him to teach them and one works out this truth in them seeing how Father views them through Son’s done work as perfect i Col.1:22 says so, and so in appreciation one responds to God in thanksgiving and praise as King David did in Psalms 100:4, and saw the complete forgiveness coming in Christ in Psalms 103:12
I see in this string of comments several mentions of “sinning willfully”. It seems the thought being expressed is that A&S had their lives taken due to the special case of them sinning WILLFULLY.
However, there is no distinction in scripture of UNwillfull sinning (although there are passages that talk of sinning in ignorance). ALL of your sins and my sins are done as an act of our will. So if UNwillfull sins don’t exist, then neither does this imagined special super naughty class of sins done WILLFULLY. Sin is sin, and we can learn to leave them all behind by walking in the Spirit, living by faith, growing in the Grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and being set free from the bondage of error by Truth.
Willfully sinning? That kind of word usage is just an attempt to apply fleshly thinking to spiritual realities. And I don’t think it is wise to put such a label on the actions of Ananias OR Sapphira.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Proverbs 14:12.
Jason B I agree, see my other reply to you, Amen Brother
It is very easy to see that Peter is indeed attributing the death to God when he predicts that Saphira will also die. This article reminds me of what the Jehovas Witnesses do when they twist every scripture to fit their twisted theology. I encourage everyone to open their bible and take an honest reading of Acts 5. God clearly is the one who killed them and that is as plain as day. Read it for yourself. You often accuse people of having performance glasses on and they can’t see grace…here you have glasses on where you refuse to see the plain truth before you because it doesn’t fit your theology. I get angry when i see someone twisting what the scriptures plainly say. Read Acts 5 for yourself and you can see it was God who killed them. Read it for yourself. Its obvious. This article is a lie.
Read it for yourself and decide.
Charlie,
Why “Read it for yourself and decide.” ???
YOU have already, and have already “decided” for us.
Blessings,
Warren (South Carolina USA)
Ananias and Sapphira: God hides meanings in names. Ananias means grace. Sapphira is a type of stone. More specifically it is the type of stone on which the ten commandments were carved on. When you mix law and grace you get death in the church. As simple as that. Credit to Joseph Prince. Mixture causes death. It is the same as being lukewarm. Love your blog Paul
Pieterp89,
It struck me when I read your comment about mixing law and grace. I wondered if this is alluded to in Daniel’s vision regarding the statue, specifically the feet being of iron and clay. I think the feet are about the end times we are experiencing, and iron and clay do not mix. Any thoughts on the iron and clay representing law and grace?
Blessings,
Warren (South Carolina, USA)
Hey Warren, not so sure. They talk about mixing their seed with the seed of men in Daniel 2. That means that “they” must be something other than men. And that it isn’t dogma that is talked about here but something more physical. I think this might be some kind of demonic agenda where we are going to be forced to accept “extraterrestrial” beings as our cosmic brothers. Fallen angels posing as aliens from another galaxy to deceive the nations into believing there is no God. I know how weird that sounds. Check out Chuck Missler’s stuff on the alien agenda. He talks a lot about this and gives the proper background.
What are your thoughts on it?
Pieterp89,
I like Chuck Missler and his take on the end times. I was just curious about the “mix” of the feet and clay. I have always thought that it was tied to the demonic agenda as you believe also.
thanks!
Warren (South Carolina, USA)
im just wondering if jesus died for all sins before the cross too. If this is so then how do we explain god’s wrath on OT sinners, considering that god is outside of time and would see christ’s atonement effectual even back then?
The Holy Spirit is acting like a deranged and vengeful Vegas mobster!
A dreadful passage that undermines the Christian ethic of love and forgiveness.
Two suspicious deaths. I would arrest all those involved and press manslaughter charges, even murder…
Hey bro…i agree with u all the way the thing that troubles me is that it sounded like they died based on the words or rebuke of peter…it was instant which makes it seem like a form of punishment which i dont believe…Jeus already took our punishment but to say it was natural causes which makes a lot of sense still leaves questions..thank u for your time your site its awesome bro
A. Where were Peter and John? Jerusalem
B. What time were they there? The hour of prayer
C. What cause a commotion? They healed the lame man in the name of Jesus
D. Why were they there? Announcing to the Jews that Jesus was raised from the dead and is the messiah.
E. What was the result? 5,000 males turned from the law and came to believe in Jesus (grace)
F. Why did it stop? Peter and John were confronted by rulers, elders and men learned in the sacred scriptures. They asked how they were able to perform such miracles. Peter and John told the leaders that the Jews killed Jesus the messiah that they were looking for and that He is the only way to salvation.
G. What did the leaders do? They attempted to calm the people while still remaining in control. They did not want the message of Jesus (grace) to spread. They couldn’t deny that the lame man had been healed. They demanded that Peter and John no longer speak or teach of Jesus (grace)
H. Why were Peter and John released? They could not hold them by the testimony of the healed lame man.
I. What did Peter and John do next? They told the own associates (Christians) and they went to praying asking to speak about Jesus with fearless confidence and attesting miracles. The place was literally shaken.
J. What happened next? The believers were of one heart and one soul (Jesus). The gospel was still being preached to the multitude. People were selling and bringing all that they had to the feet of the apostles. Their conversions led them to give freely as their chains of bondage had been removed. The shared all that they had. Barnabas (son of encouragement) gave his property because he believed.
K. Where were they? They were still among the multitude in Jerusalem preaching Jesus.
L. What about Ananias and Sapphira? They crafted a plan, their hearts were not converted. They gave a portion to Jesus (Grace) but kept some back (law).
M. Why did they die? They were under the law and attempted to corrupt the followers of Jesus (grace). Law + Grace = Death. Ananias means grace. Shappira means sapphire (the 10 commandments were written on sapphire stones).
N. What happened next? Fear traveled across the assembly, the Sadducee would no longer attempt to corrupt the Apostles.
O. More miracles, signs and wonders broke out by the hands of the Apostles.
P. And the Jews believing in the Lord constantly were being added to the number
Q. More and more miracles were happening.
R. What happened to the Chief Priest and all those who were with him? The became jealous and put Peter and John in prison, but an angel of the Lord freed them!
I still have no clue on how they died. But I think it may have to do with Peter functioning out of his carnal mind and not the mind of Christ when they died.
I think Peter killed them. He wrongly ù utilized the Holy Spirit gift to place a heavy burden on them by confronting them in such heavy manner.
He was harsh on them. Think about it like this, if that was Jesus they brought the money to, would they have died? Am sure Jesus would not have said a word. JudaS will betray him, but he did not say a word of it to judas. God is a friend of sinner, he does not kill them
Pete was harsh. Few months ago, he had just denied Christ thrice, worse sin than annanias family, He was spared, but when he grew stronger, he had his first deaths in the early church by not leading the erring gently to Christ. John wouldn’t have killed them, paul wouldn’t have Jesus wouldn’t have, or he would have raised them up.
Evil fear not from God fell on the church after this incidence to confirm it was not God doing.
Don’t forget several of such mistakes.
Ponder on these things
Can you help me with a question I have? It is This: Is the power of SIN and the Flesh the same thing? Are we fighting against these two things? Thank you Roberto 🙂
Reading along in the Acts is beautiful until we come to this passage…it is a turn off. These people were just being practical (I’m thinking with my 21st Century mind here). It seems that they wished to follow the Apostles and generously donated their wealth but kept some back for eventualities. For this they were struck down dead. Brings to mind the old adage, “no good deed goes unpunished”. If they were truthful about it, would it have been acceptable to Peter.
In reading the comments, obviously there are many interpretations and opinions. I wonder sometimes though, since the Bible was translated from the ancient language and subject to human error and omissions, might that be the case in this instance. We sometimes justify what we give, or don’t give, to support the Church, i.e. “I can’t afford to give that much”, then we go out and spend money on ourselves. Is this passage a man-made manipulation that tries to tell us we do so at our own peril. (I know my cynicism is showing here – my trust in “the Word of God” – and I wish it wasn’t so. I just wish my faith was unshakeable. It’s a grace that I continue to pray for, “Jesus, I believe; please help me in my disbelief”.)
Just read this post– our pastor preached on Ananias and Sapphira last Sunday– his point being “when God acts out of character”– saying that God put this couple to death. My wife and I left early because the notion that God killed this couple was so out of line with how we see God. Anyhow, I appreciate your post. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me understand this story. What I now think is that Peter was demonstrating gifts of discernment of spirits and word of knowledge– God did not kill this couple, nor did Peter, and Peter’s words were not out of line. The devil deceived this couple– but they were willing to be deceived– and before they could repent based on Peter’s confronting them, the devil ended their lives. Tragic for them.
Gary, so good to see a brother that has learned the secret to how to be led by the Spirit and not by own understanding or some pastor or some website (though He can speak through all those things).
You brought what Jesus said in John 16:13 to life and it is refreshing to me. Grace and peace be upon you.
There is a common line of thinking that in one way or another God whops people with a supernatural obedience stick for not following the rules and uses that same supernatural authority and power to bless those who try hard and remain faithful to the commands. The cross and the God-man who died on it display with clarity that those are religious, fleshly thinking patterns that are inconsistent with whom God is. The devil’s tool always has been to trick us into playing the fool and in so doing, live out our lives operating under the influence of “God doesn’t really love me”. Jesus came into His creation that was suffering in the sewage of sin and death to reveal true righteousness and life. He broke down the barrier between God and man so that we can come to Him and live FROM Him rather than FOR Him. Escaping the sewage. Being in Christ is like standing under a waterfall of a constant flow of GRACE. Jesus will never run dry and stop flowing! The problem is our misunderstandings. God has revealed Himself. And it’s not through the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Theirs is indeed an odd entry into the book of Acts from certain perspectives, but don’t let this story negate the truths revealed about God in Christ. Truths that are present in every post Paul Ellis puts out on this site.
I’ve never believed God arbitrarily killed them. Sometimes we have to be open and honest with the Scriptures. Joseph Prince, who is a an amazing Radical Grace preacher. He has done a message on these two. He proved by Scripture that these two weren’t believers. What they were doing was attempting to defraud the Church. They were wolves seeking to devour the flock. JP believes God was protecting His flock. He didn’t say God killed them but removed any form of protection off of them. He didn’t punish their sins because Jesus already bore punishment for sin.
However, many agree well sin killed them. I thought sin was already punished in the Body of Jesus? I thought its been done away with. I agree it has. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of eternal life is Christ Jesus. If unbelievers refuse the gift of Jesus they are saying no to Grace and the free gift, and saying yes to the wages of sin. God in Christ has reconciled the World, having bore all the punishment for sin. He has forgiven sin. Yet, if an unbeliever rejects that forgiveness they are in effect saying I will pay my own wage for my sins.
Ananias and Sapphira weren’t believers and sought to take advantage of the generosity and kindness of the Church. They lied to God and simply received the wages of their sins, death!
God did not kill them “because they lied, their hearts failed them”
It’s a huge co-incidence that they both died of stress.
I think God killed them. The Bible suggests the same thing
I’m not sure how you come to that conclusion given the overwhelming evidence of scripture. You would literally have to rewrite the Bible and the gospel to conclude God killed this couple. You would have to assume that the Father and the Son are a house divided, that Jesus didn’t bear the sin of the world, and that the Apostle Paul was totally in error.
The problem with evil is that it has disguised itself as harmless, friendly, beneficial, admirable etc. Satan’s anti-Christ themes and ideas have saturated the human population on an enormous scale due to today’s technology and mass communication paths. The amount of information that we are consuming and the lightning pace at which society is absorbing these themes has put humanity into overdrive. Our minds have been targeted and the goal is to seduce society into a hypnotic state so that our thoughts are literally not our own. We need to guard our minds like never before. As the church is preaching from the pulpits, Satan is preaching his messages and views through Hollywood and the other influential, colossal industries worldwide (obviously not all movies are bad, that’s not what I’m saying). Satan is not holding a pitch fork, horned, or red. He’s not even ugly – He’s a beautiful angel of light. The known blatant, wicked, dark, and ugly Satanic stuff we see in the world is more or less a diversion so we won’t be on guard against the sly pushing of anti-Christ ideas and themes (that appear harmless) into the flow of society to infect all its facets. Our enemy is very good at his craft – deceiving.
Here’s my point: We don’t even recognize evil when we are looking right at it! Wearing it. Listening to it. Speaking it. Even preaching it. How many action movies have we seen that start with a scene of a bad guy who fails at his task followed by a scene of him being “offed” by the leader of the bad guys in front of the rest of the gang to teach everybody else a lesson. That is ruling through fear and that is Satan’s way. Not God’s. God’s way is that of His own self-sacrificial love! Are we so unaffected by the Gospel that we look at Ananias and Sapphira and see God the Mob Boss handling His business? Maybe, just maybe, we need less “entertainment” and more teaching from the Holy Spirit.
Perfection is something we assume of the prophets, disciples, apostles . . . the “Good guys”. The truth is that God never had a perfect man to work with, Peter was no exception, we are all on the way towards being more like Jesus as we wrestle to renew our old mind.
I conform my mind towards Jesus to be the son I already am. I confess I misrepresent the true nature of our Father on a daily basis, everyone is the same.
Jesus came to correct the trajectory of mans’ path towards God and it’s clear by these corrections that Jesus had a real problem with scripture, “Men of old said . . . this and that . . . but I say, something totally opposite”. (Matt 5) Jesus corrected scripture ! ! !.
While speaking to Ananias and Sapphira Peter chose a lower trajectory than the one Jesus demonstrated and thereby chose to operate out of a different spirit just like James and John when they decided on “calling fire down from heaven”.
Like men everywhere, believers or not, we tend towards retribution and justice when we are wronged. Peter could have ministered mercy and Grace but instead spoke out of parts of his soul not yet renewed.
Peter set a trajectory coming from fear and justice, and “great fear seized the church and all who heard about these events” . . . and so fear was validated within the church. This trajectory has validated all sorts of ideas which misrepresent our Father.
I came upon this article and the related comments by chance. Having pondered and struggled with this issue in the past few years, I would like to just share my thoughts and understanding.
Yes, Jesus died for all our sins (past, present and future) when we receive His gift of salvation which is Eternal Life. Though we can and will become better people (to varying extent, through guidance of scriptures and the Holy Spirit), we will never be able to be perfect like Him, in our lifetime. He gave us many benefits in this life (Abundant Life) but He did not cancel the death penalty of our physical body ( which we ‘inherited’ through Adam’s Fall). So, when we sin, we are still subjected to the consequences, to varying degree, including physical (but not Eternal) Death. (Non-believers are subjected to such consequences too, except they do not have Eternal Life.)
In the case of A&S, I believe, the stress of their dishonesty with the church being found out (probably through the gift of discernment of Peter) was too great for their physical beings that they collapsed and died. If they were believers, they still retain Eternal Life. If not, they face Eternal Death.
From relevant scriptures, A&S were most probably non-believers for, if they were, they would have been referred to as ‘a certain disciple named…..’ rather than ‘a certain man named…..’.
John 20:23 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” maybe the death is explained in this scripture?
I’m very happy to encounter someone that knows God so well…But in fact, you must not know Him as well as you think… I’ve learned one really profound truth in my 64 years here on this earth, and that is that God is God…He can do whatsoever He wants to do…AND HE DON’T HAVE TO ASK ANYONE FOR PERMISSION, OR ANSWER ANYONE’S QUESTIONS CONCERNING WHAT HE DOES. Christians have lost their fear of the Lord, because of a form of modernistic demonic cheap grace. Millions are missing the mark of living a life pleasing to God and are sadly enlarging hell every day. JESUS SAID IN LUKE CHAPTER 4 THAT WE ARE TO FEAR GOD WHO IS ABLE TO KILL AND CAST INTO HELL. WAS HE USING FEAR IN A WAY THAT WAS NOT PLEASING TO HIS FATHER? I WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A HEALTHY REVERENCE OF FEAR AS I WALK IN THE LIGHT OF GOD’S GLORY.
Satan’s whole purpose is to get everyone afraid of the Father. To this end Satan impersonates an angry god in an effort to convince us to fear our God.
Check it out.
“Satan goes around like a roaring lion seeking who he can devour”, compare, ” the wrath of a king is like the roar of a lion”.
False doctrine in 5 words, “God is angry with you”, compare matt 24:5 “false doctrine ” with the first horse of rev 6:2.
Unless you’re JW you will acknowledge this white horseman is in fact Satan pretending to be God ready to attack you with his arrows.
To think that your king is YOUR enemy is a position of weakness and fear.
Jesus said, the holy Spirit will convict you that Satan has been condemned”, not us, Satan. God is Satan’s enemy, Satan needs to fear.
The only thing we need to fear now is self-righteous. . . justifying ourselves by our actions. . . now that’s scary.
John
Truth – God loves us to the extent of dying on a cross to make a way to be with us. And that is His desire, to be with us, so that we can enjoy Him and He can enjoy us. (and you are correct, He didn’t ask for anyone’s permission before taking your sins upon Himself)
Deception – You better fear God and act right or suffer the consequences of His big stick. As Richard points out, this is from the impersonator.
Who is the deceiver? Who is the Truth? What is the deception Jesus came to get us to see through? Come on John, my brother… 64 years?………SNAP OUT OF IT!!!
John Jesus goes on in the gospels to call his disciples, disciples no more but friends. What a change! You do well to fear God. Even the demons fear God and tremble. But if you knew God as Abba, if you rested on the finished work of Jesus, the body would be dead because of sin, but the Spirit would be alive because of righteousness in Christ. Love does not have to do with fear, but perfect love cast out all fear, for fear has to do with torment. There was a time I submitted to eternal torment, and maybe that’s love, but eternal destruction is something else entirely. God doesn’t save saints to unsaint them. He calls them new creations. That is what you are!
John- Fear of God is the sign of immaturity in a believer. It is a sign of a lack of knowledge of God, Jesus and the gospel.(1 John 4:7-21)
God does not need to ask anyone’s permission to do anything. Yet God has revealed through scripture His character and His spiritual-legal process by which He operates. These two things show that God does not behave as an emotional human with little self control much as the false gods of mythology were described as behaving.
You have much to learn about the real gospel of scripture and much to un-learn about the traditions of man regarding the same. I suggest going through the site here bible firmly in hand, checking everything for context and consistency and see which view holds up to the whole picture of the gospel- this grace or your fear. So much of what tradition tells us about sin, fear and punishment came about from disregarding the full context of a verse, passage or chapter. They have been taught outside of context for so long no one can see the whole picture because the pie have been served chopped up for hundreds of years.
As I read your reply I could picture you with your bible opened at the throne of God explaining to Him your interpretation of His Word and the doctrine you formed from your studies of it. I would bet all my marbles that you’re someone that thinks that once you’re saved you’re always saved…well if that’s true…you’re wrong. And if youre wrong about that you’re most likely wrong about some other man made doctrines. JESUS HIMSELF SAID THAT WE SHOULD FEAR GOD… Who are you people to say that Jesus was wrong? You’re not talking down to someone that just fell off the hay wagon, I’ve gone through some very serious spiritual experiences with The LORD. I’ve been to Bible scool but Moore importantly I’m in the scool of the HOLY SPIRIT every day. GOD KILLED ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA and no amount of man’s words can change it…It’s recorded in heaven! I know that God is love but some times God gets angry. Read for yourself how God has killed multiple millions in the old testament and read in revalation where He is going to kill perhaps billions moore. To try and turn the truth into a fairy tale is futile…you can’t do it, because God’s truth is preserved forever.
John, you have come here with anger that befits your fear-filled theology. Please understand I will not publish any further comments that are discourteous to readers. If you won’t listen to us, I hope you will listen to what Jesus himself said about the fear of the Lord. Peace.
Fear is the opposite of love – so you cannot love God and live in fear of Him at same time. This is a simple basic. Anyone who lives in fear of God is still living under the Old Covenant, that is, judged and condemned by The Law – guilty as charged.
Yes I believe that when Jesus said eternal and everlasting life he meant it.(John 5:24, etc.) I believe all the scriptures that say that Jesus one time blood offering for all my sin is enough to keep my cleansed.(Hebrews 9 &10)
I believe that when the scriptures say that it is our faith that overcomes the world then it is our faith in Jesus not our trying that gives us success.(1 John 4)
I believe sin is so terrible that only death is the correct penalty for it. But I also believe that Jesus paid the wages for my sins. I was crucified with Christ, set free from sin slavery and now I have the power to resist sin’s trickery. Because of my having died with Christ sins wages have been paid and I now have my fruit of holiness with the end being eternal life.(Romans 6)
John, regarding God’s declaration to wipe out millions of people and animals in the OT and again when He returns at the end of time… I would recommend looking into the Nephilim hybrids.
I’m sorry Paul, I did not really get your explanation. If Jesus came to take away our sins, then Why will Ananias and Sapphira die from their sin? From how Peter put, “you lied to the Holy” it really makes it seems like He was killed by the Holy Spirit(God). I love and understand the Grace and love of God message but this parricular story is very controversial. I wish, hope and pray that we identify the mistery behind this story.
FALSE GOSPEL
Hi Paul,
A false gospel is going around saying that God kills Christians. In the last week on the 26th October on “Freesat” Revelation channel, Mark Anderson on Speakers Corner said that a man in meeting stood up and told a Christian leader that he was in an adulterous relationship and if he didn’t repent he would die in the night, he died that night. A few days later on the “Freeview” TBN channel, R T Kendall spoke of a minister named Paul who pronounced on another minister that he would die before he had a chance to preach in his new church. The minister died of a heart attack just before he was able to preach in his new church.
These two messages went out on prime time TV, with the possibility of tens of thousands of unbelievers watching. We are supposed to be bringing unsaved people into the kingdom of God, not driving them away with fear, that God strikes Christians dead if they step out of line. These messages are anti-Christian. If I was an unbeliever searching for the truth about God, and then came across a broadcast with death threats, I would keep well clear of Christianity.
The reason I say that the accounts above of killing Christians are false, is because nowhere in the whole of the bible does it affirm that God kills born-again Christians. If this was the case there would be thousands of Christians dropping dead in churches every week, because Ananias and Sapphira’s sins were certainly no worse than the sins of many of today’s Christians.
Peter asks Ananias, after Ananias lies to Peter concerning the price of the land that he has sold. “…Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…?” is a question that reveals who Ananias really is. No born-again Christian can be filled with the Spirit of God and with Satan, for there is no room in the heart for two masters (Matthew 6:24). If Satan had filled the hearts Ananias and Sapphira then we know that Jesus did not live there. …..“because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4).
The author of the book Acts felt the same way, as he refers to Ananias as “a certain man” Acts 5:1. Only unbelievers were referred to in this generic way (8:9; 10:1; 14:8; 16:16; 19:24), with believers being “certain disciples” (9:10; 9:36; 16:1; 19:1), or “certain prophets and teachers” (13:1; 21:10).
I get the impression that some preachers love to put fear in other Christians, and so they quote the example of Ananias and Sapphira (who were unsaved sinners) to give weight to there terror warnings of; “Be very afraid of God or He might strike you dead.”
“Jesus came to save life not to kill” (Mark 3:4). So why would Father God kill His very own children after His Son Jesus had saved them? It wouldn’t make sense! It would be a complete travesty of God’s justice and integrity for Him to act in this way.
It’s like what you said in your post, from these bible verses that God does not kill Christians for their sins,
[God] doesn’t punish us as our sins deserve. (Psalm 103:10, CEV)
The punishment that brought us peace was on him… (Isaiah 53:5b)
God is not counting people’s sins against them. (2 Corinthians 5:19b)
To sum-up what I believe is happening; These quoted obscure preachers and men in meetings (sinners themselves) who are allegedly pronouncing death on Christians, are being used by Satan to put the curse of death on them, and to cause fear and confusion in the church. All lies, death and destruction in the world we see today is caused by Satan, not by our beloved Father God who loves us with an “Everlasting Love.” (Jeremiah 31:3, John 3:16, Romans 5:8).
The Consummation of God’s Love
“This is how [God’s] love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgement: in this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:17-19 NIV).
Regards Haydn.
Thank you for this truth explained well. I recently heard a pastor speak of this same truth and finally this scripture makes sense : such powerful grace and kindness shown to us which we often can’t receive because our own hearts that feel condemned due to wrong teaching. Thank you again
Hey Paul thanks for your writing and ministry it has changed my life and I send your articles to friends and ministers regularly.
Based on this story of Ananias and Sapphira this is the best explanation (from the grace perspective) I have ever read! It’s in alignment with everything you teach. Let me know your thoughts…
I’ve heard a few teachers say God killed them but that’s okay because they were sinners – I don’t like this interpretation any more than I like the one about God killing Christians. Either Jesus paid for all sin or he didn’t, and if he did, God couldn’t kill them for their sin. I have been reluctant to offer my thoughts on what did kill them because my purpose here has been to show that God could not have killed them – despite nearly every teacher saying he did. Thanks for the encouragement and feedback.
To this day man sees the outside, seized by this. Father sees inside and knows all, never has in truth been a killer ever. We man or it is the enemy, Lucifer, that brought it all on. As Father saw it all from day one. Me so elated we have free choice to believe or not consciously, believe, bet set free, unbelief remain in sin. But wait a sin. We have and might still do, but God does not, never has, never will.
For all boiled down anything without belief to Father and Son in this gift given it is sin Romans 8:23. All that is asked is to change our minds to belief over the first birth of unbelief. I think they were shocked, so deep, a heart attack took place, yet that is conjecture, but what is not, is God did not kill them as appears to man did.
Thanks for the insight given through you.
I have watched Mike Popovich from Freedom Ministries (you tube) teach on Ananias and Sapphira: The truth about Ananias and Sapphira, mixture kills but the Spirit gives life. Interesting revelation on the meaning of those names. God was/is not counting man’s sins against him, so He could not have killed them for lying/sinning. If they got zapped then we are all done for.
I think I have only heard three people in my whole christian life say that God did not kill Ananias and Sapphira. Hoping there are many out there that do believe like this.
Thank you Paul.
If God killed Ananias and Sapphira there would be a lot of dead priests and preachers too…I am sure. Money and lying cannot be worse than molesting innocent children. The new covenant was in place but Peter knew the power of his words…so maybe his words killed them. All I know is God did not kill them.
Sherry, I agree, God did not kill them. Even in the beginning, God did not kill Adam and or Eve did he?
So much confusion, God only said if eat from the one tree, death would be, he did not say he would do that.
God is love to all, and Love his true love can not be stopped
Thanks Sis
Thanks Paul and Jason. I remember a day at a little baptist church in Florida where we read this scripture and were told A&S were believers. Scared me to death, well almost! I went home and read it again and prayed and the Lord showed me they were not. I went to evening service and spoke to an elder of the church and told him what I saw….he was so kind and humble, said he would read it again and came back all excited and thanked me for pointing it out. He then went to the pastor and had a similar conversation. I was done and then I read this. I never even thought about the idea that the message was that God kills sinners (just not believers really relieved me). HERE IT IS: I have the answer. Satan killed A&S. Jason wrote: It caused people to be afraid of God, His message, and His messengers, the apostles. Come on, we know who longs to do that. What a big distraction and yes, we see how God deals with that. He blesses the people (believers and sinners) all the more, through Peter! If God killed A&S, then the entire gospel would be a lie. Jesus Christ walked under the law, fulfilled it (as only He could), and took the sin (all sin, the law being the strength of sin) upon Himself at the cross. His body beaten, His blood spilled, He died; and, God raised Him so that He could give us Life! AWESOME!
Good stuff Jenny. I like what you said. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we tend to categorize people in our mind and then force those categorical characteristics onto them. We like to simplify the complex. I think this applies to our view of believers and non-believers. I don’t think it is as simple as believers are in and no-believers are out, or that non-believers should expect no help from God while believers are lavished with Grace. No, the difference between believers and non-believers is BELIEF. Jesus has done it all and all the benefits of being in a love based relationship with the creator of everything are just a belief away for anyone. Yes, Satan is the one busy keeping us from believing. The world is living our of deception.
Amen Jenny Beauchamp, not easy to see until Father reveals things to us as did you, thanks for sharing this truth Sis
The problem is that this passage presents very serious and embarrassing challenge to the modern view of God and grace. We cannot wriggle our way out of this difficulty by twisting scriptures. As is said in hermeneutics:”if the plain sense makes sense seek no other sense.” Otherwise, you’d end up with error.
Yet a plain sense reading of your rather lengthy comment, John, suggests Peter killed them – which is not what you think at all. What is plain to you is not plain to another because context is everything. If you believe God kills people, you will invoke your prior belief onto this passage and interpret it as such. However, if you believe Jesus bore the sins of the world and that God is no longer holding men’s sins against them, you won’t. I’ve been upfront about my bias. I hope you can be equally honest with yours.
Please note that while I welcome comments that disagree with me, I do ask they they be kept short and to the point. Thanks.
Thanks, each does have a view. Mine is God does not kill, never has, we do that to ourselves.
Thanks for your comment of truth to me this I see too
I go with ps Joseph Prince’s explanation: Ananias and Sapphira were no christians at all. God protects the church and the believers. If A & S were christians it leads us to conclude the gospel of grace was no grace at all and God’s promises are flawed. I don’t think that is the case so it can only be that A & S weren’t christians. They were evil fraudulent people who were literally hell bent on destroying this early church. By divine inspiration Peter knew this and he knew God would punish them.
I think this is such a great story of how much God loves the church and the people and that He will do anything to protect us then and now. That’s the example that God gave to us.
If God punishes people for their sin, Christ’s work on the cross was incomplete. Jesus bore the sin of the world, not “the world except those two jokers.” Sin kills, Jesus saves.
Hi Paul, thanks for your comment. I’m still troubled so I hope you can help me out. God doesn’t hate sinners, He saves them. Totally agree. I should not have said that God punished A & S.
But if A & S do not want to be saved because their sin is the sin of unbelief. Unbelievers do not enjoy the protection God has for them, am I right? They simply reject God’s protection. That’s why they died because of their sin? I mean, why would their sin be so bad that they had to die instantly? Was it just random? Or is the fallen creation the answer? I really want to understand.
I know 100% something like that will never happen to me, because God promised me that.
I wouldn’t frame it like that because it makes God sound like the Godfather offering protection. It was sin that killed them. Read how Paul describes sin in Romans 7 and you will see that Sin has a personality and an agenda. “Sin produces death.” God himself told Cain that Sin was crouching at his door, waiting to devour him. Sin devoured A&S. Why did they die instantly? We might ask the same question of the pastor from Connecticut. My answer to that question is above.
I agree that it was sin that killed A&S. But I do not understand “I wouldn’t frame it like that because it makes God sound like the Godfather offering protection”. Aren’t we supposed to be enjoying more divine protection than non-believers? God is promising us protection, healing, provision, wisdom, etc. We, christians, believe that God is doing all that for us. Even Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 that if we truly understand and believe what the body of Christ is all about, we are saved from being weak, sick and an untimely death. Apparently you have two type of christians. The christians that truly rest on God’s grace knowing they will endure health, protection and so on and the christians that do not understand grace and miss out on God’s good stuff.
You asked what killed about A&S. The blessings of God are a separate subject. Yes, it’s true some Christians are unaware of these blessings, but as you said A&S weren’t believers.
George, the problem with your proposal is that God is the one doing the killing. I also used to be stuck on A&S as long as I had God as the one who killed them. The text doesn’t say that God killed them & it doesn’t say that they were unbelievers. The reason they died was definitely not God’s doing based on so many verses & grace & the new covenant. The only options remain that something else killed them. I think the reason why Ananias died might even be different than the reason Sapphira died. Ananias dropped dead (Acts 5:5) “as he heard these words.” Sapphira died (Acs 5:9) when Peter said to her: “they will carry you out as well” – is that a curse Peter declared? Could S have died due to Peter’s words?
I see this we are given the Highlights of the history of what happened at that time. However they died, they died in lies, as was reveled they did.
I do not believe God killed them. WHY?
Because God did not kill Adam nor Eve did he? Rather he had Mercy on them. Do you suppose God had Mercy on these as well?
God is Love and Love to this day is not fathomed in or of this world we are in. Agape Love is God’s Love that does not quit ever. Phileo and all other types of Love are not truth
They got exposed and for fear, they got exposed, at leas tthat is how the Church took it, in Fear. since they died after being exposed
Who is the Master of Fear? And Guilt as well/ None other than Lucifer that fallen Angel, that wanted, wants to be God
Go figure
God is good, always has been, as has had an copy-cat trying to play God in God’s place.
AS Only Father of the Truth of the risen Son can and does reveal to his own Children in beleif will see if not yet have
Btw, what do you think is the reason the story of A&S is mentioned in the bible. Is God trying to say something through this story? If so, what is it then? Is it to tell us that sin kills? If so, doesn’t that leave christians fearful? I mean, if you believe that sin kills and that it even kills christians what are we to make from that? Why would anyone convert to Christ if you can still drop dead for sinning. The story becomes much easier to understand if we assume A&S were not christians and that God knew beforehand they would never accept Jesus and sin somehow killed them. I mean, the end result remains the same: A&S will never be in Jesus’ presence. Hope, I’m making sense…..
So many questions. Here are some more: If someone comes to God because of his gifts (eg: protection, life insurance), do they really know Jesus? Were they drawn by love or are they still captive to fear? If the latter, are they really free? Or do they need to be set free? Why would any one who has come to Christ continue to sin or even think about sinning? Why would anyone who has eaten the Bread of Life willingly choose to engage in destructive acts (eg: drink driving)? Why would someone who has been freed from sin worry they might not be free from sin?
Why is the story of A&S in the Bible? To lead you to Jesus.
You say “But the good news is that God is good, he doesn’t treat you as your sins deserve, and he freely gives life to sinners.” and I agree. So the death of the pastor in Connecticut and A&S deaths (assuming they bear close resemblance) are not for us to worry about (I’m not). The fact they died has nothing to do with God. Period.
When other people ask me questions on this matter I just tell them to not worry and just to enjoy Jesus and all He has given us freely. Most importantly: I tell them to not compare themselves with A&S or that pastor in Connecticut. What happened to them is not in store for us. It was sin that killed them and we don’t know why they died that way. We only know it was not God’s doing.
Am I correct? Thank you for all the replies. It’s helping me to understand and to understand your insight (I can’t go to my mixture pastor…). The last thing I want to do is giving the impression that God is somehow harsh or vindictive. I absolutely do not believe that.
People die everyday, sometimes for no reason at all. The human mind craves understanding and when none is forthcoming, we tend to blame God. It’s an old and regrettable habit. When things go well, we give credit to ourselves, and when they don’t, we point the finger at our Maker.
This topic caught my eye. And Paul. Nice reflections. The only thing i have to say is written in romans 8:37-39
‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
Romans 8:37-39 KJV
It shows that no matter how we go through life God does have so much love for us, that if we can comprehend how much He loves us we truly can live the life He has in store for us. Through His Grace we are saved.
Greetings Ferdinand.
P.s off topic i loved your book, the gospel in ten words. Just like Ps. J Prince’s book Destined to reign… this book opened my eyes and heart to Grace
Thank you, Ferdinand.
I would also argue that sin is what killed those in the Old Testement, not God. Otherwise it would make no sense why God killed some but not others. Such as why he didn’t just kill Caine right off the bat even though Caine never repented if I remember correctly. I simply don’t believe a loving Father kills in order to make a point or to discipline. I’ve heard another one of your posts say something similar to that you don’t believe he kills to discipline , but what do you have for input on sin being what killed those in the OT instead of God? I always love your input Paul. Thanks
Were Ananias and Sapphira believers?
The answer is found in the question that Peter asks Ananias, after Ananias lies to Peter concerning the price of the land that he has sold. “Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?” is a question that reveals who Ananias was. No believer can be filled with the Spirit of God and with Satan, for there is no room in the heart for two masters (Matthew 6:24). If Satan had filled their hearts then we know that Jesus did not live there. …… “because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4).
We wouldn’t strike our children dead if they sinned against us, so why would our Father God strike us dead ? Our Father who loves us significantly more than we could ever love our own children. (Luke 11:11-13).
It is sad to me to think of the millions of believers through the centuries that have been put in fear of judgement because of the mistaken identity of Ananias and Sapphira. But the New Covenant of grace knows nothing of a fear of judgement on the born-again believer. The very “idea” is a misnomer. Judgement simply cannot fall on a believer, not a true believer, otherwise we don’t have a New Covenant of Grace and all the promises of God relative to the work of His Son are meaningless.
I’m so glad we can with all confidence proclaim the good news to all that whosoever believes on Jesus shall receive the forgiveness of all sin, past, present and future, and be given the gift of the Holy Spirit, joining them to God Himself through Christ. As Jesus said so clearly,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death into life!” (John 5:24).
“For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” (Luke 9:56 NKJV).