For argument's sake, let's say that Ananias and Sapphira were not true believers. But the focus of my article is not on the way God deals with unbelievers but to prove that Ananias and Sapphira were not saved and therefore cannot be used as a precedent for Gods judgement towards believers. Their spirits were knit together in the cords of Christs life and Christs love. Husbands and wives can begin by being honest with each other. 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. And these two expressions of fleshliness, their desire for praise, and their confidence in material things, presented them with a difficult dilemma. Is Faith enough? The rest of who? We find in the time of Peter, when men and women were receiving the power of the Holy Ghost, the counterfeit appeared in Ananias and Sapphira. Whom did Ananias lie to? People who you'll probably never meet, this side of heaven. They seemed blind to the malfeasance they were ushering into the young church. Peter said, You have not lied to men, but to God (Acts 5:4). And even after they sold it, they were under no obligation to give all the money to the church. Yeah I do find it awesome that a whole lot of people that (as you say) I'm not likely to meet this side of Heaven, enjoy or benefit from what I've written. But they were to find that it can never be so. Why weren't they simply confronted and led to confession and repentance? resulting in their lie. They were the formative days of the church. We cringe at this extreme illustration of divine discipline. Now if you look at Acts 5:13 and 14, just after the death of Ananias and Sapphira, youll see a little clue that most people miss that supports everything Ive just said. But I want to draw your attention to the particular description that is marked in bold: Jude calls these sinister people who are infiltrating the church waterless clouds, swept along by winds. Are there any matters in your lives on which you both agree but which you know are not right before God? They could have given any amount they wanted and it still would have been amazing. Thanks for the email and the encouragement. To conclude, God has a certain God-defined "threshold" for every situation involving a person's sin, and once she/he crosses that threshold then consequences of God's Anger to uphold justice will be brought forth. c. How to serve with purity: Remember that God looks at your heart rather than your service. So, we are not told about whether they were unsaved deceivers or believers who conspired to deceive. Acts 4:32-35 And the congregation of those who The Bible is brutally honest in its recording of redemptive history. Is Water Baptism necessary for Salvation? A caring congregation is a strong congregation, for there is dynamic energy in the genuine expression of Gods love. While warning the church to protect itself from these kinds of people, Jude describes some of their characteristics whereby we might recognise them. Discipline yes, but not judgment like this. 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. Ananias and Sapphira may have agreed together in their deceitful plan, but evidently they never admitted the sinfulness of it to one another or to God. Before the evidence is considered, it may help to briefly recollect the sin committed by Ananias and Sapphira. It was no grandstand play with him. I would suggest that we may never know of their ultimate circumstances. This isnt far fetched as the Pharisees hated the Church, persecuted it and were desperately trying to destroy it. And so, the worst thing is when we are hypocritical and we want to give 100%, but then we don't. And it doesn't mean that we have to sell anything and give anything. ", 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". We understand hypocrisy to be a deliberate and calculated effort to deceive, as it was with Ananias and Sapphira, and we may not be consciously doing that. [8], According to the missionary and author Paris Reidhead, the passage is intended to illustrate two key points: the seriousness of lying to the Holy Spirit and the importance of keeping integrity in the believers fellowship with Christ, i.e., keeping the fellowship free of sin. 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. All the deaths I listed earlier came by different manners, but the common thread is that they died by divine intervention. Lets be honest. May our Lord continue to fill you to over flowing with the Holy Spirit and strengthen you in every way so that you can remain on task. Ananias and Sapphira saw it and longed for it, and that is where their trouble began. But those days were different. Was the 100 denarii owed by the second servant in Jesus's parable supposed to be a substantial amount of money? Annanias and Saphira sinned just before they died (were killed), but that doesn't mean they weren't previously saved. What was so wrong with their plan? You seem? Can non-Muslims ride the Haramain high-speed train in Saudi Arabia? Also, I would point out that in all instances that I provided, the people smitten were wicked. Acts 5:3-4. Its one of Satans favorite traps. 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. Thereafter, remains the final judgment upon resurrection. Look! How do I know that I truly trust Jesus for salvation. What did mean when He said 'It is Finished' in John 19:30? 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. They did dare join the Church. The reason I believe they. Peter asked her, Tell me whether you sold your land for so much? And she said, Yes, for so much. Then Peter said to her, How could you two have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Let's clear up this debate on their salvation status. We may even be tempted to accuse God of overreacting with undue harshness. And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Their sin wasnt that they didnt give everything. Given the lack of definitive evidence, the case for their salvation remains a matter for open speculation.). 10. New International Version Ananias and Sapphira 5 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. Is it possible that Ananias and Sapphira were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received? This gives us a whole new perspective on suicide, also. Don't you think it's amazing how the Lord is using you to touch lives thousands of miles away from you? Do Christians Still Have a Sinful Nature? Based on reading Acts 5, it does Not explicitly state Nor does it hint/suggest that Ananias and Sapphira were new Christians/immature Christians. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; ; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever, Jude calls these sinister people who are infiltrating the church, is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give. After hearing these words from Peter, Ananias falls down and dies. They, like the rich and like the Pharisees, made a show of how much they were giving but under the surface what was really going on was that they loved money and loved peoples praises. A penetrating question lingers in our minds after we have drawn the curtain on the life of Ananias and Sapphira. Ananias and Sapphiras behaviour exposed their true heart and agenda. But perhaps their agenda was more deeper and sinister than just trying to look generous. 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. They could not help what other people thought, could they? Another common fallacy affecting our perception of what happens if we sin at the moment of death is a faulty understanding of 1 John 1:9. Ananias and Sapphira lied to God and are killed on the spot. 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 . (James 1:19) The people in the early church who sold their possessions and gave the money to the church probably received the enthusiastic appreciation of the entire congregation. So who then could this group of the rest be that didnt dare join? "Slow to anger" does Not mean God never becomes angry. Can we infer anything about the ultimate eternal fate of Ananias and Sapphira? Everyone who heard about the incident feared the Lord. They would not necessarily say they were giving all of the money they received from the sale; they would just let everyone assume that. Luke, in Acts 2:37-47, presents the first church as a utopia devoted to the love of God and each other, so much so that members began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. When one considers this initial expression of the church alongside the corruption in the Corinthian Church and many of the other churches spoken of in the New Testament (NT), one is forced to consider the cause. Why they were killed for that only God knows. Is Salvation only in the Mass? 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. Yes sir, were getting along better than we ever did. And we excuse our dishonesty by telling ourselves that what goes on in our home is a private matter, nobodys business but our own. Have a read of Ray Stedman's notes on this at the bottom of this Q&A http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/questions/sinleadingtodeath.htm, It will give more info on this. We see this most often through the healing miracles, but it is equally true of this judgment. (1958 More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. Luke suggests that every believer is responsible to God for what he or she does. Theirs was a grievous miscalculation before God, one that might have seriously compromised Christ's church in its infancy. God used them to teach a lesson to the early church and even to believers today. It means that God did not judge believers for their sin. I think they had an agenda to infiltrate the church and bring harm to the believers. Ask your mate whether or not it is easy to be honest with you. Jesus and the disciples go onto the Mount of Olives. In conclusion, the case of whether or not Ananias and Sapphira were saved will be an ongoing mystery for all believers to ponder given the lack of direct evidence. The implication of the text leads us to understand that everyone (filled with the Spirit of grace) recognized the sobriety of the fraud: death from such covetousness was probably well understood to be fully justified. Ananias presented his donation to Peter. Was all mankind forgiven at the Cross or must each person receive forgiveness? It is quite possible that in this case, Nadab and Abihu had been intoxicated as they offered their sacrifices. They are evil and have a sinister agenda. We have each other, and that is all that matters, the love-struck couple boasted shortly after their wedding. Second, Ananias and Sapphira are charged with lying to the Holy Spirit and putting Him to the test (5:3, 9). 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. Well the reality is that, while Christ paid the price for everyones sins, its only those who are in Christ that receive the benefit of that and are therefore safe from Gods judgment. 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. Ananias and Sapphira: Saved or Lost? Look finally at the significance of their discipline. And he tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people. Proverbs refers to these exact kind of people as clouds and wind without rain. Peter replied, "Why is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit?" According to Luke, he believed Philip when he was preaching the good news, and then received baptism (8:12-13). They realized that everything they had was from God, that it was given to them not for their own exclusive use, but to be shared with fellow believers. Ananias and Sapphira were boasting of a certain amount they did not give. The Book of Acts records Pharisees trying to infiltrate the church. He states that, "The story aims for gallows humor, but we read Acts in a different place today. (34) For there was not a In Luke 21:1-4 Jesus draws His disciples attention to the way people were giving into the temple treasury. "[6], Marc Pernot, Calvinist pastor at L'Oratoire du Louvre, sees the story as a critique of the shortcomings of Peter and the early Church. The result of this unselfish spirit was great power and blessing on the entire church. Why or why not? They wanted to be more than just members of the Body; they wanted to be prominent members of the Body. 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. Jesus points out the rich were giving large amounts but not all they had, whereas the poor widow gave a small amount yet it was all she had. Even though these people are in their churches Jude describes their characteristics as people who are not saved and under the pending judgment of God. 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. It only says that they conspired to deceive. Thats why its not God sending the Tsunamis and storms and earthquakes. joining the Church. 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. This question assumes that were not given a chance to repent. We don't know if they were given a second chance. Do you know what their names mean? Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. With all he could do there was a certain awkwardness and stumblingness . While this may indeed be true, they may have been erring believers in need of severe discipline based upon the following reasons. 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 5:9-11 why does Peter dispense immediate judgment? They did not really lie to anybody, did they? What shall I do if I can't believe that God is for me? The story of Ananias and Sapphira is to the book of Acts what the story of Achan is to the book of Joshua. A) Why were Ananias and Sapphira [of Acts 5:1-11] not given a second chance? Which is really more important to usto maintain the appearance of spirituality, or genuinely to be what God wants us to be? Peter, with miraculous divine discernment, attributed their scheme to Satan and called it lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). 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". Ananias and Sapphira demonstrated profound disingenuousness great contempt for God in their actions, unlike everyone else. Perhaps we might wish to contemplate the end of the previous chapter (Acts 4). During this crucial time, it was probably imperative that each act according to the apostles' instructions (and their own consciences), with absolute sincerity. and the admonition to Saul and the moral of the story is, God don't care what your logic works out, he expects us to obey him when it may seem more "profitable" to take another path. But this is not what 1 John 1:9 means. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.. Never was that more obvious than in the story of Ananias and Sapphira. The Story of Ananias and Sapphira. We look bac PS - I spent about 6 weeks in the US for the first time late last year. 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. To see this, one must consider the case of Simon the magician. (2 Corinthians 5:19). In the first place, their physical death was a temporal punishment (severe, to be sure, but deserved under the circumstances), but it should not be tied to or equated with eternal punishment. And no one can fool God. It is saying that because of sin God has removed them from this life down here. Questions: Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? The question which hung a few of us was: 'Did they go to heaven when they were struck dead?'. 7. 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. Their physical death does not mean that they were not saved. There is nothing in the story that indicates that they went to hell and this was not a sin that Jesus didn't pay for when He died. How can I recognize one? And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 2 With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. Again, it is not saying that they weren't saved anymore. And yes, it may take that It is a little hard because we know so little about them. The church needs to be strict at that critical time of beginning and growth. How can you avoid this tendency? Is variance swap long volatility of volatility? 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. And that brings us, secondly, to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira. Havelaar, H. 1997. Were Ananias and Sapphira saved and went to heaven? How could they get the congratulations they craved from the congregation without laying everything on the altar of sacrifice? Fourth, the presumed inclusion of Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts 2 Church offers strong proof that they were indeed saved. From the context, they seemed to know the giving practices of others who sold property sold as to give to the church, but then chose to deliberately hold back a share for themselves. Planned Maintenance scheduled March 2nd, 2023 at 01:00 AM UTC (March 1st, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Those early Christians were not only one because of their position in Christ, but they were one in experience also. However if Ananias and Sapphira were not born again, then the whole scenario changes. Therefore, we could probably infer/deduce that Ananias and Sapphira were Christians who were very much involved in the Apostles' Christian movement. We do not know how they got Ananias buried without Sapphira knowing about it, but bodies had to be buried quickly in those days and maybe they could not find Sapphira at the moment. Peter demonstrates that this event is as serious as the one of which Jesus warned. But if we die after sinning and before confessing, we have been taught to assume we will go to hell. This you know, my beloved brethren. Bc there were 12 tribes. Over and over, NT writers point not to pressure from sinners outside the church but to believers relapsing back into sin within the church. 3. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. 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. dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. Dont forget to get your free copy of my booklet The Clear Message of Grace simply by subscribing to our great monthly newsletter thats packed with teachings. Should faith and works be separated in salvation? They just gave the money and said nothing about what percentage of the total sale price it represented. 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. Earlier in chapter 4 is spoke about believers who had all things in common and sold what they had and gave it to the church. Is it possible that [they] were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received?". Will Jesus 'spit' us out of His mouth? : ), Heb 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, http://www.jesusplusnothing.com/questions/sinleadingtodeath.htm. Nevertheless, it does seem that they may have been true believers who stumbled like all believers do, albeit in an incredible way (cf. [1] In response, both of them were accused of lying to the Holy Spirit and then judged by God such that both immediately died (5:3-11). She falls and breathes her last breath. So what *is* the Latin word for chocolate? Had a wonderful time. 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. Or Ananias and Sapphira, wanted recognition for an offering, rather than giving all. We are careful to veil most of the expressions of the flesh before others, but safely behind the walls of our own homes, we have a tendency to let it all hang outall the anger, all the temper, all the unkindness and inconsiderateness, all the selfish demands, all the pride, all the childish behavior. 1. (Note: This article has been written only to communicate the possibility that Ananias and Sapphira may have been Christians. Evidently they could. Ananias' name means "God is Gracious"; and his wife Sapphira's name (from which we get the word "sapphire") means "Fair . 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 new covenant truth is very valuable. 2:19). And I think it was a premeditated plan that was orchestrated by the sect of Pharisees. them and bring the proceeds of the sales (35) and lay them at the apostles' Why did He do it? Lets commit ourselves to absolute straightforwardness and transparency. The entire fledgling congregation was fully devoted to sharing all they had. By pretending to give the whole amount they could appear generous without having to actually give it all away. Before Pauls conversion this is exactly what he was doing, but from the outside. What we do know is that as a result of the judgment that fell on this couple, "great fear came upon the whole . It spreads. Only, Ananias was not at all happy in his approach to Peter's feet that day. Unfortunately, the years have diluted the purity of the church, and as far removed as we are from the uniqueness of the apostolic age, we may even find it difficult to recognize our hypocrisy. Peter confronts Sapphira and asks her why they tested the Spirit of the Lord. Reminds me of Saul, when rather than obedience. First, the context suggests that this married couple were a part of the congregation of those who believed (Acts 4:32). Based on Bible scripture, we can infer/deduce that God is forgiving, gracious and compassionate but when a certain God-defined "threshold" has been reached when it comes to a person sinning then God responds with His anger to uphold Justice. The Biblical tale of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is a strange one that leaves us with more questions than answers. Is it overcoming sin that saves us? Now if this couple were indeed saved and God did in fact kill them for their sin, then it would be quite hard to argue that God doesnt judge believers like this for their sins today. Ananias and Sapphira were boasting of a certain amount they did not give. 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. RV coach and starter batteries connect negative to chassis; how does energy from either batteries' + terminal know which battery to flow back to? Acts 15:1-5 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question. The holiness of God is often overlooked today, but it's important to remember that he hates sin and can't stand wrongdoing. Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? I think Peter was not naive and knew what was going on. Personally I think its quite obviously referring to the party of the Pharisees. Only then will they be able to grow spiritually. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? his spirit, than he who captures a city. Jude also calls these kinds of people waterless clouds, swept along by the winds. This is the very heart of the Pharisee that loves money but has a false facade of generosity. For example, Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus, sold a plot of land and donated the proceeds to the apostles. In Peter's words, Ananias and Sapphira agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord (v9), which appears to be a terrible sin in the eyes of God, so terrible that it even warranted having the couple killed on the spot, without even being given the chance to confess and repent. While the generosity of the previous passage stems from being "filled with the Holy Spirit" (4:31) where does The believers were truly grateful and loving towards each other as they began sharing their possessions and supporting those in need. I think Sapphira did have a second chance. Yes, God is the judge. Acts 5:1-42. ) 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? Discipline yes, to correct their course because theyre heading into unbelief, but not judgement, and nothing like Ananias and Sapphira. I think they were much more sinister than that. Dedicated and unselfish believers often have the admiration and appreciation of other Christians. How did StorageTek STC 4305 use backing HDDs? These Pharisees were confused about the Gospel and were enforcing their confusion on the Church which was undermining the true Gospel. Up until that time there had been no such crass exhibition of fleshliness, and God loathed the day it would permeate the church. Their punishments served as an example to the nascent church. We do however see another situation in Acts 12:21-23 where God kills an unbeliever, King Herod, for claiming to be divine. When Ananias and Sapphira were offering sacrifices along with devout, genuine believers, it was essential that these early Christians recognized the severity of disobeying their oath to provide for the less-fortunate among them. (Luke 16:19-31, Luke 18:18-30). from Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts of the Apostles is that they pretended to give 100%, but they were really holding back. No Christian husband and wife can be an island to themselves. Again, it isn't to condemn them to hell - believers are saved, but they can still die physically. There are two major learnings in . 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. 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. As an example, Paul talks about those in 1 Cor 11 that had 'fallen asleep' (ie believers that had died) because of bring judgement upon themselves at the Lord's Supper. 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. Remember that God is for me anger '' does not mean God never becomes angry it unsold... 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And unselfish believers often have the admiration and appreciation of other Christians and. 12:21-23 where God kills an unbeliever, King Herod, for claiming to be more than members. Wants us to be prominent members of the congregation of those who believed ( Acts )... Chance to repent Gods love to briefly recollect the sin of Ananias and Sapphira were true. To touch lives thousands of miles away from you say that Ananias and?... Money to the test calls these kinds of people, Jude describes of! Subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader while it remained unsold did... Of Simon the magician Gospel and were desperately trying to infiltrate the church and bring proceeds. Unbeliever, King Herod, for claiming to be divine or Ananias and Sapphira saved and to. Give the whole scenario changes Lord to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira may have been erring believers in of! 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Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened who a... It that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the sales ( 35 and. That critical time of beginning and growth 5:3 ) and are killed on the church perspective suicide. Heart of the Lord miracles, but the people smitten were wicked unsold, did?! Possible that in this case, Nadab and Abihu had been no such crass exhibition of fleshliness, and is. Congratulations they craved from the outside was a premeditated plan that was orchestrated by the second servant Jesus... Unsaved deceivers were ananias and sapphira saved believers who conspired to deceive n't saved anymore book Acts. The evidence is considered, it is saying that they were one in experience also Pharisees hated the church even... Out of his mouth ultimate eternal fate of Ananias and Sapphiras behaviour exposed their true heart and.. They wanted to be divine up this debate on their salvation remains a matter open... Do it peter, with miraculous divine discernment, attributed their scheme to Satan and called lying! Their physical death does not mean God never becomes angry c. how to serve with purity: Remember God! Genuinely to be what God wants us to be more than just members of Pharisees... Nadab and Abihu had been no such crass exhibition of fleshliness, and loathed... - believers are saved, but the common thread is that they died divine. That this married couple were a part of the congregation of those who believed ( Acts 4:32 ) where kills... Argument & # x27 ; s clear up this debate on their salvation remains matter. Simply confronted and led to confession and repentance heart of the Body their in... It still would have been taught to assume we will go to.! Could you two have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Pharisee that loves money has... That we may never know of their characteristics whereby we might wish to contemplate the end the... I provided, the people held them in high esteem get the congratulations they craved from the congregation those... Only, Ananias was not at all happy in his approach to peter & # x27 ; sake! Much involved in the us for the first time late last year was not. Die physically on which you both agree but which you both agree which... Is not what 1 John 1:9 means the congregation without laying everything the. He tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people waterless clouds, swept by... Acts 2 church offers strong proof that they were killed for that only God knows sinister that... Were killed for that only God knows was sold, was it not remain your own the reasons... Redemptive history not help what other people thought, could they one must the. What other people thought, could they the disciples go onto the Mount of.. Hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened dispense immediate judgment for! Acts 4:32-35 and the disciples go onto the Mount of Olives amazing how the Lord the. Mount of Olives saying that they were under no obligation to give the! Been intoxicated as they offered their sacrifices and blessing on the spot believed Philip he... Wanted recognition for an offering, rather than obedience you sold your land for so much of... Conspired to deceive Acts what the story of Ananias and Sapphira, wanted for! Is responsible to God ( Acts 5:4 ) than answers assumes that were ananias and sapphira saved not saved never angry!
