were ananias and sapphira saved
The Holy Spirit, God or both? And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, Who were the rest that didnt dare join the Church? This you know, my beloved brethren. God clearly judges him. How approachable are you? Some say, God killed them for their sin while others say, No, sin killed them not God. - The people of God were experiencing victory. The Book of Acts records Pharisees trying to infiltrate the church. They were also led to humble themselves even further under the Apostles authority as they recognized that their authority could even be employed in severe judgment. (James 1:19) The fourth-century archbishop John Chrysostom alludes to and then dismisses the idea that Peter could be held responsible for the couple's death. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Heres an article I did that gives biblical evidence for this. Reidhead noted that God does not punish everyone who makes the same mistake as Ananias and Sapphira; nevertheless, the passage illustrates God's unambiguous attitude on this matter. Why or why not? Second, contrary to a widespread fallacy, an individual sin (except for the sin of unbelief) does not necessarily separate us from the grace of God. In Acts 15 we see that they were eventually successful in this. We have the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5, and the death of Herod in Acts 12 for his wickedness. Those early Christians were not only one because of their position in Christ, but they were one in experience also. Dedicated and unselfish believers often have the admiration and appreciation of other Christians. RV coach and starter batteries connect negative to chassis; how does energy from either batteries' + terminal know which battery to flow back to? And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last (Acts 5:5). You have not lied to man but to God. 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. Do Christians Still Have a Sinful Nature? They seemed blind to the malfeasance they were ushering into the young church. So we will allow the Spirit of Jesus Christ to work in us to bring us into His likeness. 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. What did mean when He said 'It is Finished' in John 19:30? Might be someone from the States like yourself or a believer in Asia or a Pastor in Rwanda (like one who recently left a message in the JPN guestbook) so always encouraging. However, it is not clear at all from the terse narrative of Ananias' and Sapphira's deaths that this couple received salvation. [5], The Lutheran New Testament Professor Matthew L. Skinner claims the story is meant to be gallows humour. 5/8), here the church is attacked from within. But most of them were selling their material possessions and giving the money to the apostles to be distributed to those who, in all probability, had lost their jobs because of their faith. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Pretend! 314-316, for a fuller explanation of why this is the correct understanding of this verse. What was so wrong with their plan? They did not really lie to anybody, did they? And he tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules We do however see another situation in Acts 12:21-23 where God kills an unbeliever, King Herod, for claiming to be divine. If their attitudes are wrong, even if they both share them alike, they must acknowledge them openly to the Lord and refuse to go on excusing them. Is all mankind free from their sins or only those in Christ? They would not necessarily say they were giving all of the money they received from the sale; they would just let everyone assume that. Proverbs refers to these exact kind of people as clouds and wind without rain. Three hours after Ananias' death his wife arrived, unaware of what had happened. Ananias and Sapphira lied to God and are killed on the spot. What the Bible Says About Grace (College Press). By committing this sinful deception in their relationship with believers, they by extension deceived the Holy Spirit. How can I recognize one? This question assumes that were not given a chance to repent. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Luke suggests that every believer is responsible to God for what he or she does. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,. Of course the technology involved is a whole other amazing subject. belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. We will want to be ready when the time comes, for with our growing honesty will come a growing concern for Gods honor and for the testimony of Christs church. The church is not composed of perfect people, but sins including pride and deceit will eventually be dealt with. She was given an opportunity to back out in Acts 5:8b, but doubled-down on the lie that they offered the full amount; which itself was not required. The Holy Ghost had not granted them repentance. on falling from grace.). Should faith and works be separated in salvation? Ananias and Sapphira saw it and longed for it, and that is where their trouble began. Which is really more important to usto maintain the appearance of spirituality, or genuinely to be what God wants us to be? 8. 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. 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. She may have been off on a shopping spree, spending some of that money they had deceitfully misappropriated. 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. Second, Ananias and Sapphira are charged with lying to the Holy Spirit and putting Him to the test (5:3, 9). Then we will be able to stop playing the game of putting on appearances. While this may indeed be true, they may have been erring believers in need of severe discipline based upon the following reasons. The holiness of God is often overlooked today, but it's important to remember that he hates sin and can't stand wrongdoing. Their story is rarely shown in art, but is the subject of one of the Raphael Cartoons, and a panel on the Brescia Casket, both illustrated here. Ananias means Jehovah is gracious, and God certainly had been gracious to him. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. They are "saints" The lie that was told, and every other sin they ever committed, either before or after they were born again, where completly paid for by Christ, and cast as far as the east is from the west. Somehow or other, Ananias could not summon up that gladness and that singleness of heart with which all the other contributors came up that day. 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. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. from Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts of the Apostles is that they pretended to give 100%, but they were really holding back. Later, when Peter and John arrived, they refused to bestow upon him the Holy Spirit through the laying on of [their] hands for Simon remained unredeemed (8:17-23). We may simply have fallen into the unconscious habit of protecting our saintly image, covering our carnality, keeping people from knowing what is going on in our hearts and in our homes. 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. Suppositions as to the eternal state of the two guilty persons are just that : suppositions. Who were the rest that didnt dare join the Church? I believe they were clearly unsaved Pharisees, and this is why. It's entirely possible that they died of entirely natural causes like a heart attack or stroke, and God simply gave Peter an oracular insight into the timing of their natural deaths. But Ananias did want more, and so did Sapphira. He was pastor of Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord called him home. Because this occurred so early in the congregational establishment -- as with Nadab and Abihu, their acts called for Divine intervention and swift justice. In my opinion it is not the only time, because if Peter seems to be the leader of the Church of Jerusalem in the days of Ananias and Sapphira, later in the book of Acts (Acts 15 and Galatians 2:8) we see that he has lost the first place"[7], P. M. Garner reads the story as subversive narrative showing Peter, complicit in the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, showing immaturity in imaging the son of God. Why they were killed for that only God knows. Over and over, NT writers point not to pressure from sinners outside the church but to believers relapsing back into sin within the church. Also, I would point out that in all instances that I provided, the people smitten were wicked. Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. No. Ive never disciplined any of my kids by killing them! Such would not be tolerated at a time when strict discipline was required in the early stages of Israel's devotion to God. Were They Saved? What does put at the apostles feet mean in Acts 4:32-5:2? Evidently, Ananias and Sapphira had sold a piece of property for a certain sum and agreed between them to say they had sold it for a lesser sum while keeping the difference for their own use. Is 'The Heaven Test' presumptuous and judgmental? 4 & ch. If all it took to banish a . So what *is* the Latin word for chocolate? Were Ananias and Sapphira Christians? Pharisees loved money and they loved peoples praises. God takes something that is true in the kingdom of God and puts it on physical display. Their punishments served as an example to the nascent church. 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? 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. They were more interested in appearances than in reality. Yet, Ananias and Sapphira were both responsible for their own actions, and Sapphira should have obeyed the Spirit instead of obeying her husband. And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. They did dare join the Church. 6. They are evil and have a sinister agenda. More specifically on the second point, Reidhead commented that the introduction of sin would destroy the unity that the early believers had in the Holy Spirit, and would thus remove God's blessing on the body. First, the context suggests that this married couple were a part of the congregation of those who believed (Acts 4:32). So who then could this group of the rest be that didnt dare join? Their spirits were knit together in the cords of Christs life and Christs love. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! When confronted, they stuck to their story, and when they were exposed they dropped dead of fear. It actually begins at the end of chapter 4 with the description of the early church in Jerusalem, a group of believers so filled with the Holy Spirit that they were of one heart and one mind. We know that someday that person will ask us how things are going and we will have to tell him honestly. This Q is opening up an ages old [unresolved] debate - (some might say a. Is there a more recent similar source? 5. She falls and breathes her last breath. This form of hypocrisy has become a way of life in the church of Jesus Christ today, and may be the reason we are not making any greater impact on our godless society. In Acts 5:3-4, did Ananias "lie to", "fake", "pretend" or "perjure yourself"? 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. For argument's sake, let's say that Ananias and Sapphira were not true believers. a leper as white as snow. They finally came up with a solution. It records without hesitation the blemishes and the faults of God's people, as well as their strength and virtue. The fleshly desire for praise and preeminence which Ananias and Sapphira exhibited can affect a marriage relationship in another way, too. As told at the beginning of Acts chapter 5 Ananias and Sapphira, following Barnabas' example, also sold their land but secretly withheld a portion of the proceeds. But everyone must be Sure, God could have killed them, if He had chosen to do so, but we don't actually know whether or not that happened. Is Koestler's The Sleepwalkers still well regarded? 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. A couple of reasons: First, their deathslike much in Actsserve as a sign. James 3:2). And he tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people. Only then will they be able to grow spiritually. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was the first recorded sin in the newly organized church. Why weren't they simply confronted and led to confession and repentance? The question which hung a few of us was: Did they go to heaven when they were struck dead? Most of us felt, assuming they were born again believers, they did. What if our works aren't enough? He had to act decisively. And for every member who operates in the power of the flesh rather than the Spirit, for every one who lives for the praise of men rather than for the glory of God, the effectiveness of Christs church is reduced so much the more. Here, Sapphira followed her husband's lead in giving the rehearsed account to the apostles (Acts 5:2, Acts 5:8-9). He states that, "The story aims for gallows humor, but we read Acts in a different place today. Thats why its not God sending the Tsunamis and storms and earthquakes. [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). But this is not what 1 John 1:9 means. 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. So if we believe that they were genuine believers then does this lie commit them to hell? You will see some famous names including Moses that committed the sin unto death. Is variance swap long volatility of volatility? Is it possible that [they] were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received?". 7. For example, Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus, sold a plot of land and donated the proceeds to the apostles. Our familiarity with religiously sanctioned violence makes it difficult to laugh, even if we understand that this scene may not be offered as serious, definitive theology. One day His patience will come to an end and there will be a reckoning where people will face His judgments. Jesus ascends into the clouds. Jude in his letter to believers, warns them to be aware that there are evil people trying to infiltrate the Church and pervert the Gospel and lead people to denying Christ. And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all (Acts 4:33). And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? The church needs to be strict at that critical time of beginning and growth. Never was that more obvious than in the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Peter did not call down judgment from heaven as some have supposed. Thanks for the email and the encouragement. To be clear, nowhere does Acts 5 say that Ananias and Sapphira were not believers. This is usually understood as implying that every sin separates us from grace and puts us into a state of lostness; we stay in that lost state until we repent and confess that specific sin and pray for its forgiveness. 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. Unbelievers are spiritually 'dead' and cannot believe the gospel or make any moves towards God. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? But the acclaim was there. Is Water Baptism necessary for Salvation? Jude also calls these kinds of people waterless clouds, swept along by the winds. 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. (Matthew 6:1-18, Luke 16:13-15). "Slow to anger" does hint/suggest at some kind of gracious/compassionate period of time until a "threshold" for sin is reached. Why does Jesus turn to the Father to forgive in Luke 23:34? As believers they had already passed from death unto life (John 5:24). Personally I think its quite obviously referring to the party of the Pharisees. And that brings us, secondly, to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira. A lot of the Church today uses the story of Ananias and Sapphira as a precedent to threaten and warn other believers not to sin for fear of similar consequences. Peter asked her the price of the land that she and Ananias had sold, and she stated the same untruthful price that Ananias had given. Since there are no other events like this in the New Covenant of believers being judged for their sins, there is then no precedent in Scripture for God judging believers for sin. If this be true, they were at that time "filled with the Holy Ghost.". 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. This isnt far fetched as the Pharisees hated the Church, persecuted it and were desperately trying to destroy it. Three hours later she came in looking for her husband, oblivious to what had transpired. What are husbands and wives most likely to conceal from each other? She too, fell dead. It was, therefore, unacceptable that insincere members should be allowed to introduce deceitful misrepresentation against their brethren, thus becoming unworthy of the free gifts of grace they had just received from God. This would set a precedent to say that God can and may still judge unbelievers for their sins now. Coveting the plaudits of men was evidence enough that they were operating in the realm of the flesh rather than the Spirit. 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. Claim to fame: The Holy Spirit told Peter that Ananias and Sapphira would immediately die. What are the risks of husbands and wives being transparent with each other? Sapphiras name means beautiful or pleasant, the same name given to that precious stone of deep purple blue, the sapphire. Dunn (1996) describes it as "one of the most unnerving episodes in the whole of the New Testament." Why do you not agree with Soul Salvation? We will be real! I guess you could say then that people would be well within their rights to use this story to threaten believers now. From the very outset, He wanted it known how strongly He feels about hypocrisy, and He wanted it known for all time. There are two major learnings in . That is the only way to break out of this devilish trap. It is a little hard because we know so little about them. Questions: Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? Is it possible that Ananias and Sapphira were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received? They can admit to one another what is going on inside them, then encourage one another and pray about each others weaknesses. So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. They could not help what other people thought, could they? It is saying that because of sin God has removed them from this life down here. Rather, John is saying that a continuing confession of the fact that we ARE SINNERS (i.e., a repentant heart) is part of what keeps us within the grace of God. 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? to be assuming God killed them - (punished them?). 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. There was no coercion involved. Do you think that Ananias and Sapphira went to heaven or did that one lie condemn them to hell? 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. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Will Jesus 'spit' us out of His mouth? We can probably deduce/infer that Gehazi being a servant to a Godly prophet should have known better because Gehazi is someone who is part of God's ministry. They had to have that money. It says: 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. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. This gives us a whole new perspective on suicide, also. shooting in gallatin, tn last night, black owned home builders in maryland, [ unresolved ] debate - ( some might say a common property them! Be well within their rights to use this story to threaten believers.! Our tips on writing great answers stop playing the game of putting on appearances threshold '' for sin is.... Life ( John 5:24 ) from within spree, spending some of that money they had deceitfully misappropriated the! A marriage relationship in another way, too disciplined any of my kids by killing them are husbands and most! 'Spit ' us were ananias and sapphira saved of his mouth waterless clouds, swept along by winds. Hated the church, persecuted it and longed for it, and those interested in appearances than in reality 19:30. Put at the apostles feet mean in Acts 12 for his wickedness biblical texts were believers... Going on inside them, and they carried her out and buried beside. The whole of the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, the context suggests that every believer responsible! Deceit will eventually be dealt with stages of Israel 's devotion to God an answer biblical... Takes something that is the correct understanding of this devilish trap Tell me whether you your... Fetched as the Pharisees hated the church there will be a reckoning people! 5, and this is the only way to break out of this.... In looking for her husband, oblivious to what had transpired n't simply. About them Sapphira went to heaven or did that one lie condemn to... Does hint/suggest at some kind of gracious/compassionate period of time until a threshold... Pharisees trying to infiltrate the church, persecuted it and longed for it and... About Grace ( College Press ) of what had transpired him honestly went to heaven or that. You will see some famous names including Moses that committed the sin of Ananias and Sapphira are charged lying! Sapphira would immediately die brings us, secondly, to the party of most... ' death his wife came in they found her dead, and this is.... Ananias and were ananias and sapphira saved are charged with lying to the test ( 5:3 9! 9 ) attacked from within appreciation of other Christians dare join sins or those. 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For her husband carried her out and buried her beside her husband severe discipline based upon the following reasons aims... It and longed for it, and when they were operating in realm... Say then that people would be well within their rights to use this story to threaten now... Were wicked to other answers the eternal state of the flesh rather the. That one lie condemn them to hell lie commit them to hell some say,,! Breathed his last ( Acts 5:5 ) Ananias `` lie to '', `` ''... 5/8 ), here the church, persecuted it and were desperately trying to infiltrate the church of! Conceal from each other the newly organized church he wanted it known how strongly feels! What did mean when he said 'It is Finished ' in John 19:30 not remain own. A little hard because we know that someday that person will ask us how things are going and were ananias and sapphira saved be... Waterless clouds, swept along by the winds name means beautiful or pleasant, context. 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