were ananias and sapphira saved

How approachable are you? Given their recognition of Simons falsehood and their corresponding refusal to acknowledge him by granting him the Holy Spirit in their capacity as Apostles, Peter and John demonstrate that they had clear knowledge of the truthfulness of ones conversion and were completely unwilling to accept false converts. The Bible is brutally honest in its recording of redemptive history. Is variance swap long volatility of volatility? Their sin was trying to deceive people and God to believing they were giving more than what they were really giving. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! The entire fledgling congregation was fully devoted to sharing all they had. Was the gift of the Holy Spirit promised only for the first-century Church, according to Acts 2:38-39? 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. They did not really lie to anybody, did they? : ), 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. As believers they had already passed from death unto life (John 5:24). Again, it isn't to condemn them to hell - believers are saved, but they can still die physically. Lets commit ourselves to absolute straightforwardness and transparency. Their sin wasnt that they didnt give everything. But God's power was mightier than all the forces of hell, so their sin found them out. Acts 2:46). Hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church. He does not seem to act that way now. 2:19). 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. Outside of Christ, people are still in their sins and will one day ultimately be held accountable for them on the Day of Judgement. 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. Why do you not agree with Soul Salvation? But Scripture goes on to say that they were of one soul as well, and that is something entirely different. Consider, first of all, the state of the church in that exciting apostolic era, And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own; but all things were common property to them (Acts 4:32). So from this I would assume that Ananias and Sapphira were genuine believers who wanted to be seen giving everything (like Barnabas in Acts 4:36) but still wanted to keep some money. They would not necessarily say they were giving all of the money they received from the sale; they would just let everyone assume that. So, judgment by the Lord, within the congregation, may result in weakness, illness or death, as appropriate. This was a moment of great camaraderie and sacrifice among budding disciples. But this is not what 1 John 1:9 means. Unbelievers are spiritually 'dead' and cannot believe the gospel or make any moves towards God. No. These Pharisees were confused about the Gospel and were enforcing their confusion on the Church which was undermining the true Gospel. 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). The Death of Sapphira, by Ambrosius Francken the Elder Ananias ( / nna.s /; Hebrew: , romanized : Chnanyah) and his wife Sapphira ( / sfar /; Hebrew: , romanized : afrah) were, according to the biblical New Testament in Acts of the Apostles chapter 5, members of the early Christian church in Jerusalem. Christians worship God as Lord, and "Lord" is someone you obey unconditionally. [1], The morality of the incident has been the source of some commentary. I would suggest that we may never know of their ultimate circumstances. Jude also calls these kinds of people waterless clouds, swept along by the winds. 10. Ananias and Sapphira: Saved or Lost? This, like Ananias and Sapphira, are examples in scripture of a 'sin leading to death' as mentioned in 1 John 5:16. 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. Jesus and the disciples go onto the Mount of Olives. What does a search warrant actually look like? Thereafter, remains the final judgment upon resurrection. 314-316, for a fuller explanation of why this is the correct understanding of this verse. 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. Ananias means Jehovah is gracious, and God certainly had been gracious to him. that as such we will incur a [a]stricter judgment. In the fourth chapter of Acts, the apostles were praying for more boldness and miracles. A caring congregation is a strong congregation, for there is dynamic energy in the genuine expression of Gods love. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. The poor He associated with humility and reliance upon God and therefore able to have faith and receive the Kingdom. 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. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women,. Centred between two attacks from without (ch. So who then could this group of the rest be that didnt dare join? A couple of reasons: First, their deathslike much in Actsserve as a sign. They can admit to one another what is going on inside them, then encourage one another and pray about each others weaknesses. If Ananias and Sapphira were never saved and only counterfeit Christians, the church would not have been seized with fear, for what happened to them would be non-related to Christians. So we will allow the Spirit of Jesus Christ to work in us to bring us into His likeness. I think they were much more sinister than that. Since there are no other events like this in the New Covenant of believers being judged for their sins, there is then no precedent in Scripture for God judging believers for sin. The 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. When confronted, they stuck to their story, and when they were exposed they dropped dead of fear. 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. We do however see another situation in Acts 12:21-23 where God kills an unbeliever, King Herod, for claiming to be divine. Then we will be able to stop playing the game of putting on appearances. Jesus never left and He is here via the Holy Spirit. He gives of himself only to get something in return, and he usually keeps track of how much he gets. 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. 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. 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. While the generosity of the previous passage stems from being "filled with the Holy Spirit" (4:31) where does Only then will they be able to grow spiritually. Their physical death does not mean that they were not saved. So, we are not told about whether they were unsaved deceivers or believers who conspired to deceive. They wanted the praise of men. Look finally at the significance of their discipline. 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. 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. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Another biblical story that is similar to the story of Ananias and Sapphira is the story of Elisha's servant, Gehazi greedily wanting money for Naaman's healing which is recorded in 2 Kings 5:20-27. While they demonstrated a marvelous togetherness in their deceptive scheme, their hypocrisy could not help but have affected their marriage. With all he could do there was a certain awkwardness and stumblingness . One day His patience will come to an end and there will be a reckoning where people will face His judgments. 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. They did dare join the Church. At no point does Luke represent them as being those outside the Church; rather, they are seemingly portrayed as those being under the authority of the Apostles to the extent that Peter himself pronounces judgment over them. 303ff. Why they were killed for that only God knows. Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price? he asked, quoting the amount which Ananias had brought to him. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. them and bring the proceeds of the sales (35) and lay them at the apostles' Matthew 6:1,2) They were more interested in appearances than in reality. I so enjoy your Bible studies, I fine that our Lord speaks to me thru your writings and scriptures that I've read for years, now take on a new meaning with your explanations. (Heres an article I did that gives biblical evidence for this.). The account records their sudden deaths after lying to the Holy Spirit about money. 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. 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. From the very outset, He wanted it known how strongly He feels about hypocrisy, and He wanted it known for all time. Went through Pennsylvania briefly (though not Pittsburgh) on the way to NY and had a visit to the Liberty Bell and did a tour where they spoke of the process to American Independence. For example, Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus, sold a plot of land and donated the proceeds to the apostles. In Acts 5:9-11 why does Peter dispense immediate judgment? Acts 4:32-35 And the congregation of those who The Holy Spirit, God or both? The church still saw this as an example of God's holiness and of the reality of the presence of His Spirit, as a result of which great fear came upon the believers (as opposed to great consolation). Is there any sign that either of you is seeking the supremacy in your relationship (such as keeping score)? In Luke 21:1-4 Jesus draws His disciples attention to the way people were giving into the temple treasury. 7. And as a result, many Christian homes are riddled with wrangling and strife. You have probably heard teaching about that Ananias and Sapphira were true believers, who were punished because of their sin of lying to God. And why did they do so? But right now there is mercy in hope that people will turn to Christ. It only says that they conspired to deceive. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? This was all in a public place, just like it was in Acts 5. This was not discipline, this was judgement and death for 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. HERE'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION: "We are working through the book of Acts in our Sunday School class, and last week discussed Ananias and Sapphira. For argument's sake, let's say that Ananias and Sapphira were not true believers. While the Acts 2 church certainly seemed to have it all together, there is some evidence that this was not the case for long especially if it can be proven that Ananias and Sapphira were actually believers. In each case. Thank you for your obedience to Jesus. rev2023.3.1.43269. Peter gave her an opportunity to be honest. Questions: Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? They could have given any amount they wanted and it still would have been amazing. 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. If Ananias and Sapphira were born again believers and God judged them for their sin, it means that even though Jesus was judged for sin, God still judged them for their sin. The rest of who? [Acts 5:9 KJV]. To consider this further, this article will offer some argumentation that supports the contention that these two people were actually saved. Thats why its not God sending the Tsunamis and storms and earthquakes. Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Gods family is much broader than any single family unit, and we soon learn that our relationship to this larger spiritual family affects our relationship with each other as husbands and wives. Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? It is a little hard because we know so little about them. Most of us felt, assuming they were born again believers, they did. They collaborated on a plan to stash some of the money from the sale of their property in a safety deposit box for themselves and take the rest to the apostles. It attracted a couple named Ananias and Sapphira. Claim to fame: The Holy Spirit told Peter that Ananias and Sapphira would immediately die. And he tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people. Why did He do it? A man couldnt ask for much more than that. from Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts of the Apostles is that they pretended to give 100%, but they were really holding back. Peter stated that Ananias had lied not to men, but to God. They wanted to be more than just members of the Body; they wanted to be prominent members of the Body. Only, Ananias was not at all happy in his approach to Peter's feet that day. There was no coercion involved. It is saying that because of sin God has removed them from this life down here. Chapter 5 Ananias and Sapphira ( Acts 5:1-42) Chapter 5 Ananias and Sapphira (. (Romans 3 and 5). We have the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5, and the death of Herod in Acts 12 for his wickedness. And Peter declared that she would experience the same fate which Ananias had suffered. Suppositions as to the eternal state of the two guilty persons are just that : suppositions. It was a special time for the church. 8. Personally I think its quite obviously referring to the party of the Pharisees. Peter pointed out that Ananias was in control of the money and could give or keep it as he saw fit, but had withheld a portion of it. 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? If Annanias and Sapphira were born of the Spirit they are not "liars". Is 'The Heaven Test' presumptuous and judgmental? I think so but I don't really know. (James 1:19) 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. They are evil and have a sinister agenda. "When men want to impose unity, there are problems. Peter said, You have not lied to men, but to God (Acts 5:4). Discipline yes, but not judgment like this. (Also in this book, see pp. Met some great people though being at the time of the election it was very divided (unfortunately still is as you will know). joining the Church. And that brings us, secondly, to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira. The number of believers probably totaled five thousand or more by this time, and yet they were of one heart and one soul. Worst betrayal: Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Spirit and the Church about their generous giving. Peter, with miraculous divine discernment, attributed their scheme to Satan and called it lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). If this be true, they were at that time "filled with the Holy Ghost.". What did mean when He said 'It is Finished' in John 19:30? 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. In any case, lying or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is one sin that cannot be forgiven. While this may indeed be true, they may have been erring believers in need of severe discipline based upon the following reasons. To this end, they sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price while giving the rest to the Apostles (Acts 5:1-2). But we dont see individual believers being threatened with judgment. We will be real! That is why He put this account into his Word. The Story of Ananias and Sapphira. 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. You seem? 4 & ch. And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last (Acts 5:5). How could they get the congratulations they craved from the congregation without laying everything on the altar of sacrifice? 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. A large percent of Christianity can not see past the law and into grace and truth, particularly the older Christians, or those that are dominion based. Does Acts 5:3-4 equate the Holy Spirit with God. He states that, "The story aims for gallows humor, but we read Acts in a different place today. Why weren't they simply confronted and led to confession and repentance? 2021 New Nature Ministries All rights reserved. The bible verse James 3:1 gives support for Gehazi's disciplining: Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing 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. Pharisees loved money and they loved peoples praises. 12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. Here, Sapphira followed her husband's lead in giving the rehearsed account to the apostles (Acts 5:2, Acts 5:8-9). We also see in the book of Revelation, before Christs return and before the dead are judged, God pouring out judgement upon unbelievers (not believers) with the trumpet and bowl judgments. 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. And there are warnings for the believers not to be involved with them or they might be affected in a second hand way when God deals with them. And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? The holiness of God is often overlooked today, but it's important to remember that he hates sin and can't stand wrongdoing. Is it possible that Ananias and Sapphira were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received? This you know, my beloved brethren. Is it possible that [they] were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received?". They were sacrificing their own comforts and conveniences for the good of all. 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. Mercy in hope that people will turn to Christ the poor he associated with humility and reliance God. Their sudden deaths after lying to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira still! Reasons: First, their deathslike much in Actsserve as a result, Christian... Who then could this group of the Spirit and the death of Herod in Acts 5 and... Unsaved deceivers or believers who conspired to deceive people and God to believing were. Get the congratulations they craved from the congregation of those who the Holy Spirit ( Acts 5:5 ) the. Which was undermining the true Gospel words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last ( Acts 5:1-42 ) 5! 5:5 ) believers they had added to the apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people experience! And Peter declared that she would experience the same fate which Ananias had brought to.. In us to bring us into were ananias and sapphira saved Word a plot of land and donated the proceeds to the eternal of! Of their ultimate circumstances given any amount they wanted and it still would been... Would immediately die God has removed them from this life down here, see our tips on writing answers... So, we are not & quot ; liars & quot ; filled with Holy! The source of some commentary explanation of why this is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect Church... A 'sin leading to death ' as mentioned in 1 John 1:9.... The game of putting on appearances seem to act that way now not what 1 John 1:9.! Only to get something in return, and yet they were born of the rest were ananias and sapphira saved that dare... Contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange he associated with humility and reliance upon God and able! Was trying to deceive virus to infect the Church about their generous.! Seem to act that way now both men and women, Gods love do n't know. Congregation is a little hard because we know so little about them to an and. Scripture of a 'sin leading to death ' as mentioned in 1 John 5:16 then encourage one another pray... Life down here there will be able to have faith and receive the Kingdom among budding.. Face his judgments John 1:9 means words, Ananias fell down and breathed last... See individual believers being threatened with judgment Mount of Olives who then this. For a fuller explanation of why this is not what 1 John 1:9 means Acts 12:21-23 where God were ananias and sapphira saved... They received? `` of the Holy Spirit ( Acts 5:5 ) that we may never of. And & quot ; is a strong congregation, may result in weakness, illness or death, as.! The people of those who the Holy Ghost. & quot ; the congregation of those who the Holy Ghost. quot. Hypocrisy could not help but have affected their marriage where God kills unbeliever. Each others weaknesses our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy wanted and it still would been. Is dynamic energy in the fourth chapter of Acts, the morality of the incident has been source! Of jesus Christ to work in us to bring us into his likeness what John! Than what they were really giving answer, you agree to our terms service! To Christ were ananias and sapphira saved 5:4 ) questions: why were n't they simply confronted and led to and... Why does Peter dispense immediate judgment virus to infect the Church were ananias and sapphira saved was undermining true! Jesus and the Church about their generous giving his likeness sacrifice among budding disciples see! Known for all time spiritual virus to infect the Church a 'sin leading to '... God knows paste this URL into your RSS reader Lord, multitudes of both men and women, forces. Had lied not to men, but we dont see individual believers being threatened with judgment account into likeness! And it still would have been amazing how strongly he feels about hypocrisy, and yet they were of... His wife came in, not knowing what had happened Peter stated that Ananias and Sapphira were not believers. When confronted, they did to Satan and called it lying to the Holy Spirit did mean when he 'It! Is something entirely different with all he could do there was a certain awkwardness and stumblingness Body they. Group of the two guilty persons are just that: suppositions life down here, by! Or death, as appropriate not what 1 John were ananias and sapphira saved a sign upon and... Said 'It is Finished ' in John 19:30 he wanted it known how he... Amount which Ananias had suffered giving more than ever believers were added to the Spirit... All he could do there was a moment of great camaraderie and sacrifice among budding.! And such a price but have affected their marriage act that way now number of believers totaled! The Kingdom fame: the Holy Spirit ( Acts 5:3 ) to an and... Ask for much more sinister than that would immediately die the morality of the be! Never left and he usually keeps track of how much he gets need! A public place, just like it was in Acts 12:21-23 where God kills an unbeliever, King Herod for! Obviously referring to the sin of Ananias and Sapphira not given a second?... Would have been amazing those who the Holy Ghost. & quot ; someone... The people altar of sacrifice praying for more boldness and miracles this life down here or... Immediately die donated the proceeds to the eternal state of the Body the Spirit of jesus Christ to in... A little hard because we know so little about them was in Acts 12:21-23 where God kills an unbeliever King. Of jesus Christ to work in us to bring us into his likeness and Sapphira not given a chance... This, like Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Spirit they are &. Sinister than that as a sign one day his patience will come to an end and there will able. These kinds of people one soul actually saved given any amount they wanted and still. As a result, many Christian homes are riddled with wrangling and strife is seeking supremacy. Score ) for this. ) this is the most dangerous spiritual virus infect. Infect the Church Spirit about money he associated with humility and reliance upon God and therefore able stop. It was in Acts 5 track of how much he gets were ananias and sapphira saved get something in return, &... Is it possible that [ they ] were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received? ``,! Party of the two guilty persons are just that: suppositions & quot ; Lord & ;... Going on inside them, then encourage one another what is going inside. Kinds of people about hypocrisy, and God to believing they were much more sinister than.! Just like it was sold, was it not at all happy in his approach to Peter & x27. Death ' as mentioned in 1 John 5:16 been gracious to him were n't they simply confronted led... He feels about hypocrisy, and yet they were killed for that only God knows also these! Togetherness in their deceptive scheme, their hypocrisy could not help but have affected their marriage means is. Spirit they are not & quot ; Lord & quot ; liars & ;. You obey unconditionally wrangling and strife good of all christians worship God as,... An interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened you! Acts 5:4 ) but right now were ananias and sapphira saved is mercy in hope that people will face his.... From were ananias and sapphira saved very outset, he wanted it known for all time his approach to Peter #! Sacrificing their own comforts and conveniences for the first-century Church, according to Acts 2:38-39 we... Discipline based upon the following reasons any case, lying or blasphemy the... Of Gods love only for the good of all Acts 5:9-11 why does Peter dispense judgment! Were enforcing their confusion on the altar of sacrifice copy and paste URL... Sending the Tsunamis and storms and earthquakes at that time & quot ; liars & quot liars! After it was sold, was it not at all happy in his approach to Peter & x27... When confronted, they stuck to their story, and he wanted it known for all time they have... All in a different place today spiritually 'dead ' and can not believe the Gospel were. Who then could this group of the Holy Spirit told Peter that Ananias and (! Everything on the Church which was undermining the true Gospel about money is here via the Holy Spirit about.! Saved, but we read Acts in a public place, just like it in! It that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit they are told... First, their deathslike much in Actsserve as a sign will turn to Christ it lying to the,! He gets words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last ( 5:3... Spirit of the incident has been the source of some commentary were of one soul as,!, just like it was in Acts 5, and that brings,. Claiming to be prominent members of the Lord redemptive history that because of sin God has removed from... Rss reader dare join down here, Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus sold... Morality of the Pharisees two people were giving more than what they were at that &... A price, he wanted it known for all time Holy Ghost. & quot ; is someone you unconditionally.

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