So what is this incident about?

 

It is certainly not about tithes...or first fruits. They gave the majority of the proceeds of the sale of the property and only kept only some of the money.

 

Peter makes it clear that the problem was not in how they handled their money ...

Acts 5:4 While it remained, was it not your own? (there was NO requirement to give as others had...and NO stewardship obligations)

And after it was sold, was it not in your own control?  NKJV (this was not an issue regarding compulsory giving)
 

The whole issue which is being addressed is that it is NOT what we do that makes us part of the 'church'. It is that we come to the place of truth in our hearts ...where we place our faith in God and that we encounter Him in a life changing way and are saved. The issue was about the fact that they were 'pretend believers' ...they were 'tares among the wheat'' ............. 

 

The context is revealed in the scriptures which precede and follow the incident:-

Acts 4:32

Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul;    NKJV (they were not)

Acts 4:33
And great grace was upon them all.   NKJV (they did not have the grace to give all)
 

Acts 4:34
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked;  NKJV (they may have been among them...but they were not 'of them')
 

Acts 5:11
11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.   NKJV (those who were believers and those who were NOT)
 
 Acts 5:12
And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.     NKJV  (these were certainly not) 

Acts 5:13
13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly   NKJV (they were 'of the rest' and had dared to join them...and paid the price. Note 'them' as distinct from 'the people')

Acts 5:14
14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord    NKJV  (new believers were added....they came out of 'the people' and became 'them')

Acts 5:16
16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities    NKJV (these were distinct from the 'believers')
 
 
 The sin proved that they were only pretending to be believers. There is NO indication in the scripture that Anania and Sapphira were believers. They were clearly not born of the Spirit because they still thought they could lie to God. Anyone who has KNOWN God knows they could never lie to Him and get away with it. (They were still whitewashed tombs...filled with uncleanness)

 

Ananias is described by the Holy Spirit as 'a certain man'....and not as a believer or a disciple!

Acts 5:3
Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit      NKJV (Contrast this to believers whose hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit...the Spirit of Truth in Acts 4:31...Ananias' heart was filled with Satan to lie)
 

Ps 51:6
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,    NKJV

Without coming to this place we CANNOT be saved! (this is the scripture which the Holy Spirit gave to me as a key to understanding this incident in the bible)

 

The lie to the Holy Spirit demonstrated that they had NOT been convicted of their sin of NOT BELIEVING in GOD...the primary work of the Helper

John 16:7-10
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me;      NKJV

 

The message is simply....your works will NOT save you (including giving away large sums of money)...neither will your affilliations to a church or allegiance to any group. Only faith in Jesus as the son of God and his death for you will bring eternal life.

 

Please do not pretend to be a 'christian'.....get real with God!......or you too will certainly die!

 

 

(To those who claim that Ananias and Sapphira were believers I ask...... 'Where is your support?' (NONE).....and 'What is your angle?'

Usually it is one of two angles:-

 

1) to bring fear into God's children that they too could be struck down dead by their Father....this is a satanic deception!

John 11:25-26

25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die . Do you believe this?"     NKJV 

 

 

2) to extort money from God's children by suggesting that if they do not 'give it all' they too could die...again a satanic deception!)

Rom 8:31-32
If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?     NKJV   God does not take from His children...HE gives!

 

Are there people in the church who are after your money?

1 John 2:19

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.    NKJV

Jude 12-13

These are spots in your love feasts , while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.     NKJV
 

2 Peter 2:17

17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.   NKJV