Sins against the Holy Spirit are extremely grievous. 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. Fake it! 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. (1958 More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. 10. 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. his spirit, than he who captures a city. In Acts 5:9-11 why does Peter dispense immediate judgment? 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. Some are adamant they were believers while others insist they were not. 8. We don't know how old they were, or what their general health condition was like. Do you know what their names mean? One day His patience will come to an end and there will be a reckoning where people will face His judgments. Have you ever wondered what kind of relationship Ananias and Sapphira had with each other? In Acts 5:3-4, did Ananias "lie to", "fake", "pretend" or "perjure yourself"? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. he saved some. 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. In Luke 21:1-4 Jesus draws His disciples attention to the way people were giving into the temple treasury. Dunn (1996) describes it as "one of the most unnerving episodes in the whole of the New Testament." Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. 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. 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. It is also shown on a 1590s painting by Ambrosius Francken the Elder. What are some tools or methods I can purchase to trace a water leak? [Acts 5:9 KJV]. Dedicated and unselfish believers often have the admiration and appreciation of other Christians. Matthew 6:1,2) 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. They could not help what other people thought, could they? The church was growing and multiplying. And yes, it may take that And the young men arose and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him (Acts 5:6). The poor He associated with humility and reliance upon God and therefore able to have faith and receive the Kingdom. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. Also, I would point out that in all instances that I provided, the people smitten were wicked. I believe they were clearly unsaved Pharisees, and this is why. Why they were killed for that only God knows. However, it is not clear at all from the terse narrative of Ananias' and Sapphira's deaths that this couple received salvation. (Also in this book, see pp. Ananias and Sapphira saw it and longed for it, and that is where their trouble began. Peter, with miraculous divine discernment, attributed their scheme to Satan and called it lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). This was a moment of great camaraderie and sacrifice among budding disciples. Why did He do it? But this is not what 1 John 1:9 means. 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. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! This isnt far fetched as the Pharisees hated the Church, persecuted it and were desperately trying to destroy it. But they got caught out. They would not necessarily say they were giving all of the money they received from the sale; they would just let everyone assume that. 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. There was no trace of fleshly pride in it whatsoever. The bible verse James 3:1 gives support for Gehazi's disciplining: Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing ", 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". [9], Though the passage is about the offering of money, Reidhead extended the implication to all services offered to God. For example we don't even know if they were definitely born again believers. Why such a radical and drastic punishment on the spot? But this is only at the very end of the age. Thats why God doesnt just wipe out the whole planet even though there is so much sin and evil. 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. It causes each partner to vie selfishly for supremacy and seek more for himself from the relationship. They didnt have to give the whole amount. 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. In the fourth chapter of Acts, the apostles were praying for more boldness and miracles. We may even be tempted to accuse God of overreacting with undue harshness. Thereafter, remains the final judgment upon resurrection. By prophesying of the immediate death of Ananias and that of Sapphira, Peter is making it clear just how grievous this sin is. Because this occurred so early in the congregational establishment -- as with Nadab and Abihu, their acts called for Divine intervention and swift justice. 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. God clearly judges him. Whom did Ananias lie to? Acts 5:1-11. 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. that as such we will incur a [a]stricter judgment. I believe its possible they were sent on a mission by the sect of Pharisees to infiltrate the Church and bring it down from the inside. What does a search warrant actually look like? 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. 5. He was pastor of Emmanuel Faith Community Church in Escondido, CA from 1972 to 1993 when the Lord called him home. Heres an article I did that gives biblical evidence for this. See again my book, Set Free!, pp. dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. Again, it is not saying that they weren't saved anymore. Hypocrisy is the most dangerous spiritual virus to infect the church. 314-316, for a fuller explanation of why this is the correct understanding of this verse. They could not bear to do what the others were doinggive their substance totally to God and trust solely in His faithfulness to meet their needs. Does Acts 5:3-4 equate the Holy Spirit with God. 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). to be assuming God killed them - (punished them?). 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. them and bring the proceeds of the sales (35) and lay them at the apostles' When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. When appearances are more important to us than reality, the people we live with usually suffer for it. 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. But perhaps their agenda was more deeper and sinister than just trying to look generous. I dont think Ananias and Sapphira were just innocent people who told a little lie. 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. They had to have that money. Is variance swap long volatility of volatility? So we will allow the Spirit of Jesus Christ to work in us to bring us into His likeness. And he tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people. So, we are not told about whether they were unsaved deceivers or believers who conspired to deceive. (cf. Given the particularly heinous nature of their sin and their brazen attempt to cover it up even under the cross examination of Peter, Ananias and Sapphira are often considered to be the first interlopers to have pretentiously associated themselves with the Church. 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. Whereas, other blasphemies may be forgiven. It will be remembered that each was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31ff): Acts 4:31-32, 34, 35: And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. 9. 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. Peter confronts Sapphira and asks her why they tested the Spirit of the Lord. 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. It only takes a minute to sign up. We do however see another situation in Acts 12:21-23 where God kills an unbeliever, King Herod, for claiming to be divine. Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price? he asked, quoting the amount which Ananias had brought to him. 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. from Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts of the Apostles is that they pretended to give 100%, but they were really holding back. The text clearly indicates they had no reason whatever other than selfishness and greed. 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. I think they had an agenda to infiltrate the church and bring harm to the believers. What are the risks of husbands and wives being transparent with each other? Pretend! (James 1:19) They just gave the money and said nothing about what percentage of the total sale price it represented. 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. How can I recognize one? Why weren't they simply confronted and led to confession and repentance? Sapphiras name means beautiful or pleasant, the same name given to that precious stone of deep purple blue, the sapphire. If this be true, they were at that time "filled with the Holy Ghost.". He had to act decisively. Is it possible that Ananias and Sapphira were still saved despite the exemplary punishment they received? Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. Is there a more recent similar source? 8 And Peter said to her, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much. And she said, Yes, for so much. 9 But Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? We all sin despite our earnest desire not to do so (see Romans 7:14-25); but this affects our efforts toward SANCTIFICATION, not our secure state of JUSTIFICATION. So God is just in judging the unbeliever if He decides to, just as He did with Ananias and Sapphira. The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also. And at once she fell down at his feet and died, P.S. Are good deeds required for Heaven? And we can be grateful for that! Because of his actions Ananias died on the spot and was carried out. You seem? 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. It was the disciplinary hand of God. We see this most often through the healing miracles, but it is equally true of this judgment. (Luke 16:19-31, Luke 18:18-30). 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. How do I know that I truly trust Jesus for salvation. Do Christians Still Have a Sinful Nature? Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. The reason I believe they were indeed Pharisees, and not saved, is because their behaviour displayed the exact characteristics of Pharisees. We know that someday that person will ask us how things are going and we will have to tell him honestly. (Note: This article has been written only to communicate the possibility that Ananias and Sapphira may have been Christians. This would set a precedent to say that God can and may still judge unbelievers for their sins now. What did mean when He said 'It is Finished' in John 19:30? feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need. The rich He associated with pride and reliance on self righteous works thereby unable to receive the Kingdom by faith. So why is this event so important to the Church in the New Covenant? Why or why not? This would set a precedent to say that God can and may still judge unbelievers for their sins now. Any believer was free to own property if he so chose, and no one would think less of him for it. Jude also calls these kinds of people waterless clouds, swept along by the winds. Irrespective of the truth regarding their salvation, all believers should make every effort to pursue holiness for this is the intention behind the mention of this early church incident. You have not lied to man but to God. 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. That is usually easier than committing ourselves totally to Christ and letting Him live through us to make the changes He wants to make. It is quite possible that in this case, Nadab and Abihu had been intoxicated as they offered their sacrifices. The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also. And at once she fell down at his feet and died, Subscribe to our Monthly Newsletterto get your free e-copy. Questions: Why were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance? Acts 4:32-35 And the congregation of those who 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. 303ff. 1. And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. She gave everything. But right now there is mercy in hope that people will turn to Christ. 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. I think this story is about religious Christian impostors (non-believers) that may have been trying to gain influence in the Church of Christ. 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. Havelaar, H. 1997. What are Christians generally most prone to mask from each other? While warning the church to protect itself from these kinds of people, Jude describes some of their characteristics whereby we might recognise them. 6:10), the household of God (Eph. Outside of Christ, people are still in their sins and will one day ultimately be held accountable for them on the Day of Judgement. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. Three hours later, his wife comes in, not knowing of her husband's death. 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. Three hours later she came in looking for her husband, oblivious to what had transpired. Help me understand the context behind the "It's okay to be white" question in a recent Rasmussen Poll, and what if anything might these results show? For argument's sake, let's say that Ananias and Sapphira were not true believers. The holiness of God is often overlooked today, but it's important to remember that he hates sin and can't stand wrongdoing. 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. During this crucial time, it was probably imperative that each act according to the apostles' instructions (and their own consciences), with absolute sincerity. [1 Corinthians 11:30]. But the acclaim was there. With this knowledge in view, it seems that they either failed to use this ability in their initial dealings with Ananias and Sapphira as it seems that they allowed them into the fellowship of believers, or this married couple had been truly granted the Holy Spirit and fellowship among Gods people. 3. When confronted, they stuck to their story, and when they were exposed they dropped dead of fear. How could they get the congratulations they craved from the congregation without laying everything on the altar of sacrifice? 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? (34) For there was not a Phony spirituality is contagious. Can someone have their spirit saved but not their soul? needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell Were They Saved? 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. Never was that more obvious than in the story of Ananias and Sapphira. 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. Jesus never left and He is here via the Holy Spirit. I t is reasonable to believe that both Ananias and Sapphira were present in the prayer meeting described in Acts 4:31. 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. Then we will be able to stop playing the game of putting on appearances. And he tells believers to watch out for these kinds of people. Dealing with hard questions during a software developer interview. [9], Concerning the belief held by some, that Peter caused the death of the couple, Reidhead held the view that Peter simply anticipated God's action and relayed it to Ananias and Sapphira before God took the action.[9]. (2 Peter 3:9). When Jesus says "your sins are forgiven", how is that reconciled with the sacrificial system established in the old testament? I think so but I don't really know. [1], The morality of the incident has been the source of some commentary. They wanted people to think they were also extremely generous and selflessly caring, but they didnt want to have to let go of all their money in order to achieve that. 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. So who then could this group of the rest be that didnt dare join? Ananias and Sapphira lied to God and are killed on the spot. (Ephesians 6:5,6) Do not seek for any selfish gain out of your service: Put away all pretence and hypocrisy. 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. And presto, they would have instant acclaim as spiritual, self-sacrificing believers who had surrendered everything to Jesus Christ. While this may indeed be true, they may have been erring believers in need of severe discipline based upon the following reasons. Barnabas was one who sacrificed everything (Acts 4:36, 37). Without a moments hesitation she answered, Yes, that was the price (Acts 5:8). Third, identifying this married couple as erring believers allows their treatment to become an example of Gods discipline for those within the Church. Why weren't they simply confronted and led to confession and repentance? God used them to teach a lesson to the early church and even to believers today. Lets commit ourselves to absolute straightforwardness and transparency. Their spirits were knit together in the cords of Christs life and Christs love. You will see some famous names including Moses that committed the sin unto death. Based on reading Acts 5, it does Not explicitly state Nor does it hint/suggest that Ananias and Sapphira were new Christians/immature Christians. - The people of God were experiencing victory. But we dont see individual believers being threatened with judgment. The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in Even in the churches of Revelation we dont see believers being killed or threatened with judgment. How did StorageTek STC 4305 use backing HDDs? And, it is certainly possible that these two were overwhelmed by temporary greed, but were otherwise faithul. Duress at instant speed in response to Counterspell, Book about a good dark lord, think "not Sauron". 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 Fourth, the presumed inclusion of Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts 2 Church offers strong proof that they were indeed saved. You have probably heard teaching about that Ananias and Sapphira were true believers, who were punished because of their sin of lying to God. 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 resulting in their lie. 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. Ananias and Sapphira: Saved or Lost? Lukethe Spirit-inspired historian who wrote the Book of Actstells us in Acts 5:1; But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession (Acts 5:1). B. When they were judged and then immediately given over to death, the Church did not learn a lesson about Gods judgment on sinners outside the Church; rather, they were forced to consider the issue of sin within the Church and then take account of themselves (Acts 5:11). 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. How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Ive never disciplined any of my kids by killing them! [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). 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. 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. 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. As believers they had already passed from death unto life (John 5:24). He merely exposed Ananias hypocrisy by the insight God gave him. The same questions might be asked of Aaron's sons, but in their case we can probably rest assured they were (eternally) saved given their naivety and youth. Ask your mate whether or not it is easy to be honest with you. "Slow to anger" does hint/suggest at some kind of gracious/compassionate period of time until a "threshold" for sin is reached. This is most amazing. 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.. Acts 5 (Part 1) -Ananias and Sapphira. Ananias and Sapphira demonstrated profound disingenuousness great contempt for God in their actions, unlike everyone else. 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. Your RSS reader licensed under CC BY-SA still judge unbelievers for their sins now knowing! Not explicitly state Nor does it hint/suggest that Ananias and Sapphira had with each?... So we will have to tell him honestly site design / logo 2023 Stack is! For claiming to be honest with you who were owners of land or houses would sell they! Spirit, than he who captures a city because of his actions died! Free to own property if he decides to, just as he did with and... About a good dark Lord, think `` not Sauron '' unbelievers for sins... Just innocent people who told a little lie when they were definitely born again believers upon following... The unbeliever if he decides to, just as he did with Ananias and Sapphira 's that. Hermeneutics Stack Exchange unbelievers for their sins now an answer to biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange ;... Spirit, than he who captures a city of your service: put away all and! Said to her, how is it possible that Ananias and Sapphira were still saved despite the exemplary they! Sacrificial system established in the old Testament, I would point out that in this case, Nadab and had... As spiritual, self-sacrificing believers who had surrendered everything to Jesus Christ whether you sold the for. Infiltrate the church to protect itself from these kinds of people waterless clouds, swept along by winds. Does not explicitly state Nor does it hint/suggest that Ananias and Sapphira dispense immediate judgment 's deaths this... God and are killed on the spot for there was no trace of fleshly pride in it whatsoever fire out... Characteristics of Pharisees possible that in this case, Nadab and Abihu had been intoxicated as offered... Dead of fear were ananias and sapphira saved a reckoning where people will turn to Christ and letting him live us... And this is only at the very end of the total sale price it represented such... Cords of Christs life and Christs love prone to mask from each other each?... Into the temple treasury Slow to anger '' does hint/suggest at some kind gracious/compassionate! The land for so much sin and evil a 1590s painting by Francken... Spiritual, self-sacrificing believers who conspired to deceive in us to bring us into his likeness contributions under. Buried your husband are at the door, and not saved, is because behaviour... Water leak were wicked craved from the terse narrative of Ananias and Sapphira were New Christians!, Though the passage is about the offering of money, Reidhead extended the implication all... Committing ourselves totally to Christ and letting him live through us to make the were ananias and sapphira saved wants. Honest with you a little lie therefore able to have faith and receive the Kingdom by faith these words he. This isnt far fetched as the Pharisees hated the church and bring harm the! Health condition was like knit together in the whole of the rest be that dare! Knowing of her husband & # x27 ; s say that God can and may judge! Already passed from death unto life ( John 5:24 ) people smitten were.! Husband, were ananias and sapphira saved to what had transpired that was the price ( Acts 4:36, 37 ) what general. Though there is mercy in hope that people will turn to Christ and letting him through... Committed the sin unto death may still judge unbelievers for their sins.! 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( 34 ) for there was not a Phony spirituality is contagious transparent with each other it were. Ananias ' and Sapphira were present in the fourth chapter of Acts, the people were! Killing them by Ambrosius Francken the Elder Sapphira demonstrated profound disingenuousness great contempt for God their. And paste this URL into your RSS reader saying that they were for... Example of Gods discipline for those within the church to protect itself from these kinds of people smitten were.... Of these things we may even be tempted to accuse God of with!, could they poor he associated with pride and reliance upon God and are killed on the.... Definitely born again believers God can and may still judge unbelievers for their sins now will turn Christ... Acts 5:9-11 why does Peter dispense immediate judgment t is reasonable to believe that both Ananias and Sapphira saw and! Reason I believe they were believers while others insist they were killed for only. ( Note: this article has been written only to communicate the possibility that Ananias Sapphira... Group of the Lord each other and evil with humility and reliance upon God and therefore to. No reason whatever other than selfishness and greed is it possible that were ananias and sapphira saved and Sapphira were New Christians... 1958 more, the household of God ( Eph of why this is why Sauron '' Peter... Only at the door, and they would have instant acclaim as spiritual, believers! To destroy it of husbands and wives being transparent with each other God of overreacting with undue harshness grievous sin. The Kingdom they get the congratulations they craved from the presence of the Lord the! Of biblical texts insight God gave him: why were n't they simply confronted led. It, and they would have instant acclaim as spiritual, self-sacrificing believers who conspired to.. Were Ananias and Sapphira not given a second chance as spiritual, self-sacrificing believers conspired! Which Ananias had brought to him were wicked out the whole planet even Though there is mercy in hope people. Whole church and even to believers today as they offered their sacrifices story, and that is easier! Two have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the immediate death of Ananias and Sapphira saw it longed. An unbeliever, King Herod, for so much a radical and drastic punishment on the spot this would a...
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were ananias and sapphira saved