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Acts 5-6: Do We Serve a Killer?

Jul 24, 2009
Acts, fearing God, Obedience, sin

Today’s reading is Acts 5:1-6:15.

To me, Acts 5 contains one of the most shocking stories of the entire New Testament. Ananias and Sapphira lied about the price of their property when they laid the money at the apostles’ feet. With very little time to repent, God took extreme measures and killed the couple. Admittedly, that seems a little harsh to us. Death for lying? When some read this today, they believe God is immoral, hateful, cruel. That is sad, because they are missing the point.

The story is not to teach us that our God is an immoral killer. The story is to teach us exactly how bad sin is. Ezekiel 18:20 had said, “The soul who sins shall die.” Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death.” 

Here, at the beginning of the new covenant, God gave a great demonstration. Our sins are not light matters. Our sins make us worthy of death. God, as judge of the universe, has every right to meet out that judgment immediately. The fact is with every lie we’ve told, we deserved death from God for sinning against Him. When we think that is harsh, that doesn’t mean we are more enlightened than God; it means we lack the understanding of how tragic every sin really is. Have you ever lied? Then you need a Savior.

What is truly amazing is not that God struck down Ananias and Sapphira immediately. Rather, it is amazing that the pages of Scripture are not covered with the blood of sinners. It is amazing that you and I are still standing, having been given time to repent and receive the free gift of God which is eternal life (Romans 6:23). The pages of the New Testament are not covered with the blood of sinners because they are covered with the blood of Jesus who died so we don’t have to. Praise God!

***Question: What are some other shocking things you find in Scripture and what do you learn from them?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

5 Comments
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  • Mallery

    I found there was a lot that I was able to take from today's reading, but what stuck out for me is how great an example and encouragement the apostles were in these chapters. They continually preached the gospel no matter what oppositions they faced, determined to serve God rather than men. They did not live with a spirit of timidity, but continually spoke out with confidence and boldness. I think reading these chapters should make us stop and think what our goals in life are and who is it that we are ultimately trying to please. Many of us go through life not taking the initiative or opportunities presented us to speak boldly about Jesus Christ and the gospel for fear of what others think about us. I know this is something I struggle with on a daily basis. I need to remind myself that it’s not others who I’m trying to please. We only have two options in life, pleasing God or pleasing men. There is no in between, and there is no compromise to please both God and men. I believe that fear is a tool Satan uses in order to prevent us from fulfilling God’s purpose in us. In neglecting God’s will for us and instead choosing to serve men, we are ultimately serving Satan. We need to remember that it is God who sent His Son to die for us. God is the only One who can redeem us and forgive our sins. God will be the One to judge us for the things done in this life. God loves us more perfectly than anyone else will ever be able to. And only in fully serving God can we find true happiness, contentment, fulfillment and life. I think as the apostles showed in these chapters, that we can have confidence in speaking the truth with boldness knowing that God will always be with us as long as we pray and ask for His help. We can also be confident that we will obtain results. They continually spoke out in the temple even after they were threatened by the high priests and the Council, thrown into prison, and beaten. They never stopped preaching and teaching, but they did so boldly continually praising God in all things (Acts 5:41). As a result, many believed (Acts 4:4; 5:14; 6:7). This should serve as an example to us today, because we do not have the same fear of being thrown in prison or beaten, yet how many of us are bold enough to preach and teach God’s word to others daily? We need to remember that God is always with us and it doesn’t matter who we please as long as we continually do what God commands and find favor with Him.

  • Edwin Crozier

    Great thoughts, Mallery. We need to remember that if God is for us, no one can be against us.

  • Josh

    I think Mallery has identifed a great juxtaposition in this passage. Ananias and Sapphira did not know that they faced death and endeavored to be pleasing before men; Peter and John knowingly faced their death and persisted to be pleasing to God.

  • Edwin Crozier

    Way to pull out a great contrast, Josh.

  • http://www.mandevillechurch.org Nathan Williams

    Kind of reminds you of another double-death under similar circumstances. In Leviticus 10 we find Nadab and Abihu killed by God. It was the beginning of the Old Covenant, and God was making plain that it was IMPORTANT to do things HIS way. Here, at the beginning of the New Covenant, the same statement is made. It's important to have a heart for God, to honor Him above all, and to do things HIS way!



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