The Book of Acts: Discipleship In Action Pt. 20 Sin in the Camp Must be Judged!

 We have studied how the early church lived and saw what it looks like when the Spirit of God is having His way in our hearts. 

This post will look at what happens when someone lies to the Holy Spirit of God.

Many signs and wonders done by the apostles to this point were miracles of mercy. However, we now encounter a miracle of judgment because the holiness of God was transgressed by a certain man and his wife. 

It is a work of severity that followed several works of goodness and grace so God may be both loved and feared by His people.

Don't loose sight of the fact that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of true wisdom (See for examples, Proverbs 1:7; 1:29; 9:10; 10:27).

A couple scheme to keep money for themselves. 

Acts 5:1-2  But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2) And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Acts 1 through 4 is full of mighty works of God, mighty signs announcing the coming of the Spirit of God and thousands of people being born again by the Holy Spirit.

However, Acts 5 begins with a three letter conjunction alerting us that something wrong is taking place. The word "But" tells us that there is some deviation away from the happy activities and transformed lives that we just studied. 

Luke also used the word "certain" in referring to this couple and that draws our attention to them. Peter previously healed the "certain" man born unable to walk and now he will confront this certain couple for committing a sin. 

Luke introduced two more believers, Ananias and Sapphira his wife. In our text, the word "but" connects us to the end of Acts 4 when Barnabas sold some land and gave all the proceeds to the apostles. 

The text says that they "kept back" part of the proceeds for themselves. The words "kept back" means to embezzle or to steal it for your own use.

Ananias and Sapphira kept some of the money for themselves and brought the rest and gave it to the apostles. They both knew about keeping some of the funds back for their own use and they did not disclose this to the apostles, but the Spirit of God was going to expose their deceit.

The disciples were holy men and heavenly minded. All the activities of new believers added to the early church seemed to be exceedingly pure and good. However, there were some hypocrites among them whose hearts were not right in the sight of God. 

Ananias and Sapphira were baptized with the baptism of repentance and took upon them the form of godliness, but they denied the power of it with sinful actions. 

There is always a mixture of bad with good even in the most noble assemblies of men on this side of heaven. 

Jesus taught us that Satan planted tares in His church and the tares will grow among the wheat until the harvest (Matthew 13:24-30; 13:36-43). 

Remember, tares look like wheat until they fully ripen and then the grain turns black and is toxic, unfit to eat. The angels of God will gather the wheat (all believers) into His barns (Heaven) but the tares (all sinners)  will be burned with fire (Hell). 

Spirit filled Peter pronounced judgment on Ananias.

Acts 5:3-6  But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4)  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5) And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6)  And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 

Notice that Ananias and Sapphira gave the money to the apostles but Peter, John and others were filled by the Holy Ghost, Therefore, Peter through the Holy Spirit's power, saw through their deception. He exposed the fact that Satan filled his heart to lie to the Spirit of God. He told Ananias that he did not lie to a man but he lied directly to God. 

Peter’s two questions bring out the double source of the sin. ‘Why hath Satan filled thy heart?’ which is the opposite of being filled with the Spirit. 

The same thought of cooperation with Satan suggests that it is we who are guilty. This comes out in Peter's second question to Ananias, ‘How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart?’

All mankind has an enemy who attacks our weakness because in our flesh dwells no good thing. However, even sinners have a choice to exercise their will and are guilty of sin when they choose to take the bait of sin offered by Satan.

We do not have to wonder why the world is so full of hatred, perversion, blasphemy against God and evil acts. Satan has filled the hearts of many sinners and is having his way!

Satan appealed to the covetousness that was in Ananias' heart. Greed and a desire for personal gain motivated Ananias to choose to sin and he was judged for it. 

God is holy and will not tolerate sin in His presence. Ananias was struck down by God and the young men buried him.

Spirit filled Peter judged Sapphira.

Acts 5:7-10  And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8) And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9) Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10) Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 

Three hours after the death of Ananias, his wife Sapphira came in and was questioned by Peter. He asked her how much they sold the land for and she repeated the same figure that Ananias used. 

Peter's question to Sapphira brought out her guilt in conspiring with her husband to sin. "How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?" 

Peter, being filled with the Holy Spirit, saw through her ruse and declared that she agreed with her husband to tempt the Spirit of the Lord.  She too had her life taken by the Spirit of God and the young men took her out and buried her next to her husband. 

It is normally good to see a husband and wife join together in doing that which is good. For them to plot together in evil is to be like Adam and Eve, when they agreed to eat the forbidden fruit, and were one in their disobedience.

The judgment on Sapphira was not inflicted by Peter. He foretold it by his prophetic power, but it was the hand of God which vindicated the purity of the infant Church. 

The terrible severity of the punishment can only be understood by remembering the importance of preserving the young Christian community from corrupting influences at the very beginning.

Achan's sin caused Israel to be defiled and defeated. 

Joshua 7:19-26  And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. 20) And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 21) When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. 22) So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. 23) And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD. 24) And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 25) And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 26) And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. 

We may recall the sin of Achan in the Old Testament. Joshua was filled by the Spirit of God (Numbers 27:18; Deuteronomy 34:9). God put His Spirit into Joshua so that he could lead Israel into the promised land after the death of Moses.

God gave Israel specific instructions regarding their conquest of Jericho and He delivered Israel a mighty victory that day. 

The next city to take was Ai and when Israel went to battle, they were utterly defeated. The people were demoralized by their loss.

Joshua fell down before Jehovah and sought His help. The Lord told him that there was sin in their camp and this is why they were defeated by an inferior force.

The text above tells us how the situation was resolved. Spirit filled Joshua demanded of a young man named Achan to tell him what he had done. The young man confessed and said he took some of the very items God said must be burned. 

Joshua pronounced God's judgment upon him and Achan was stoned to death for his sin. However, it is important to see that his sin impacted all the people. Only after his sin was judged was Israel able to continue their conquest of the promised land.

Nadab and Abihu's sin brought swift judgment from God.

Leviticus 10:1-3  And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. 2) And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. 3) Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace. 

Nadab and Abihu took censers and put strange fire in them with incense and offered it before Jehovah. However, while God did not expressly forbid them from doing this, He also never expressly told them that they could do this thing. 

They assumed that it would be acceptable to God, but they were dead wrong. Jehovah sent fire out to take their lives. The fire killed them but it did not consume their priestly raiment. 

The book of Leviticus spells out in great detail how sinners can approach Holy God. Aaron and his sons were given the priesthood and they were all consecrated for this vital service to Jehovah. 

They functioned as intercessors between the people who had sinned and God, bringing the sinners offerings to God so that He could cover their sins.  Aaron and his sons were required to maintain purity. 

God is holy and He judged the sin of Nadab and Abihu because their self will violated His holiness and detracted from His glory. 

Acts 5:11-12  And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. 12) And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 

What was the result of divine judgment from God? Luke tells us that great fear came upon all the church.  

In addition to a reverential fear of the Lord, the apostles ministry continued to blossom. The mighty Spirit of God worked many signs and and wonders in their midst, bringing joy and comfort to them.

Thoughts to Ponder...

The fear of the Lord is vital for our spiritual well being. It should form our worldview and guide our lives. We need it in order to gain understanding and wisdom from the scriptures. We need it in order to love what God loves and hate that which He hates. 

The fear of the Lord will prolong our days on this earth so that we can be fruit bearing Christians. It is a fountain of life that steers us away from the deadly poison of sin. It is a rich treasure for our soul to guard. 

Achan’s death warned Israel to be holy at the beginning of their entrance into the promised land. Israel learned to fear God and obey Him. They learned to trust that if God said to destroy certain things, He would supply their needs in another way. 

The death of Nadab and Abihu warned those who ministered at the altar of sacrifice that they must be holy and seek God's will. Thus, we learn to fear acting in self will by following our own flawed assumptions about God. 

In like manner Ananias and Sapphira perished, so that all generations of the Church might fear the sin of pretentious self-surrender and might remember that they have to give account to One who knows the secrets of the heart. 

The early church learned a powerful lesson about maintaining purity and holiness and the fear of the Lord in their lives. 

May the Spirit of God grant us a growing fear of the Lord as we read His Word and come to know Him more. May He conform us into the image of Jesus Christ and use us for His glory.

Bob