Acts 5 (NASB)
1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?
4 “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.
6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.
7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”
10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.
Acts 5, regardless of the translation you read, never actually says God killed Anaias and Sapphira. It is something that most Christians have always assumed, but that is certainly not what the scripture stated.
Upon prayer, and study, and thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that its our flesh that says God killed them because we see it as an act of revenge. It would certainly be His right to take their lives as the wrath is His alone. Thus, we figure, they died because they lied!
But if we seek out an answer through the Holy Spirit, we will find it’s not God’s will that they should perish but that they should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9)? Ever been caught lying? Its a traumatic experience, is it not? The shame, embarrassment, and disgrace; our heart almost leaping through our chests as our pulse pounds through our veins and our heads swimming in a desperate spiral of emotional distress… I believe it was the attack of the guilty conscience that killed Ananias and his wife Sapphira. I believe they had heart attacks or stroes realizing that they did indeed lie to God and that Peter did indeed know they had lied.
Now one could argue that God may not have killed them but He allowed them to die, but allowing them to die is not the same as killing them. Just some food for thought.
GBU and HJD
#1 by Jessica on November 21, 2008 - 4:03 pm
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#2 by Pastor Saleem on February 21, 2009 - 11:40 pm
Greetings, after reading your thoughts I am sure what you stated has an element of truth in it however, it still could not have happen had God not been in agreement, besides it was before an entire group of God’s people. I feel very strongly that this incident was permitted and recorded as an example to God’s people in understanding the severness of lying to the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t matter whether it was a heart attack or just the spoken Word of death by the Apostle it still remains that God permitted it, therefore it was his will or otherwise it could not have happen. Let’s now change the words to say, God did not kill them but he permitted their deaths, same difference in my opinion.
I Yet Stand Amazed By God’s Grace,
Saleem
#3 by Christoferl on February 21, 2009 - 11:52 pm
I can’t argue with that sir!
#4 by loosethebonds on February 7, 2010 - 6:23 pm
If you are running with that idea, that the will of God can only cause or allow things to necessarily happen, then every one would be saved. It is the WILL of God that none should perish (2 Pet 3;9.)God permits all kinds of things because He has given us free choice, doesn’t mean He agrees with it or wants it to happen. God doesnt agree with sin or sickness or pain or poverty but it still happens. There is also however truth to what you are saying, God is sovereign and he has the power and authority to do or stop anything, but he doesnt always. We should take the lesson seriously of lying to the Holy Spirit but if that was really the case that God killed them, wouldnt Christians be falling down all over the place?
#5 by Christoferl on February 28, 2010 - 10:08 am
“It is the WILL of God that none should perish (2 Pet 3;9.)”
Unfortunately – the literal interpretation that its God’s will that none should perish is lacking in the matter of translation. Comparing other translations to the KJV in this matter shows a different reality…
“9the Lord is not slow in regard to the promise, as certain count slowness, but is long-suffering to us, not counselling any to be lost but all to pass on to reformation,” (Young’s Literal)
“9The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you,)not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” (NASB)
I don’t think this passage refers to the ‘will of God’ as in His intentional plan…