Why this story from the Bible is so sharply relevant – and dangerous – today …

From cover to cover, all of the Bible is important for us. But some stories jump out at us with how powerfully on target they are to the way many people live today.

One of those stories is about a husband and wife named Ananias and Sapphira. Their dramatic story is told in the first 11 verses of the Book of Acts …

“But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.

“Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!’

“As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.

“About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, ‘Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?’

“’Yes,’ she replied, ‘that was the price.’

“And Peter said, ‘How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.’

“Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.”

Some preachers try to use this story to scare people into giving more. Many who read it think the issue was about Ananias and Sapphira not giving all of what they gained from the sale of their property. But the real issue is their purposeful attempt to deceive. The apostle Peter describes their sin as, “You lied to the Holy Spirit …” In their attempt of lying, Ananias and Sapphira tried to deceive …

They wanted others to think they were less than they were. To own any property in biblical times was something few could do; to have enough property to sell some for money to give away, as well as for profit, would indicate being a level of “success” most people wouldn’t reach. Their status was beyond the “common person,” yet they wanted to present themselves as being less than who they were so less would be expected of them.

Moses tried the same thing with God …

“‘Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.’ But Moses protested to God, ‘Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?'” Exodus 3:10-11.

“Who am I”?

Even though growing up in Pharoah’s household as a prince of Egypt would mean Moses would have had the finest of educations in the world, he argued with God that he was less than all that. But God knew who Moses was, with and without Him. Moses had done well for himself in the highest circles of Egypt, but with God, nothing would be impossible!

Yet he presented himself as being less than he was, even though God knew better.

Ananias and Sapphira tried the same thing.

So do we.

Ananias and Sapphira also tried to present themselves as having less than what they had. In the first church, Christians cared for each other. If someone had a need, it was not uncommon for those with greater resources to do something like selling some property to help others who needed help (e.g., Acts 2:45, 4:32, 4:36-37). Ananias and Sapphira wanted profit for themselves while appearing to not be selfish, so they presented themselves as having less than they had.

Don’t we do that when a family member, a friend, a brother or sister in Christ have a need that we really don’t want to use our greater resources to help meet? We present ourselves as having less than we really have so others don’t look to us for help.

Ananias and Sapphira were pretending to do the right thing the right way when they really weren’t. It’s true this troubled couple did make a donation from the profit of their sale of property, but they were presenting themselves as doing more than they were doing, as if they were giving the right way with the right motive. The truth is they were’t giving the right way by trying to appear they were doing more than they were.

Ananias and Saphhira were attempting to present an image of living a life they were not living. They were not as generous, kind, and considerate as they made themselves out to be. They were going through the motions while seeking more for themselves. They tried to manipulate others into thinking they were more thoughtful and generous than they really were.

All of this deception was a serious sin before God, something He would not tolerate, to the point of striking them both dead.

Such a senseless tragedy! Even Peter noted, “The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!” (Acts 5:4).

Does all this sound familiar?
Can you relate to this troubled couple? People today so often try to manipulate an image of themselves …

As being kind and considerate without the cost that really comes with being that kind of person.

Of being “all that” when it benefits us, but being less than who we are when God calls upon us or others need us.

Of having less than we have when others need more than they have.

Of doing the right things from the right motives while really looking after our own interests.

All of which is as abhorrent to God regarding us as it was with Ananias and Sapphira. Their story isn’t recorded as a warning that all such people be will struck down dead, but so we can understand how serious a sin God takes such behavior to be … for anyone.

So what does God want?

He wants us to always be all He has made us to be, not holding back to avoid what should not be avoided.

He wants us to be honest about what we have and be willing to use it to serve Him and others.

He wants us to do the right thing all the time from the right motives.

He wants us to appear to be kind, thoughtful, caring, and generous people because we really are kind, thoughtful, caring, and generous people. And when we aren’t, He doesn’t want us to pretend otherwise. Let the way you live your life reflect the reality of who you are and what you have; never attempt to lie to God, or manipulate a false image of yourselves with others.

Why don’t we do that? Because being all God has created us to be, resourced from all God has blessed us with, will put us in the position of being able to serve and care for others. Sometimes we’re willing to do that, often we’re willing to do just a little of that, and we’re routinely tempted to just not care.

That’s an ugly look, one we don’t want anyone to have of us. So we try to manipulate things, like Ananias and Sapphira tried. But there’s a better way to live — to fully surrender to God, to have the mind of Christ and embrace loving and serving others, whatever the real cost of that is.

Scotty