SB#3
24 Sept. 1999



Acts 5: Ananias and Saphira


0. Introduction
For background and context, reread the preceding section on the believers' sharing in Acts 4:32-37. This paragraph also serves to introduce as a faithful servant the disciple Barnabas, who later becomes an important leader and evangelist in the ministry of the early church.

Main points of this study:


1. Acts 5:1-11
Why did Ananias and Saphira die? Was it for not donating the full amount of proceeds from their sale?
According to Peter [v3], what kind of motives was Ananias operating from?

Why was God's judgment so harsh here?
Why was it so harsh only here and not later?
What kind of contrast is Luke making between Barnabas and Ananias & Saphira?
How does Peter know what they did? How does he have spiritual insight into their sin? How does he have authority to pronounce judgment?

To what extent has such sinful behavior and attitudes occured in church history? To what extent does it occur today? Name some specific examples.
Who is responsible for publicly revealing such sins – Satan or God? Why?
To what extent is it right, even obligatory, that we speak out against sins, hypocrisy, or hypocrites in the church?

To what extent do we engage in such behavior or attitudes? What specific sins (behavioral and attitudinal) do we commit that are comparable to Ananias & Saphira?
Discuss: what are our motives whenever we engage in religous activities such as: public prayer, serving as a coworker, public worship, sharing in small group discussion, serving in church, attending church/fellowship, private prayer, etc.
To what extent are our motives pure, and to what extent are they worldy?
What does it mean to deceive the Spirit? To grieve the Spirit? In what ways do our lives grieve the Holy Spirit?
What should our motives be like in serving? What should be our primary motivation(s), and why?

Discuss: what are symptoms of wrong motives or hypocrisy? What are the underlying sources? Give specific, real-life examples, and how we should treat them.
Discuss: What areas of your lives are most vulnerable to spiritual problems like those above?
What aspects of our fellowship / church are most vulnerable?


2. Further study [optional]
Read James 4:1-10. What problems in the church does this passage address?
Where do these problems come from? Why are they called worldly, adulterous, and inimical to God?
How well do they describe our problems?
Why is God jealous? [v5]
What are the antidotes for these sin problems? Explain and discuss.


3. Closing: Sharing and prayer
For each group member:

Share frankly about what areas of your lives are most vulnerable such spiritual problems, or other weaknesses. Share about where you most need to repent. Pray to apply the lessons of th

Spend 15+ minutes praying for each other in these areas, as well as for personal requests and for the fellowship.




Notes.

  1. Many puzzle over why God's judgment was so much harsher than usual here. Of course, we read of many examples in the Old Testament of people suffering similar fates for opposing God. But for the church this seems unusual. But we must consider: this was the very beginning of the church as the body was in its infancy. If God had allowed such sin to go unpunished, it would have set a bad example for others and led to more of such sin among believers, belief that people could abuse God's grace or get away with such behavior, and corruption in the church from its beginning. God imposed a harsh penalty to set a clear example for generations to come about how He views such sin in His church, for the sake of the church's purity, witness, and ministry. Also, when the Spirit is more powerfully present in such a body, His blessings and judgment seem to be stronger. A lukewarm church may not have to worry about God's judgment upon sin in its midst as much as a church that is on fire for the Lord.

  2. Note the progression of sin and violation of God's commandments: from pride, self-exaltation, and greed, to lying and deceit, to seriously grieving the Spirit and lying to God.

  3. This is not recorded to scare us senseless or irrationally fear about God. Of course we know from Scripture how deeply loving God is, yet we must not forget that He is a God of holiness and judgment, too. This story is here for a practical reason: to provide us lessons and warnings – as a warning for us about our motives in serving God, how our sins affect the church, and how God purges His church. After all, judgment begins with the house of God (1 Peter 4:17, Amos 3:2).

  4. We all have tendencies in the direction that Ann&Saph went. We all are sinners, so we all operate out of mixed motives. When we worship and serve, we generally do so because we want to serve and worship God. But at the same time our sinful nature contains evil desires, so at the same time we may want to do so to find affirmation or approval from others, to show off, to look spiritual, to look good before others, out of hollow ritual or obligation, etc. – whether engaged in public worship, prayer, serving in the church/fellowship, sharing in a Bible study, etc. If we don't confront and deal with these sinful tendencies, these wrong motives may take over, causing us to serve and walk "in the flesh".

  5. We may grieve or quench the Holy Spirit, e.g., thru on-going sinful behavior or attitudes – deliberately, or even while we may think we are godly and spiritual and don't recognize that we have sin problems. Constantly engaging in sinful attitudes or behaviors without dealing with them, or willful sin, or unrepentance, would grieve God's heart and prevent his Spirit from working fully in our lives. See Ephesians 4:30, Eph. 5:18, Psalm 51:11, 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 63

  6. Less mature Christians or non-Christians may worry that they have committed "the unpardonable sin". However, that is a guilt trip from Satan, not a valid concern. In the context that Jesus describes that sin, it involves attributing to Satan the works of the Spirit (the miracles Jesus was performing). But we don't know precisely in detail what all that sin entails, so it's best to avoid rabbit-trails down this path in a Bible study. If a person were guilty of such a sin, they wouldn't be capable of being concerned about it, and they probably wouldn't be at such a Bible study to begin with.

  7. Note what James 3:1-2 says about us teachers: We are held to a higher standard. That means of course that we must lead well and teach properly. But it also means that we have to be good spiritual examples to others.

  8. Note that Jesus has given a clear set of protocols in Mt. 18:15-20 for dealing with a brother / sister who sins. He also instructs us to rebuke brothers / sisters when they sin (Luke 17:3), and to reconcile with a brother / sister whom we've offended (Mt. 5:24). Paul prescribes church discipline for those committing serious sin in 1 Cor. 5., and calls on leaders to warn those who are lazy (1 Thess. 5:14), disobedient (2 Thess. 3:14-15), quarrelsome (2 Tim. 2:14), or divisive (Titus 3:10); he also strongly warns against causing the weaker to stumble by our poor witness or behavior (1 Cor. 8:12).