“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.”
Acts of the Apostles 5:1-2 NLT
Right off the top, Ananias and Sapphira have broken, a commandment. They have broken commandment number nine, which in exodus chapter 20 verse 16 says You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
This means, do not lie.
The lie they have committed, was claiming only part of the amount that was given was all they got for the property. Just to let you know them keeping part of the money was not the sin it was lying about it.
“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!””
Acts of the Apostles 5:3-4 NLT
Peter is telling Ananias, so what he did is wrong. He’s telling him that Satan filled his heart. What does that mean? What it means is because he lied obviously lying is not from God all sin is from the devil. So, by Ananias, lying to Peter, and to God, he let the devil corrupt his heart. Peter also tell him you weren’t lying to us, but to God God knows our hearts he knows our thoughts before we even sync them, so who are we to try and trick God this is what Ananias was trying to do let’s say, Peter believed him for a second of course God knew he was lying so this is why Peter is saying you weren’t lying to us, (which is the apostles,) but to God.
Psalms chapter 44 verse 21 says “Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.”
There is no way to lie God he is all knowing and anyone who thinks they can lie or get one over on God is only lying to them selves. For our God is all knowing.
“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.”
Acts of the Apostles 5:5-6 NLT
Ananias did a horrible sin he lied to the Holy Spirit and to God so as soon as he heard what Peter said he instantly fell to the floor and died . In Romans chapter 6verse 23 it says “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“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.””
Acts of the Apostles 5:7-8 NLT
Now hours later Sapphira the wife of Ananias came to peter and at this time she didn’t know anything that happen but peter gave this woman a chance to see if she would do the right thing. He asked her “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?”
And she of course lied saying yes that was the price. Again she has broken the commandment and lied to the Holy Spirit and to God .
“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.”
Acts of the Apostles 5:9-10 NLT
The actions her and her husband have done takes us to how bad sin is and how our sins can lead us to our death
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Roman’s 6:23
“Keep the commandments and keep your
life; despising them leads to death.”
Proverbs 19:16 NLT
They did not only break the commandments which the lord said to keep holy, but they have sinned against the Holy Spirit and to God whom is our Lord . He gave his one and only son for us . For them and yet they believed that they could trick him when they did not understand that the property was theirs and the money after they sold the property was theirs to keep . They could have burned it and no one would have said anything and nothing would have happened to them they had no reason to lie . They could have gave $1 to the apostles and kept the rest and bought more property but instead they wanted it to seem as if they were Christian’s they tried to show the people “ look at me I sold everything and gave it to the poor “ when instead they should have told this to peter “ Peter we sold out property for so much but I only want to give half to you for the poor “ but no they didn’t they decided to be greedy and foolish and lie to God.
The moral of this story is that you can not lie ,trick, or pull one over on God he is all knowing and knows the words you think before you can think them. These people were foolish enough to lie to the Holy Spirit and to God.