“About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”
At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events“
Acts 5:7-11
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OCTOBER 4, 2024
What is happening in this story? It is the first significant “bad news” in the book of Acts, and it is hard to make sense of. Almost certainly we lack historical or cultural context that was clear to the first readers. We look at the episode of Ananias and Sapphira and question whether the punishment was appropriate to the offense. Certainly a myriad of misrepresentations have occurred in the church that did not lead to the immediate death of the perpetrators. Is any one of us guiltless when it comes to appearing to be something we are not?
We could speculate that Peter’s confrontation of Ananias and Sapphira could have resulted in them handing over the money that had been kept back for themselves—but that would have missed the point, for the concern was not the availability of more cash but of integrity. Ananias and Sapphira attempted to deceive the church, but they were self-deceived in thinking that they could lie to God.
Self-serving deception is antithetical to the character of God. By contrast, the adversary exemplifies self-focus and deception. These things are destructive to friendships, marriages, families, businesses, churches, communities, and nations. They break trust and erode the ability to make wise decisions. The Word of God condemns deception, exposing it as the pathway to destruction.
“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”
Proverbs 11:3
God sent a clear message to the church in Jerusalem that self-serving deception has no place within the body. This community would soon face devastating trials and persecution and needed to be bound together in spirit and truth.
Self-serving deception has no place in our lives as believers today. We must be people of integrity in all our personal dealings. Our word must be trustworthy. Our actions must not be self-serving but upright and honorable. We are to deal transparently with others, regardless of the situation. We are to do our neighbor no wrong, nor slander him. We are to honor our commitments, even if not to our advantage. We are to pour out our own resources to care for the needs of the community.
Questions for reflection and discussion:
- Is there is an area in your life where misrepresentation is a temptation?
- If so, what steps do you need to take to avoid or terminate it?
Church Reading Plan:
- Today, October 4: Ezekiel 37; Psalm 87-88
- Saturday, October 5: Ezekiel 38; Psalm 89
- Sunday, October 6: Ezekiel 39; Psalm 90