Who Was Ananias And Sapphira in The Bible?
Story of Ananias And Sapphira
Both Ananias and Sapphira were husband and wife. Their story is that after selling their land, they gave the apostle the portion of the poor to share, but greed arose in their hearts and they took some money and kept it. He said to the apostle that the estate was sold with this money and we have given all the money to you, so the apostle Peter exposed them and punished them before God. Because of this lie, Ananias died in time and his wife also supported his lie and it also resulted in her death.
Verse
“Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 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 conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! 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.” (Acts 5:1-10)
Consequence of Lying And Deception
Lying is a sin. We should not lie under any circumstances, especially not in front of God. This is what Ananias and Sapphira did. They thought they were lying to a man and would easily deceive him. They did not know that they were actually lying to God. Therefore, God caught their lies and punished them, this makes us understand that we should always act honestly, avoid lying and cheating.
Verse
“The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.” (Proverb 12:22)
Verse
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” (Ephesians 4:25)
Peter’s Response And The Test of Faith
The consequences of Ananias and Sapphira’s lies are a lesson for us. We should also consider Peter‘s response to them. Peter said that he was lying not only to a human leader but also to a great being, God. And this was their test but they did not act honestly and used the wrong way. From this we all should understand that we should never act with lies. All Christians should keep in mind that If we lie to God then our end will be very bad.
Verse
“Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” (Acts 5:3-4)
The True Purpose of Giving And Honesty
The purpose of giving money in the way of God is that we are spending it in the way of God with pure intention and honesty, so if we are spending something in the way of God, then the heart behind it should be clean. There should not be any kind of pretense. Ananias and Sapphira made the same mistake. They spent money in the way of God. They did not have good intentions but selfishness was behind them. They wanted to show off so that they could be famous and to be seen with respect.
Verse
“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
Fear And Service in The Church
When Ananias and Sapphira lied and God caught the lie and punished them and they died, many people were frightened by this death and they realized that they should never lie or do deception. Always speaking the truth and always spending in the way of God with good intentions, they realized the greatness of God.
Verse
“Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.” (Acts 5:11)
Impact of Ananias And Sapphira’s Story
This incident had a deep impact on the people of that time, they were afraid and they understood that we should have good intentions in the way of God. Along with actions, intentions must be kept right and this lesson is also for us and will remain for the rest of the world. That one should always work honestly in the way of God because God knows everyone. He knows even the secrets of hearts. He knows with what intention you are doing this. Therefore, it is important to be honest with God and act truthfully.
Verse
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (Galatians 6:7)
The Sense of Honesty Within The Congregation
After Ananias and Sapphira were punished for their sins, all the people were afraid and a sense of honesty and trustworthiness developed in them. They realized that God sees intentions and lies are not tolerated at all. Many people started to improve and realized that every action is based on intentions.
Verse
“When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, carried him out and buried him.” (Acts 5:5-6)
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
The incident of Ananias and Sapphira is present in the Bible and it is of great importance because from this incident we learn that we should not work with lies and deception but always speak the truth. If we resort to lies, we face many losses. The story of Ananias and Sapphira is an example for everyone. Everyone can learn from it. Do not lie before God and always support the truth. Honesty with God is faith.
