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ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA

LESSON VII., AUGUST 14, ACTS 5:1-11

Golden Text—”Be not deceived: God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”—Gal. 6:7

The lesson of this sad narrative is one of special warning to the whole Church. It is the only case in the Church on record where the penalty of wilful violation of a covenant with God met with summary punishment. Many since that day have doubtless similarly violated their covenant and no such results followed. With great boldness many have not only done so, but they have gone still farther and made merchandise of the interests of the truth; and still judgment tarries. Nevertheless, the Lord’s eye is upon every one of the consecrated household, and no inequality will be seen in his dealings when his work is completed.

We have seen from the preceding lessons that the Lord’s dealings with the early Church were peculiarly adapted to the needs of the inception of so great a cause, and different from his dealings after the Church had been fairly set upon her course for the prize of her high calling. The particular lesson which the Lord in this case desired to impress upon the whole Church from then till now was the solemn obligation involved in our covenant with him of entire consecration to his service.

While this property remained in thy hand was it not thine own? said Peter; and after it was sold was it not in thine own power? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. The complicity of the husband and wife in the deception made very manifest the wilfulness and deliberate intention of both; and the penalty which followed was a warning of God’s righteous indignation against all hypocrisy and deceit and the holding of the truth in unrightness.—Rom. 1:18.

We are not called upon to decide in this case whether the death of these two was the final or “second death” or not. If they sinned wilfully against sufficient light and ability to walk in it, the penalty must have been final; for it is impossible to renew in righteousness and holiness those who have once enjoyed and then abused the full measure of divine favor. (Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26.) And indeed these words seem to imply that such a deplorable condition may be reached before the fullest measure of light has been received; but such a one must at least have tasted a considerable measure of the heavenly gift and of the powers or advantages of the coming age.

We are told that in the Millennium the sinner a hundred years old shall be cut off (Isa. 65:20) without receiving all the benefits of the Millennial reign. Those who are obedient and who patiently submit themselves to the reformatory measures of Christ’s government will go on and on until at the end of that age they will have reached perfection, when all will receive the final testing which will prove their worthiness or unworthiness of eternal life. But the sinner who dies at a hundred years of age will certainly not have enjoyed all of those advantages, simply because he refused to avail himself of them; and his cutting off from life will be because he has so hardened his heart by persistent opposition to the law and discipline of the Lord that it has become impossible to renew him in righteousness and truth.

If such conditions may obtain in the Millennial age, when the world is on trial for life, it is equally possible to the Church in this our day of trial or judgment. We do not count ourselves competent to decide on the case of Ananias and Sapphira or any other individual; we know not what extenuating circumstances God’s merciful eye may see in their cases; but we would counsel all to take heed that they hold not the truth in unrighteousness. If we have consecrated all to the Lord let us ever bear in mind the solemn obligation of our covenant. This is the lesson which God designed to impress upon us all, and let us lay it well to heart. But while we would carefully heed the lesson, let us not fear that God will not patiently and tenderly bear with our weaknesses while our hearts are right toward him and while we strive to overcome them. God is just, loving and merciful—slow to anger and plenteous in mercy.

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— July 15, 1892 —