Do not deceive the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Do not deceive the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-11)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel music

 

        1.Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for humself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles feet. 3.Then Peter said, “Anaias 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. 4.Didn’t it belong to your 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 to men but to God.”5.when Annias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7. About three hours later his wife caome in, not knowing what had happened. 8.Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”, “Yes”, she said, “ that is the price.” 9. 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.” 10. 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. 11. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.   

Verse 3 Lie or deceive. Ananias lied apparently to the apostles but actually to the Holy Spirit, who is God (v.4). In the apostles’ work for the Lord, the Holy Spirit and the apostles were one. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was not in not selling all their property, or in keeping part of the proceeds of the sale, but in lying about how much they had received. Lying to the Spirit is lying to God, because the Holy Spirit is God.(v.4) “you have not lied to men but to God.”

Verse 4 these words indicate that to sell property and distribute the proceeds to others was not considered by the apostles to be a practice of legality.

Verse 9 To test., to see how far they could go in presuming on God’s goodness. Wives should be subject to their husbands (Eph.5:24) but they should not agree with their husbands to commit sins. The Holy Spirit in v.3, God in v.4 and the Lord in this verse are all one, especially in the experience of the believers.

Verse 11, Greek. Ekklesia. Composed of ek, out, and a derivative of kaleo, called. Hence, the called out (congregation) the assembly. It is the first time that the church is mentioned here in Acts as a local church.

 

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.