The Peril of Pretense: Ananias and Sapphira’s Cautionary Tale

“In the Bible, the word “but” (and its Hebrew and Greek equivalents) often functions as an adversative conjunction, marking a contrast or shift in thought or direction. It signals that what follows contradicts or differs from what preceded it, often highlighting a turn or unexpected development. The word “but” can also be used to emphasize a specific truth or principle.

Here are some examples of how “but” is used in the Bible:

• Contrast and Opposition:
Precept Austin uses “but” to introduce a contrasting point, often highlighting God’s intervention in a dire situation. For example, in Matthew 19:26, Jesus says, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”.

• Shifting Focus:
“But” can introduce a shift from one concept to another, such as from sin to grace, or from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. For example, in Romans 6:23, Paul writes, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

• Emphasizing Truth:
“But” can emphasize a specific truth or principle, even when it contradicts a previous statement. For example, in 1 John 3:18, John writes, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth”.

Today for us “but is often used” prior to making an excuse.
I was going to do that, BUT something came up…..
I know I said I was going to, BUT…..
I know the bible says what I should do, BUT……

In summary, the word “but” in the Bible is a powerful tool for highlighting contrast, introducing shifts, and emphasizing specific truths, often with significant theological implications.”

Such is the case today as we begin our examination through Acts 5. There is not a Spirit inspired chapter break here. Luke just got through explaining what I would consider the perfect church full of unity, passion, boldness, prayer, committed to scripture, miracles, and people getting saved everyday, then suddenly he adds the word “BUT”—In other words there is an immediate contrast he is fixing to share—Hold onto your seats this is powerful, heavy, and impactful!!

May the Lord Give us a great grace today to see this.

I hope today you will have a fresh look and examine in your own heart a few questions.

1. Is the God that I am holding to truly the God of the bible? Do I fully accept the God of the bible?

2. Do I truly have a fear of God and should I?

3. Do we believe there are severe consequences for not following through with our commitments that we make to GOD?

4. Am I giving and doing all God expects me to give or am I breaking commitments that I have made with GOD?

5. Do we understand how Satan works and the scheme he has for us to partially obey God which is “FULL DISOBEDIENCE”?

Desired outcome:
A.) That we would change and have a sober and serious relationship with God.

B.) Also, that our wisdom and ministry would increase as we have a right and biblical “fear of the Lord”.

Ananias and Sapphira

Acts 5

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you[a] sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.

I. Who were they?

A man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira - Names in Scripture often convey something about the character of the person, but in this case, the names fail to do so. As noted Ananias means “Jehovah is Gracious” or “The Lord has favored” (cf Hebrew - ; In the Septugaint “Ananias” translates chananyah = “Lord is gracious” and also Ananiah [Neh 8:4] = “Lord protects”). Sapphira means beautiful. Perhaps to others Ananias appeared gracious and generous, but he would soon find out that God was holy! And Sapphira may have been beautiful on the exterior, but not on the interior for she was ugly with sin. Their names were “too good” for them! Constable adds that “Their names proved as ironic as their behavior was hypocritical!”

II. The Sin –

Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds
9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord?

a. And kept back some of the price for himself - This would have been no problem had they not pretended to give the entire sum from the sale. But when they pretended to give the apostles the total selling price, they proved themselves to be hypocrites who were boasting in their gift, even though they had deceptively withheld some of the sale proceeds.

b. The work of Satan: As Warren Wiersbe says “We must face the fact that Satan is a clever foe. If he does not succeed as the “devouring lion” (1 Peter 5:8+), then he attacks again as the “deceiving serpent” or an “angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:3, 13-14). Satan is both a murderer and a liar (John 8:44), and the church must be prepared for both attacks.

…“while Satan still uses both external persecution and internal perversion, in America the latter strategy is by far the most common and sadly also the most successful. “

God, however, has exposed our enemy’s tactics in His Holy Word.

Here are but a few of his subtle strategies:
Quote Scripture to lead us astray (Matt. 4:6).
Afflict the body (2 Cor. 12:7).
Pluck away the seed of the Word (Mark 4:15).
Tempt by impure thoughts (1 Cor. 7:5).
Tempt by pride (1 Tim. 3:6).
Hinder through circumstances (1 Thess. 2:18).
Seduce by pleasure (1 Tim. 5:11, 15).
Severely buffet in a crisis (Luke 22:31).
Tempt to hypocrisy and lying (Acts 5:3).
The name Satan means adversary. He is also described as “the accuser of our brethren” (Rev. 12:10)
“a murderer from the beginning” and a liar (John 8:44).

Study these passages and plan your defense.
Be always on the alert.
Submit to God and resist the devil.
Victory can be yours, but first you must know your enemy so you can recognize his strategy.

D.J.D., Our Daily Bread,

Strategies of Satan with Believers:
1. Annihilate the church or neutralize its witness from within (Acts 5:1–6).
2. Virulent persecution from without.
3. Smother its witness by according it great popularity.
4. Disturb the unity of the church by creating discord and division
5. Subversion of the church through apostasy and heresy (2 Peter 2:1–2).
Satan is No Myth, J. O. Sanders,

c. Principal of Giving
i. It is given into our hands and is in our control–4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal?

ii. *2 Cor. 9:7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
*
iii. When the Holy Spirit Moves us to give, give what you and the Holy Spirit agree to. Vs. 3 Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds?

1. This is a Holy Act
2. This shows we trust God’s provision—An act of Faith
3. WE are overjoyed to play a part in the mission of the Gospel going forth and the establishment of local churches.

III. The Consequences and the result –

a. The Consequence of Sin is “death” – Romans 6:23—The wages of sin is death
i. This is spiritual for those who have not trusted Christ and been made alive with him.
ii. Possibly physical death for those that have been made alive in Christ, but do not yield to a genuine honesty and integrity before God.

b. The Result— “Fear” which is the grace in the message. How many of us have been guilty of making a commitment before God and then for selfish reasons not following through?—

phobos: Fear, terror, reverence, respect
Original Word: φόβος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: phobos
Pronunciation: FOH-bos
Phonetic Spelling: (fob’-os)
Definition: Fear, terror, reverence, respect
Meaning: (a) fear, terror, alarm, (b) the object or cause of fear, (c) reverence, respect.

Intentionally walking so that one does NOT fall prey to the same mistake.

1. Truly being afraid to:
• Sin against God—He is Holy
• Be a Hypocrite—we can expect serious consequences when a hypocrite runs into the Holiness of God
• Fall prey to the wiles of Satan—We walk in the spirit “Alert” and intentionality.
• Can you imagine how they would have gathered for worship after this event?
• Can you imagine how Peter and the apostles felt after this?

It reminds the church that to follow Christ and bear his name is serious and sobering—it matters and is NEVER to be taken lightly!

1. Our giving is serious
2. Our Ministry and calling is serious
3. Our marriages are serious and we should be sober about what it means to be a husband and wife.
4. Ultimately we should be Sober and Serious about how we view and approach God!!