Acts in 4:32-35 says that the believers in the Early Church were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions were his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy people among them. From time to time those who owned land or houses, they sold it, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
Among them, a man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira also sold a piece of property. They changed the determination they had first made toward God because of their greed for money. They kept back part of the money for themselves, but brought the rest. They were put to death in the curse of God (Acts 5:1-11).
First When our sins are piled up before God, we become unable to turn back and death results
Ananias and Sapphira intended to sell their property and give the money to God, which shows that they had faith and worked for God to some degree. But why did they fail to receive salvation? This is because they cheated God the Creator.
They cheated Apostle Peter, but cheating apostles who manifest God's power is the same as cheating God. It is indisputable that cheating God is a great sin, even though it happens but once.
However, God is love. He doesn't destroy someone right away because a person committed a grave sin. He gives realization in many ways for them to realize their sins. He also gives them many opportunities to turn back. But if a person doesn't take hold of the many opportunities and lets them just pass by, then Satan will take his heart captive and he won't be able to receive spirit of repentance even if he wants to repent. In the end, he can do nothing other than face death.
Ananias and Sapphira breathed their last immediately at Peter's curse. This shows that they had already piled up walls of sins before God. This was the last chance given by God. But they gave it up, tried to deceive God, and eventually were put to death.
Without hesitation or conscience, they lied to Peter who was an apostle with God's power. The incident shows us that their consciences were seared as with a hot iron. Therefore, if one commits sins willfully, although they believe God and know what sin is, they can't be forgiven of the sins and reach death (Hebrews 10:26-27).
Second Apostles of power are followed by God's authority that governs the life and death of man
Ananias and Sapphira cheated the Holy Spirit and God. When Peter cursed them, they immediately died. God guaranteed what Peter said.
In the Bible, the authority to control life, death, fortune, and misfortune was performed by those who were loved and used preciously by God such as Peter, Elijah, and Apostle Paul. This is because they understood God's heart and could use the authority in God's will.
Then why does God show the authority and power to people? John 4:48 says, "So Jesus said to him, 'Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.'" It's because people do not believe if they do not visibly see powerful works.
To lead many people to salvation in God's will, we should show them visible and clear evidences. In the Early Church, people witnessed the powerful works manifested by apostles. By seeing them, they could believe God from their hearts. Furthermore, God guaranteed the apostles' words so that people could believe their words were God's Words. So they could trust God's people, follow them, and thereby believe, revere, and love God more.
If we do not trust people who hold the evidences that God is with them and even try to cheat them, we cannot say that we believe God from the heart. God watches us with eyes like a flame of fire. If we believe it, we can never cheat His men.
Third Not everyone who says, "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven
Matthew 7:21 reads, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter."
Many parts of the Bible tell us that those who practice lawlessness, that is, those who commit sins and commit acts of unrigteousness, won't receive salvation. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (1 John 2:15). If we love God, we obey His Word and come to the Light. God's children, who are saved, follow God's will in practice.
When we live by God's will, the God of love gives us grace, peace, strength, and power to overcome the world as well as salvation. He helps us to live in His will every day and to run fervently with hope for New Jerusalem.
Even if we have weak faith and sometimes fall down by living outside God's Word, if we keep trying to live by the Word, we will receive forgiveness of all our sins and reach salvation. We can be saved not by saying, "I believe!" but by walking in the Light. We should walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light. Then, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
Therefore, as Philippians 2:12 says, "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling," let's be alert and sober and thereby reach perfect salvation.
|
Manmin News 
12152
