When he wrote this, the New Testament was not even written yet. (your thoughts?)
All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)
I agree with you, when the church first started there were no pocket bibles, no 'new testament and psalms' no KGV or NIV or anything else, Just Jesus in the Holy Spirit within. Not everyone did receive the Holy Spirit though, like Simon in Acts 8. And even though some did they still had control of who they were and what they did as Ananias and Sapphira Acts 5.
But whether the people did or not it was their belief and faithfulness in their baptism that guaranteed their salvation. A lot of what went on at the first seems alien to us now, I wonder why? When I look around at the church (small c intended) as it is, I can't help but think it would be alien to those who first believed. A paid hierarchy, pew sitters who let others do everything and have control, even if they do allow a few 'lay preachers' to pacify those with a lot to say.
Even the spoken rhetoric within the church (small c again) makes the church something we go to instead of 'being'. Sitting there and may be shaking hands with those you can reach from your seat as a fellowship greeting, then not seeing anyone again for a week or so. Unless you are close family with anyone and with the exception of a mid week discussion group.
Fellowship is being together, but it is more than that, it is living and loving together, and it also works both ways round. Knowing someone is in trouble or struggling with a problem and not offering to help or not helping without throwing charity in their face is one thing. If it is us that is having trouble we must also ask for help both physical and spiritual, confessing and praying for each other.
The first time Church was instituted it grew beyond anything imaginable. Everyone held everything in common, Wow what a statement. I would love to know how it worked out in reality, may be there was a big chest with coin and as a bill came the coin went, as a wage came in so did the coin. A special birthday celebration and more coin went out, a bonus at work and more coin went in.
If this were the case I can hear the excuses now for not doing anything like this, but this is pure conjecture because we might have the 'Acts' written down now but we don't have any ledgers LOL. But to consider this way of living within the communities we live in today, it would be such a huge witness.
Ananias and His wife were part of that way of life. The members of that first living Church were all in, this did not mean that everything they as individuals owned had to be put in to the pot. their money was their money and it was not a sin to have what was theirs. The sin came when they said they had given everything and had not, they lied to the Spirit, the Church, the living body of Christ whose members we are. If they had said nothing except "we want to give this" and left it at that there would have been no problem.
The problem, any problem within us being Church, comes from us as humans not being able to let go. We have to control, we have to take charge of our lives, it is a huge step to completely let go and let God. This is where satan comes into the mix, what if I let go and nothing happens? May be it is for me to do something? Then we listen and tell ourselves we have to do good to show others who God is and then the roller-coaster rumbles on and on and on and on. This is trying to do good works to earn salvation.***
Now today we have the bible, a collection of books that God has had a hand in putting together, because nothing that important would be left to us completely out of His influence, and yes it is important, but it is not all we have. It is only a guide a stick to measure with, a measuring tape we can put the Spirit up to to make sure we are hearing true, and yes we can do without it if we have to, the early Church did. The only Torah anyone had access to was in a synagogue, no one had a private copy at home unless you were immensely wealthy.
Jesus said He would teach us. Jesus will lead us. If we listen with our hearts we can make out His voice from among the crowd, this is not a strange concept. in a field full of sheep a ewe can distinguish her lambs bleating, in a colony of nesting birds like penguins each can hear their own offspring. So it is with us, we can hear His voice above the clamouring multitude of misdirection and He leads His flock, He will lead us to good pasture and give us the choicest of food. Himself.
(*** I will not and am not going to get into any grace argument over this statement. God has works for us to do and He brings them to us we do not have to go looking for them. The love shown to us through the death of Jesus instigates it's own way in each of us to show our love back to Jesus who died on the cross 2000 years ago)