Why did God kill Ananias and Sapphira?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
D

danschance

Guest
#1
Why did God kill Ananias and Sapphira? What is your take?
[h=3]Acts 5:1-11[/h]New American Standard Bible (NASB)

[h=3]Fate of Ananias and Sapphira[/h]5 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he 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 some of the price of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you haveconceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. 6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.

7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?” And she said, “Yes, that was the price.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” 10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things. Acts 5:1-11
 

TheAristocat

Senior Member
Oct 4, 2011
2,150
26
0
#5
Interesting though since Jesus had already came and died for our (and their) sins?
Which is why I'd like to know if they were believers. But in my mind there are four ways that God handles sin:

1. He punishes for the sake of justice.
2. He disciplines for the sake of love.
3. He scares for the sake of love.
4. He removes the object of sin, because it serves a purpose contrary to his plans.

I doubt corruption in the Church would serve to bring more people to Christ.
 

T_Laurich

Senior Member
Mar 24, 2013
3,356
122
63
30
#7
I didn't realize the passage was posted in the OP... Should have read it before i made this video...

[video=youtube;3MUvDrn1cJc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MUvDrn1cJc&feature=youtu.be[/video]
 

TheAristocat

Senior Member
Oct 4, 2011
2,150
26
0
#8
How has the Catholic Church survived God's punishment for so long? *trollface* ;)
lol True. But if people are open-minded they can see from history that the Bible was written in Latin and the laity didn't know a lick of it. I feel the medieval Catholic church preached a different gospel. And those who followed it followed a different gospel. Therefore it wasn't a matter of "corruption in the Church"; it was an entirely different church. And I'm sure their sins will follow them on the day God punishes the wicked.
 
2

2Thewaters

Guest
#9
God is very merciful
there are many who have a good heart
he knows what he is doing

If God pulls up all the tares, some wheat would be lost

a good heart is someone
who wants to do right
who would
choose right despite death threats
despite loss of business.
Despite loss of citizenship, like Paul
 
Last edited by a moderator:
F

freddiedouglass

Guest
#10
hello im new to this site but I saw your topic so I decided to click on it. yea that was a powerful story.. honestly is the best way see that was lieing and God already knew that they were but. I think when Peter asked them a chance came about to be honest and say I did not do what we were supposed to do. that's why they dropped dead because they lie to God God's spirit and God's servant Peter. God bless you
 
N

nathan3

Guest
#11
Why did God kill Ananias and Sapphira? What is your take?
they went against the Holy Spirit. Its serious . They lied . I take it as a serious warning for the future events involving the Holy Spirit Christ taught us about, concerning the role of the Elect when Antichrist is here. .
 

john832

Senior Member
May 31, 2013
11,396
194
63
#12
Here is the principle

Deu 19:16 If a false witness rises against any man to testify against him of wrongdoing,
Deu 19:17 then both men in the controversy shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who serve in those days.
Deu 19:18 And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother,
Deu 19:19 then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you.
Deu 19:20 And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you.
 
N

nathan3

Guest
#13
I noticed this vow, and the lie, wasn't to Peter, but to the Holy Spirit. What the other two agreed upon in privet, Peter would have no way of knowing what they did. But, just like Acts 2, the Holy Spirit told Peter what they did, and caused Peter to talk to those two the way he did.

Part of God's work you can see right there, ( through the leading of His Spirit ) sometimes calls for people to be put in their place. And we saw the result. Even in the trouble that the two caused, there was some good that came from it, because the others standing nearby saw and reported what happened.
 
Last edited:
May 15, 2013
4,307
27
0
#14
Why did God kill Ananias and Sapphira? What is your take?
Matthew 12:31
And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
 
N

nathan3

Guest
#15
I hear people today say how the Holy Spirit told them to do or say things; but the fact of the matter is it was fabricated from their own thoughts.

Acts 5:4 "Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? 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."

We can see Peter says, who they lied to. Also this is a idea of the boldness of a real man of God doing God's work and bidding. When God's says it's going to happen; it will just like He said it is.
 
Last edited:

john832

Senior Member
May 31, 2013
11,396
194
63
#16
A blunt force trauma to impress a lesson on the early church about the Holy Spirit. We must never take it lightly or for granted.
 
Dec 18, 2013
6,733
45
0
#17
Hmm in the King James Version it say that Ananias and Sapphira "gave up the ghost" instead of gave their last breath. I always thought perhaps they might have given up on their own lives when they were confronted with their deeds by Peter and perished thus. Who really knows though? Remember though what the Lord takes He can also give back and what He has given only He has the right to take. Even these two will be raised again, but the Lord knows what happened so I guess those two will find out on the Resurrection and God will judge justly.

I will have to check out other bible accounts of this too, always interesting in the wording of different versions.
 
May 15, 2013
4,307
27
0
#18
Hmm in the King James Version it say that Ananias and Sapphira "gave up the ghost" instead of gave their last breath. I always thought perhaps they might have given up on their own lives when they were confronted with their deeds by Peter and perished thus. Who really knows though? Remember though what the Lord takes He can also give back and what He has given only He has the right to take. Even these two will be raised again, but the Lord knows what happened so I guess those two will find out on the Resurrection and God will judge justly.

I will have to check out other bible accounts of this too, always interesting in the wording of different versions.
Matthew 27:50
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
 
Dec 18, 2013
6,733
45
0
#19
@4enlightment a good parallel of the saying! So this might further imply that Ananias and Sapphira themselves gave up their "ghost" or spirit or soul or whatever word we have for it on their own will, not God killing them as alledged. Either they themselves gave up on the Holy Spirit or died of their shame and perhaps they may find salvation still, but that's for God to decide in the end. Kinda makes you wonder if this very question itself was what troubled the other witnesses to it as the same chapter also describe. Either way I'd recommend even reading the whole chapter, the Apostles/Disciples later go on to heal a bunch of people en masse.
 

john832

Senior Member
May 31, 2013
11,396
194
63
#20
Hmm in the King James Version it say that Ananias and Sapphira "gave up the ghost" instead of gave their last breath. I always thought perhaps they might have given up on their own lives when they were confronted with their deeds by Peter and perished thus. Who really knows though? Remember though what the Lord takes He can also give back and what He has given only He has the right to take. Even these two will be raised again, but the Lord knows what happened so I guess those two will find out on the Resurrection and God will judge justly.

I will have to check out other bible accounts of this too, always interesting in the wording of different versions.
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Another way of saying the same thing. They died. This is where we get the phrase "gave up the ghost" to mean something is finished, done and done, dead.