Read Acts 5:1-11
Key Verse: “Ananias,” Peter asked, “why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds of the land? Wasn’t it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn’t it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God.” When he heard these things, Ananias dropped dead, and a great fear came on all who heard. (Acts 5:3-5 CSB)
Some of the hardest words that Jesus said to the Pharisees were about their hypocrisy. He called them “whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity.” He said to them, “You seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:27-28). This is definitely not what you’re hoping to hear Jesus say to you.
At the end of Acts 4, we see an incredible display of how the good news of Jesus was impacting the early church community. People were sacrificially selling their land and property in order to meet the needs of the people around them. Ananias and Sapphira were one of the couples that were part of the church and decided to get involved in the giving campaign. They too sold a piece a land and brought the full proceeds of what they made to give to the apostles to distribute to whoever had need. Or so it seemed.
In reality, Ananias had chosen to keep back some money for himself. What he claimed was the full amount was not actually all the money he had made from the sale of his property. He had secretly embezzled or pilfered some money off the top to keep for himself, all the while pretending otherwise. It was a duplicitous and deceitful act of hypocrisy.
Why would Ananias choose to do such a thing? We aren’t told specifically in this account. Perhaps he was looking for the praise and adulation of others for his generosity. Perhaps he was trying to look spiritual. Whatever the reason, it was a blatant and willful act of hypocrisy that ended up costing him his life. When Peter confronted Ananias about what he had done, Ananias literally dropped dead in front of him and his body was wrapped and carried away.
What can we learn from this sad and fearful moment in the early church? First, it’s a reminder to us of how seriously God takes sin. The penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Thankfully, if we have put our faith in the work of Jesus Christ for us on the Cross, He has already died for us. But even with this incredible gift, sin is not something to dabble in, minimize, or make excuses about. It remains a big deal to the Holy God. And it should to us as well.
Secondly, the story of Ananias is a call for us to be pursuing integrity in all areas of our lives. It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to keep up appearances in our walk with Christ. We can act one way on a Sunday morning and then live very differently the rest of the time. But God sees it all. What God is looking for is a person who, though not perfect, is pursuing a life marked by authenticity and integrity more and more. As Proverbs 11:3 says, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”
Are there parts of your life that are marked by hypocrisy? Are you intentionally seeking to keep up appearances in your faith in such a way that doesn’t necessarily reflect reality? Invite God to speak to you about this today. Make confession to Him as needed. And then receive and rest in His overwhelming grace toward you again through Jesus Christ.
Prayer: Father, there is nothing about me that you don’t already know. You see all the I do. You hear all that I say. You know the motives of my heart. I ask you to show me where any hypocrisy exists in my life. Cleanse my heart that I might be a man/woman of integrity. Amen.
Author: Jonathan Miller has served in pastoral roles for more than 13 years in churches in Barrie, Oakville and Burlington, Ontario. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Prison Fellowship Canada, a ministry that mobilizes and equips local churches to engage in the restorative work of prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and victims across Canada. Jon holds degrees from McMaster University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He and his wife Adrienne have been married since 2004, and live in Burlington, Ontario with their 4 children. Jon’s greatest passion is to know Jesus and to see lives transformed by Him and for Him.
