Act Five

Attacked Church (w/i) (v.4)

Attacked Church (w/i) (v.4)

If you can’t beat them, join them. That is the devil’s strategy. Many a church has been built with tobacco money. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right. Some churches were built and governed by a different worldly golden rule, where those with the most gold rule.

The fifth chapter of Acts is the sad story of a necessary house cleaning. What Ananias and Sapphira did may seem like a little thing compared to all the evil done in the world. Eating a fruit in a garden might seem like a little thing to these same people. God is holy.

This is a truth often forgotten in what we like to call an age of Grace. If anyone thinks God winks at sin, think again. Watch as these two are carried out feet first. The New Testament Church was serious about commitment to the One who called Himself the Truth.

To all who think the end justifies the means, think again. “A great fear came upon all the church…” 5:11. There is not much of this thing called “fear” these days. Any study of what church historians label as real revival shows that revival is always accompanied with a renewed awareness of the holiness of God. Moses, take off your shoes. You are standing on holy ground.

It is important that the church be kept honest. Church history is replete with stories of selling of snake oil and indulgences. Modern hucksters are selling phony grace off the back of welcome wagons. The sad thing is that these man-made tools appear to be so successful. Remember the deceitfulness of riches.

The church is being attacked from without and from within. There is a great temptation to listen to the polls and to the politicians. There is a great temptation to compromise with the world on the one hand, and to cater to our constituency on the other. Peter, a true leader in the New Testament Church set a precedent for every Biblical elder when he said, “ We ought to obey God rather than men.” 5:29. May it be so.