27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
01 Acts 05 01-11 THE FEAR OF GOD IN HIS CHURCH 15 Acts 05 07-10 Seek Him by faith
📖 Acts 05:01-11
15 – 31Mar2023 – *Seek Him by faith* - _Acts 05:01-11_ - THE FEAR OF GOD IN HIS CHURCH - Bible reading: _Psalms 139:23-24_
“Lord Jesus, give us a broken and contrite heart before You at all times, so as to be pleasing before You. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
_Acts 5:7-10 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. (8) And *Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?" She said, "Yes, for so much."* (9) Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." (10) Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband._
Peter asked Sapphira too about what had happened with regard to the sale of the land and its proceeds. Peter should have gently and carefully prepared her for the terrible news of her husband’s death, instead, he questioned her.
Why did Peter quiz her?
Peter was hoping that Sapphira would repent of the evil that they had concocted together. Sapphira, being one with her husband, stuck to the lie that they had invented together. Sapphira could have repented of their sin at this point of being confronted, repented and received forgiveness from the Lord. Tragically, she chose to continue with the lie. It was then that Peter told her that her husband was dead because of the sin that both of them committed. Sapphira too had the same end as her husband.
All of us stand guilty before God. All of us have fallen short of His glory. *_Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,_*
As we stand before God, we must see ourselves before God’s glory and His holiness and therefore there needs to be in us a constant attitude of repentance and brokenness before God. _Romans 3:19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that *every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God*._
*When God confronts us with our sin, which the Lord will constantly bring to our attention, it is important that we confess our sins to Him, for we are all accountable to God.*
This is where God’s grace applies. None of us, by our own effort, can be righteous before God. *_Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe._* This is the wonderful plan of God’s salvation.
God’s grace was available for Sapphira but sadly she chose not to avail of God’s grace. So it was Ananias too. When Peter confronted Ananias about his sin, Ananias was shocked at being found out and that in public. He was overtaken with guilt, that he died instantly.
This is the reason why Jesus came into our world, so that we, who had no hope before God, (for all of us are guilty), could be made righteous before God. *_I John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin._*
It is Jesus and Jesus alone who provides the atonement for our sins before God. He who knew no sin became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God by faith in Christ. *_II Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him._*
*The plan of God for the salvation of man to Himself is simple yet profound.*
Ananias and Sapphira, being Jews, were caught up trying to have a form of godliness before people. _Matthew 6:1 "Take heed that you *do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them*. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven._
God is not impressed by what we try to do to get the applause of people. They made a grave blunder by thinking that God would be pleased with their outward show of generosity, whereas there was deception in their heart.
God evaluates our hearts and He searches to know our motives. *_Jeremiah 17:10 I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings._*
As His people, knowing that our hearts are deceitful, _(Jeremiah 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?)_, we must with deep repentance and fear of God, seek Him by faith, to cleanse our inner man.
*_Psalms 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; (24) And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting._*
It is the Lord, who leads us in His everlasting ways, for the ways of man are treacherous.
```Realising that we always stand before a holy God, let us seek Him with fear and trembling to be cleansed by Him in our inner man.```