It’s All About Integrity
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?...You have not lied just to human beings but to God. When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened…
About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”...At that moment she fell down at his feet and died...Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. Acts 5:1-10
Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?...You have not lied just to human beings but to God. When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened…
About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”...At that moment she fell down at his feet and died...Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. Acts 5:1-10
Was God too harsh with Ananias and Sapphira? Absolutely not, because the right tone of holiness had to be set for the church. God had to purge the church of filth. I believe the sin Ananias and Saphira committed was not that they kept back part of the money but that they lied about it.
God is kind and compassionate but His love and righteousness also demands that He judges sin. Listen to God’s description of Himself in Exodus 33, “The LORD, The LORD, the compassionate and glorious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet, He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of their parents to the third and fourth generation.
Holiness is a real big deal with God. That is why the Bible exhorts in 2 Timothy 2:19, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
Frankly, judgment, righteousness and holiness are not things we are comfortable hearing. But the truth is, those are the very things that keep us blessed, protected and fruitful. We can’t live a double life of sin and duplicity behind closed doors and appear all pious in public and expect the Holy Spirit will be pleased with us. An authentic follower of Jesus lives in transparent integrity because he or she truly fears God. It’s all about integrity.
God sees everything we do behind closed doors. He sees what we watch and where we go. He hears our gossip and slander about the innocent. He knows what we keep from Him.
Are you a person of integrity? Does your life behind closed doors match your public image?
Why don’t you go to our compassionate God and repent from every form of hypocrisy today?
God is kind and compassionate but His love and righteousness also demands that He judges sin. Listen to God’s description of Himself in Exodus 33, “The LORD, The LORD, the compassionate and glorious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet, He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of their parents to the third and fourth generation.
Holiness is a real big deal with God. That is why the Bible exhorts in 2 Timothy 2:19, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
Frankly, judgment, righteousness and holiness are not things we are comfortable hearing. But the truth is, those are the very things that keep us blessed, protected and fruitful. We can’t live a double life of sin and duplicity behind closed doors and appear all pious in public and expect the Holy Spirit will be pleased with us. An authentic follower of Jesus lives in transparent integrity because he or she truly fears God. It’s all about integrity.
God sees everything we do behind closed doors. He sees what we watch and where we go. He hears our gossip and slander about the innocent. He knows what we keep from Him.
Are you a person of integrity? Does your life behind closed doors match your public image?
Why don’t you go to our compassionate God and repent from every form of hypocrisy today?
Prayer: Search me O God and know my heart today. See if there be any wickedness in me and cleanse me with the Blood of my Lord and Savior Jesus christ. Amen.