Over the last 6 weeks we have been walking through the first several chapters of the book of Acts on Wednesday nights. Tonight we looked at the passage in chapter 5 on Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11). If you read through through the passage you quickly come to the realization that their sin was not holding back money, but lying to the Holy Spirit (God).
When they chose to follow God they gave up their rights to follow God and what His will would be for their lives. The same for us, when we make a commitment to follow God and to die to ourselves everyday, Luke 9:23, and then we put our desires aside and seek God's will so we can do what He has for us.
When we make that same commitment to God and we consciously lie to the Holy Spirit, we are telling God that our redemption wasn't worth the payment. We say that "whatever" is more important that our commitment to Christ, is Lord of our life.
In Ananias and Sapphira's case it was the money they withheld from selling their land.
We are all guilty of lying to the Holy Spirit, but what I can't understand is why God continues to show His grace to us, and forgive us from putting him second. Even though we are forgiven for what we do, that is sin, we should continually strive to live as Christ as an act of love because of what He has done for us.
What are you withholding from God?
Are you willing to let it go?
