I mean who among us has sold a property and paid the whole amount of it to a church...? Yes I think that the problem was that they lied about keeping the money to themselves. Is that all that was about...? Was it about us selling our property and giving that much amount of money to a church. This is one difference I feel our churches today have....we are not having one single bank ...and I believe the early believers sold everything and had only one money bank for all who had need. but all of us are different. we go have jobs , we have not left it to be in the church all the time...we may give 1/10th of our money perhaps but not all of our money and have a single bank for all christians distributing to everyone as needed. what changed..? y are we so different than early christians....is it part of God's plan..? Am I wrong about the Scriptures? Correct me. Thanks.
Ananias and his wife....aren't we all like that.....
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With respect, yes, you are wrong.
Here are verses 3-4: 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? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
By saying this, Peter is affirming the right to decide what to do with the money. The problem was not that A & S did not give it all, but that they claimed to give it all when they both knew they didn't.
God didn't intend that all Christians have a shared bank account. You must take the context into consideration: these were the first few Christians, all located in one city. Scripture doesn't say anything about the Holy Spirit telling them to share resources. We can't take a narrative passage (what did happen) and interpret it directly to mean what should happen. Otherwise, we would have to take other narrative passages the same way. That would be silly. Rather, follow the parts where God says to do something, or where God through one of the authors tells people what to do.
By the way, there also isn't a single verse in the Bible that tells Christians to give 1/10 of their income to their local church. Tithing is an Old Covenant requirement, not a New Covenant practice.
Here are verses 3-4: 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? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
By saying this, Peter is affirming the right to decide what to do with the money. The problem was not that A & S did not give it all, but that they claimed to give it all when they both knew they didn't.
God didn't intend that all Christians have a shared bank account. You must take the context into consideration: these were the first few Christians, all located in one city. Scripture doesn't say anything about the Holy Spirit telling them to share resources. We can't take a narrative passage (what did happen) and interpret it directly to mean what should happen. Otherwise, we would have to take other narrative passages the same way. That would be silly. Rather, follow the parts where God says to do something, or where God through one of the authors tells people what to do.
By the way, there also isn't a single verse in the Bible that tells Christians to give 1/10 of their income to their local church. Tithing is an Old Covenant requirement, not a New Covenant practice.
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Old Testament Law was that Vows made to God must be kept or else there were consequences....
What these two did was break the vow and then lie about doing so.
There is also a parallel between them and Akin's sin in the Old Testament story in the Book of Joshua. They too were the first to sin in the Newly Established Kingdom.
What these two did was break the vow and then lie about doing so.
There is also a parallel between them and Akin's sin in the Old Testament story in the Book of Joshua. They too were the first to sin in the Newly Established Kingdom.
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Tithing is not a requirement in the new covenant it is up to the individual and what GOD places on their heart to do.
A cheerful giver is the requirement, not to do begrudgingly or exalt ones status and importance to the church.
Trusting God in all your ways is the example we are to follow which is spiritual, physical, and financial.
Does God frown on one that does not tithe....no.... but then again one might experience a lack of blessing of promise the Lord may bestow. Not that we should expect to be compensated but that we have entered in to the nature of GOD.
The above event in acts is a reminder that God hates a lying tongue. Being truthful no matter the situation is key to approaching the Lord. One could of said " I have given a portion of the sum" but in order to keep their appearance of sold out for the church sorta speak they both choose to lie.
God knows the heart and truth....why lie to him that knows you best?
As the Centurion said so truthfully to Jesus " i believe but please help with my unbelief.
A cheerful giver is the requirement, not to do begrudgingly or exalt ones status and importance to the church.
Trusting God in all your ways is the example we are to follow which is spiritual, physical, and financial.
Does God frown on one that does not tithe....no.... but then again one might experience a lack of blessing of promise the Lord may bestow. Not that we should expect to be compensated but that we have entered in to the nature of GOD.
The above event in acts is a reminder that God hates a lying tongue. Being truthful no matter the situation is key to approaching the Lord. One could of said " I have given a portion of the sum" but in order to keep their appearance of sold out for the church sorta speak they both choose to lie.
God knows the heart and truth....why lie to him that knows you best?
As the Centurion said so truthfully to Jesus " i believe but please help with my unbelief.
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Many churches teach tithing without clarifying what they mean by the term. Some teach it knowing that it means 1/10th... and expect their members to give accordingly. There is an abundance of inadequate teaching on the subject, and a lack of careful study on the part of many Christian leaders. Sadly there is also a lot of compulsion, which Scripture specifically warns against.
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Generally I agree with your posts, but you're going way outside of Scripture here. There is no requirement to tithe for Christians, PERIOD. Your implication is clear, that Christians ARE expected to tithe, and will suffer if they disobey.
Kindly make the clear distinction between voluntary offerings, which are strongly encouraged and even expected under the new covenant, and tithing, which is required under the OLD covenant but a non-issue under the new.
Kindly make the clear distinction between voluntary offerings, which are strongly encouraged and even expected under the new covenant, and tithing, which is required under the OLD covenant but a non-issue under the new.
Is not the Ananias and Sapphira account about lying, rather than keeping back some of the money? Peter said it would have been OK if they had been honest.
Now we're on the subject of sin, 'though - I think Peter is being a bit "righteous" here. Not long earlier he denied knowing Christ! Not someone who should get on his high horse, it seems.
Like some other biblical characters I could mention.
When a person makes a vow to do something it depends on whether they make that vow to people or to God.
Deu 23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
Deu 23:22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.
If a person vows to God to do something then they should do it for if not then it is a sin.
But if you do not vow it then it is not sin which it is obvious that this is an option for the person.
Which means God did not require it of them until they made the vow.
So if you vow to God to donate so much to the Church and you do not do it then it is sin.
But I believe Ananias and his wife were an example for the early Church and God does not punish a person by death today but it is still a sin that they need to repent of.
It is probably better not to vow to God that you will do anything so then if you do not own up to it you will not have sinned.
Ecc 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Ecc 5:5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
It is better to not vow than vow and not pay it.
Act 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
Act 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Act 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Peter said the land was their own and in their own power to do what they want with the land which means Ananias and his wife could of sold the land and kept all the money for themselves because God did not require the money of them.
But they vowed unto God to give all the money to the Church but kept some of the money so it became a sin unto them and they lost their life because of it.
If they had vowed to the apostles they would do it and did not vow unto God they could of kept some of the money and it would of been alright for they would of lied to people and not to God.
But I do not believe God causes people to collapse and die today if they vow and do not keep it but it is still a sin that needs to be repented of.
If a person vows to God and does not keep it then then they lied to God but He understands that some people might of been hasty and did not think it through or maybe it was out of their control and they thought they could do it but could not but actually tried to come through on the vow.
But Ananias and his wife knew for sure they would get money for their land and it was a sure deal but they vowed to God and kept some of the money so they sinned.
It is obvious that they vowed to God and did not keep that vow and that they said they would give all the money to the Church for if they vowed to the disciples and kept some of the money they would not of died.
And they could of sold the land and kept all the money and not died if they did not vow to God for He did not require that they give it to the Church but it was their own land and in their own power to do whatever they wanted to do with that land whether not sell it or sell it and keep all the money.
Deu 23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
Deu 23:22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.
If a person vows to God to do something then they should do it for if not then it is a sin.
But if you do not vow it then it is not sin which it is obvious that this is an option for the person.
Which means God did not require it of them until they made the vow.
So if you vow to God to donate so much to the Church and you do not do it then it is sin.
But I believe Ananias and his wife were an example for the early Church and God does not punish a person by death today but it is still a sin that they need to repent of.
It is probably better not to vow to God that you will do anything so then if you do not own up to it you will not have sinned.
Ecc 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
Ecc 5:5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
It is better to not vow than vow and not pay it.
Act 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
Act 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
Act 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Act 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
Peter said the land was their own and in their own power to do what they want with the land which means Ananias and his wife could of sold the land and kept all the money for themselves because God did not require the money of them.
But they vowed unto God to give all the money to the Church but kept some of the money so it became a sin unto them and they lost their life because of it.
If they had vowed to the apostles they would do it and did not vow unto God they could of kept some of the money and it would of been alright for they would of lied to people and not to God.
But I do not believe God causes people to collapse and die today if they vow and do not keep it but it is still a sin that needs to be repented of.
If a person vows to God and does not keep it then then they lied to God but He understands that some people might of been hasty and did not think it through or maybe it was out of their control and they thought they could do it but could not but actually tried to come through on the vow.
But Ananias and his wife knew for sure they would get money for their land and it was a sure deal but they vowed to God and kept some of the money so they sinned.
It is obvious that they vowed to God and did not keep that vow and that they said they would give all the money to the Church for if they vowed to the disciples and kept some of the money they would not of died.
And they could of sold the land and kept all the money and not died if they did not vow to God for He did not require that they give it to the Church but it was their own land and in their own power to do whatever they wanted to do with that land whether not sell it or sell it and keep all the money.