Ananias and Sapphira. Killed by God?
Let's think about Ananias and Sapphira. If God was in the "kill people for being dishonest" business, you and I and everyone around the world would already be dead, so there should be a tugging by the Spirit telling you something else is afoot.
Some scholars say they were guilty of hypocrisy. I have to laugh even louder over that one, because I witness hypocrisy in the Body on an almost daily basis, from many on Facebook, in person, on blogs, as well as from myself to be honest, and I and they are still standing.
Some then say, well it's the Grace of God that protects us. So, billions of us get away with the same crime, but God just had it in for 2 people a couple thousand years ago. They are the 2 people that God's victory over sin didn't cover. They were the 2 people that had to be taught a lesson.
Not the people that killed all the disciples in so many heinous ways, not the people currently killing Christians across the world, nor even the people that crucified Christ, they are ok in God's eyes. No, God had to kill a couple that didn't give all of what was there's to begin with.
You're right, it is crystal clear. I see exactly how that is how God would operate when I think about it. That is clearly God's MO.
But wait, let's think about this, there is no fear in love, perfect love casts out fear, He who fears is not mad perfect in love, God has not given us a spirit of fear, scripture says in various places "fear not", Jesus Himself translated the word "fear" from places in the OT to mean "worship" or "reverence".
Yet, this incident occurs and people are filled with fear, and some Christians think that is a good thing, or a "God thing". I stand and shout rubbish to that. Fear is a tool of the enemy, so when reading that, it is completely obvious, or should be, that there is more in common in that situation with satan than with God.
When the son's of thunder wanted to call down fire, Jesus said they don't know which spirit they are operating in. Did He say they didn't have the ability? No. He said the motivation was from darkness, or in a manner of speaking they were not doing what Jesus, God, Himself would do.
Yet, people think God killed these 2 people for being dishonest about giving something that was there's to begin with. I can imagine the "tithing" sermons based on that one.
Let's look at the cast of characters, but let's focus on the vocal one. Peter. You know Peter who before hand was healing cripples, and then after, the one who had a shadow that people received Holy Spirit healing from.
But wait, later on he had to be confronted by Paul about his behavior towards the gentiles. When God was already clear to Him about the gentiles.
Wouldn't that warrant Peter of being "killed" on the spot? Turning His back once again on His Savior?
Peter the one who cut off someone's ear. If God "allows" evil things, why did He then put the man's ear back on? Obviously Peter was doing things He didn't want him to do.
So we have Peter who walked in the Spirit with powerful signs and wonders. Peter who is a little hot headed at times. Peter who is more than capable of willing death upon people.
Then we have satan, satan who would love to portray God as the complete antithesis of what Jesus came down to show people. But yet satan being involved is the furthest from many Christians thoughts of being involved with death.
Really?
Look, the apostles, the disciples, they were normal people. They were not perfect. They had the same emotional issues we have. They argued, they went off of emotions, and they spoke word curses. Just as we still do today.
We see Paul do many things that are not in the same universe of behavior you would think for someone who penned the "love chapter". We read the words of the writers of scripture and we assume they were perfect and made no mistakes. That is nonsense. We should not emulate everything written in scripture because a lot of it is there to show us what not to do.
The Psalmist who wanted to bash his enemies babies on the rocks to be blessed should be a blatant example of that.
We have a front row seat to seeing people make mistakes, fall short, be emotional, argue with each other, refuse to spend time with someone, etc.
We have a front row seat to churches doing some crazy stuff. You think 2 people should have died for being dishonest or hypocritical? What about when a man was having sex with his father's wife? When people were getting stuffed and drunk from the Lord's supper.
Then we have Paul's temper on display, wanting to throw people to satan, yet he scolds people for wanting to go to court against each other, yet he's throwing people to satan. I could go on but hopefully you've gotten the point by now.
I have bad "discussions" with people on comment threads and I know for a fact that some of the Christians I have disagreed with have sent spirits not of God my way. It happens more often than not, that is why I am so adamant about not taking things personal. I know life and death are in the power of the tongue, and I'll be damned if I inadvertently curse another believer based off of emotions and operate in that spirit which Jesus so clearly warned against.
I will wager that many people's family members have faced illness or death due to the spirit their believing family members were walking in that was not of God.
Yet they say God took that person. Again, I say rubbish.
Some scholars say they were guilty of hypocrisy. I have to laugh even louder over that one, because I witness hypocrisy in the Body on an almost daily basis, from many on Facebook, in person, on blogs, as well as from myself to be honest, and I and they are still standing.
Some then say, well it's the Grace of God that protects us. So, billions of us get away with the same crime, but God just had it in for 2 people a couple thousand years ago. They are the 2 people that God's victory over sin didn't cover. They were the 2 people that had to be taught a lesson.
Not the people that killed all the disciples in so many heinous ways, not the people currently killing Christians across the world, nor even the people that crucified Christ, they are ok in God's eyes. No, God had to kill a couple that didn't give all of what was there's to begin with.
You're right, it is crystal clear. I see exactly how that is how God would operate when I think about it. That is clearly God's MO.
But wait, let's think about this, there is no fear in love, perfect love casts out fear, He who fears is not mad perfect in love, God has not given us a spirit of fear, scripture says in various places "fear not", Jesus Himself translated the word "fear" from places in the OT to mean "worship" or "reverence".
Yet, this incident occurs and people are filled with fear, and some Christians think that is a good thing, or a "God thing". I stand and shout rubbish to that. Fear is a tool of the enemy, so when reading that, it is completely obvious, or should be, that there is more in common in that situation with satan than with God.
When the son's of thunder wanted to call down fire, Jesus said they don't know which spirit they are operating in. Did He say they didn't have the ability? No. He said the motivation was from darkness, or in a manner of speaking they were not doing what Jesus, God, Himself would do.
Yet, people think God killed these 2 people for being dishonest about giving something that was there's to begin with. I can imagine the "tithing" sermons based on that one.
Let's look at the cast of characters, but let's focus on the vocal one. Peter. You know Peter who before hand was healing cripples, and then after, the one who had a shadow that people received Holy Spirit healing from.
But wait, later on he had to be confronted by Paul about his behavior towards the gentiles. When God was already clear to Him about the gentiles.
Wouldn't that warrant Peter of being "killed" on the spot? Turning His back once again on His Savior?
Peter the one who cut off someone's ear. If God "allows" evil things, why did He then put the man's ear back on? Obviously Peter was doing things He didn't want him to do.
So we have Peter who walked in the Spirit with powerful signs and wonders. Peter who is a little hot headed at times. Peter who is more than capable of willing death upon people.
Then we have satan, satan who would love to portray God as the complete antithesis of what Jesus came down to show people. But yet satan being involved is the furthest from many Christians thoughts of being involved with death.
Really?
Look, the apostles, the disciples, they were normal people. They were not perfect. They had the same emotional issues we have. They argued, they went off of emotions, and they spoke word curses. Just as we still do today.
We see Paul do many things that are not in the same universe of behavior you would think for someone who penned the "love chapter". We read the words of the writers of scripture and we assume they were perfect and made no mistakes. That is nonsense. We should not emulate everything written in scripture because a lot of it is there to show us what not to do.
The Psalmist who wanted to bash his enemies babies on the rocks to be blessed should be a blatant example of that.
We have a front row seat to seeing people make mistakes, fall short, be emotional, argue with each other, refuse to spend time with someone, etc.
We have a front row seat to churches doing some crazy stuff. You think 2 people should have died for being dishonest or hypocritical? What about when a man was having sex with his father's wife? When people were getting stuffed and drunk from the Lord's supper.
Then we have Paul's temper on display, wanting to throw people to satan, yet he scolds people for wanting to go to court against each other, yet he's throwing people to satan. I could go on but hopefully you've gotten the point by now.
I have bad "discussions" with people on comment threads and I know for a fact that some of the Christians I have disagreed with have sent spirits not of God my way. It happens more often than not, that is why I am so adamant about not taking things personal. I know life and death are in the power of the tongue, and I'll be damned if I inadvertently curse another believer based off of emotions and operate in that spirit which Jesus so clearly warned against.
I will wager that many people's family members have faced illness or death due to the spirit their believing family members were walking in that was not of God.
Yet they say God took that person. Again, I say rubbish.
Comments