Ananias, with Sapphira his wife

[barbw]

The story of Ananias, with Sapphira his wife (Acts 5:1-12) is a tough one. If we uncover sin in order to bless the corporeal man, as Mrs. Eddy says, they must have learned from the experience after awaking to the fact that they had not died. It’s a startling reminder that sin kills the sinner, as Mrs. Eddy also tells us, just not always so immediately. Of course the solution is to cease sinning.

[barbw]

I’m grateful to see today that this story is a focus of this week’s Bible Study and look forward to lots of good thinking about it.

[Gary]

Yes, this story of Ananias and Sapphira is a tough one, but it should speak volumes to every Christian today. Ananias and Sapphira weren’t ready to serve. They got caught up in the excitement of the times. The new doctrine, the new churches; they saw the healing and the changes, and wanted to be part of it. Yet, their hearts weren’t there. They wanted to dabble with Christianity, so they held back just in case it didn’t work out for them. They knew the deal. Give all for Christ. They said they would, but they didn’t. They lied to God and to Peter and the error destroyed itself. They were in a very hot, rarified spiritual atmosphere in which error was not allowed a foorhold! They should have told the truth and admitted they weren’t ready.

Think of Gideon’s band. The dabblers were not allowed to fight in the battle. Think of the workers in Mrs. Eddy’s home. The dabblers were sent home immediately.

Mrs. Eddy tells us “We are not Christian Scientists until we leave all for Christ.” She further warns us: “It is not wise to take a halting and half-way position or to expect to work equally with Spirit and matter, Truth and error.” We can’t serve two masters! If we try to sit on the fence, with one foot on one side and one on the other, we will get torn in half or fall off. We should not profess that which is not 100% in our hearts. The consequences are not pretty.

Yes, I guess they eventually learned their lesson. But why not learn it here and now? Why not be honest? After all, “Honesty is spiritual power. Dishonesty is human weakness, which forfeits divine help.” Our greatest fear should be to forfeit divine help.

[barbw]

This is a very powerful, even shocking, story with, as Gary has so thoroughly expressed, many important lessons. One essential factor about honesty in the practice of Christian Science, included in the lesson, is that honesty is required for the spiritual sense of truth to be gained, so pretty crucial.
I am grateful, though, that God “will have all men to be saved,” even the Ananiases, Sapphiras, and Judases among us.

[spencel]

I am grateful this week’s lesson, Bible Study and shares dedicated to honesty. I am finding that being honest requires a lot such as real self awareness, willingness to be corrected, and a true desire to put God first. I am growing a deeper desire for and understanding of what honesty is the longer I participate here at Plainfield and the veil lifts off the Bible and Mary Baker Eddy’s writings. Today I share something I found about this Bible story and wanted to post a few sentences that I could relate to from my own experience.

“We are careful to veil…but safely behind the walls of our own homes, we have a tendency to let it all hang out—all the anger, all the temper, all the unkindness and inconsiderateness, all the selfish demands, all the pride, all the childish behavior. And as a result, many Christian homes are riddled with wrangling and strife. But when some concerned Christian who might be able to help us asks how things are going at home, we quickly reply, “Oh, just great, great. Yes sir, we’re getting along better than we ever did.” And we excuse our dishonesty by telling ourselves that what goes on in our home is a private matter, nobody’s business but our own.
Phony spirituality is contagious. When one Christian sees another Christian getting away with it, he finds it easier to try it himself. And for every member who operates in the power of the flesh rather than the Spirit, for every one who lives for the praise of men rather than for the glory of God, the effectiveness of Christ’s church is reduced so much the more.
…we may even find it difficult to recognize our hypocrisy. We may simply have fallen into the unconscious habit of protecting our saintly image, covering our carnality, keeping people from knowing what is going on in our hearts and in our homes. That is usually easier than committing ourselves totally to Christ and letting Him live through us to make the changes He wants to make. This form of hypocrisy has become a way of life in the church today, and may be the reason we are not making any greater impact on our godless society.”

FROM THE SERIES: LIVING IN LOVE: SECRETS FROM BIBLE MARRIAGES Richard L. Strauss found on bible.org

[barbw]

Oh, to learn His lessons well!

[Author]

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