the acts of the apostles-第12节

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of　the　gospel　church　and　by　God's　witnesses　during　the　centuries　that　have
passed　since　then；　has；　in　this　last　conflict；　been　committed　to　our　hands。
The　responsibility　for　this　great　gift　rests　with　those　whom　God　has　blessed
with　a　knowledge　of　His　word。　We　are　to　receive　this　word　as　supreme
authority。　We　are　to　recognize　human　government　as　an　ordinance　of　divine
appointment；　and　teach　obedience　to　it　as　a　sacred　duty；　within　its
legitimate　sphere。　But　when　its　claims　conflict　with　the　claims　of　God；　we
must　obey　God　rather　than　men。　God's　word　must　be　recognized　as　above　all
human　legislation。　A　〃Thus　saith　the　Lord〃　is　not　to　be　set　aside　for　a
〃Thus　saith　the　church〃　or　a　〃Thus　saith　the　state。〃　The　crown　of　Christ　is
to　be　lifted　above　the　diadems　of　earthly　potentates。

We　are　not　required　to　defy　authorities。　Our　words；　whether　spoken　or
written；　should　be　carefully　considered；　lest　we　place　ourselves　on　record
as　uttering　that　which　would　make　us　appear　antagonistic　to　law　and　order。
We　are　not　to　say　or　do　anything　that　would　unnecessarily　close　up　our　way。
We　are　to　go　forward　in　Christ's　name；　advocating　the　truths　committed　to
us。　If　we　are　forbidden　by　men　to　do　this　work；　then　we　may　say；　as　did　the
apostles；　〃Whether　it　be　right　in　the　sight　of　God　to　hearken　unto　you　more
than　unto　God；　judge　ye。　For　we　cannot　but　speak　the　things　which　we　have
seen　and　heard。〃




（70）

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　7

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　Warning　Against　Hypocrisy


As　The　disciples　proclaimed　the　truths　of　the　gospel　in　Jerusalem；　God　bore
witness　to　their　word；　and　a　multitude　believed。　Many　of　these　early
believers　were　immediately　cut　off　from　family　and　friends　by　the　zealous
bigotry　of　the　Jews；　and　it　was　necessary　to　provide　them　with　food　and
shelter。

The　record　declares；　〃Neither　was　there　any　among　them　that　lacked；〃　and　it
tells　how　the　need　was　filled。　Those　among　the　believers　who　had　money　and
possessions　cheerfully　sacrificed　them　to　meet　the　emergency。　Selling　their
houses　or　their　lands；　they　brought　the　money　and　laid　it　at　the　apostles'
feet；　〃and　distribution　was　made　unto　every　man　according　as　he　had　need。〃

This　liberality　on　the　part　of　the　believers　was　the　result　of　the
outpouring　of　the　Spirit。　The　converts　to　the　gospel　were　〃of　one　heart　and
of　one　soul。〃　One　common　interest　controlled　themthe　success　of　the
mission　entrusted　to

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them；　and　covetousness　had　no　place　in　their　lives。　Their　love　for　their
brethren　and　the　cause　they　had　espoused；　was　greater　than　their　love　of
money　and　possessions。　Their　works　testified　that　they　accounted　the　souls
of　men　of　higher　value　them　earthly　wealth。

Thus　it　will　ever　be　when　the　Spirit　of　God　takes　possession　of　the　life。
Those　whose　hearts　are　filled　with　the　love　of　Christ；　will　follow　the
example　of　Him　who　for　our　sake　became　poor；　that　through　His　poverty　we
might　be　made　rich。　Money；　time；　influenceall　the　gifts　they　have　received
from　God's　hand；　they　will　value　only　as　a　means　of　advancing　the　work　of
the　gospel。　Thus　it　was　in　the　early　church；　and　when　in　the　church　of　today
it　is　seen　that　by　the　power　of　the　Spirit　the　members　have　taken　their
affections　from　the　things　of　the　world；　and　that　they　are　willing　to　make
sacrifices　in　order　that　their　fellow　men　may　hear　the　gospel；　the　truths
proclaimed　will　have　a　powerful　influence　upon　the　hearers。

In　sharp　contrast　to　the　example　of　benevolence　shown　by　the　believers；　was
the　conduct　of　Ananias　and　Sapphira；　whose　experience；　traced　by　the　pen　of
Inspiration；　has　left　a　dark　stain　upon　the　history　of　the　early　church。
With　others；　these　professed　disciples　had　shared　the　privilege　of　hearing
the　gospel　preached　by　the　apostles。　They　had　been　present　with　other
believers　when；　after　the　apostles　had　prayed；　〃the　place　was　shaken　where
they　were　assembled　together；　and　they　were　all　filled　with　the　Holy　Ghost。〃
Acts　4：31。　Deep　conviction　had　rested　upon　all　present；　and　under　the　direct
influence　of　the　Spirit　of　God；

72

Ananias　and　Sapphira　had　made　a　pledge　to　give　to　the　Lord　the　proceeds　from
the　sale　of　certain　property。

Afterward；　Ananias　and　Sapphira　grieved　the　Holy　Spirit　by　yielding　to
feelings　of　covetousness。　They　began　to　regret　their　promise　and　soon　lost
the　sweet　influence　of　the　blessing　that　had　warmed　their　hearts　with　a
desire　to　do　large　things　in　behalf　of　the　cause　of　Christ。　They　thought
they　had　been　too　hasty；　that　they　ought　to　reconsider　their　decision。　They
talked　the　matter　over；　and　decided　not　to　fulfill　their　pledge。　They　saw；
however；　that　those　who　parted　with　their　possessions　to　supply　the　needs　of
their　poorer　brethren；　were　held　in　high　esteem　among　the　believers；　and
ashamed　to　have　their　brethren　know　that　their　selfish　souls　grudged　that
which　they　had　solemnly　dedicated　to　God；　they　deliberately　decided　to　sell
their　property　and　pretend　to　give　all　the　proceeds　into　the　general　fund；
but　really　to　keep　a　large　share　for　themselves。　Thus　they　would　secure
their　living　from　the　common　store　and　at　the　same　time　gain　the　high　esteem
of　their　brethren。

But　God　hates　hypocrisy　and　falsehood。　Ananias　and　Sapphira　practiced　fraud
in　their　dealing　with　God；　they　lied　to　the　Holy　Spirit；　and　their　sin　was
visited　with　swift　and　terrible　judgment。　When　Ananias　came　with　his
offering；　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？　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。〃

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〃Ananias　hearing　these　words　fell　down；　and　gave　up　the　ghost：　and　great
fear　came　on　all　them　that　heard　these　things。〃

〃Whiles　it　remained；　was　it　not　thine　own？〃　Peter　asked。　No　undue　influence
had　been　brought　to　bear　upon　Ananias　to　compel　him　to　sacrifice　his
possessions　to　the　general　good。　He　had　acted　from　choice。　But　in　attempting
to　deceive　the　disciples；　he　had　lied　to　the　Almighty。

〃It　was　about　the　space　of　three　hours　after；　when　his　wife；　not　knowing
what　was　done；　came　in。　And　Peter　answered　unto　her；　Tell　me　whether　ye　sold
the　land　for　so　much？　And　she　said；　Yea；　for　so　much。　Then　Peter　said　unto
her；　How　is　it　that　ye　have　agreed　together　to　tempt　the　Spirit　of　the　Lord？
behold；　the　feet　of　them　which　have　buried　thy　husband　are　at　the　door；　and
shall　carry　thee　out。　Then　fell　she　down　straightway　at　his　feet；　and
yielded　up　the　ghost：　and　the　young　men　came　in；　and　found　her　dead；　and；
carrying　her　forth；　buried　her　by　her　husband。　And　great　fear　came　upon　all
the　church；　and　upon　as　many　as　heard　these　things。〃

Infinite　Wisdom　saw　that　this　signal　manifestation　of　the　wrath　of　God　was
necessary　to　guard　the　young　church　from　becoming　demoralized。　Their　numbers
were　rapidly　increasing。　The　church　would　have　been　endangered　if；　in　the
rapid　increase　of　converts；　men　and　women　had　been　added　who；　while
professing　to　serve　God；　were　worshiping　mammon。　This　judgment　testified
that　men　cannot　deceive　God；　that　He　detects　the　hidden　sin　of　the　heart；
and　that　He　will　not　be　mocked。　It　was　designed　as　a　warning　to

74

the　church；　to　lead　them　to　avoid　pretense　and　hypocrisy；　and　to　beware　of
robbing　God。

Not　to　the　early　church　only；　but　to　all　future　generations；　this　example　of
God's　hatred　of　covetousness；　fraud；　and　hypocrisy；　was　given　as　a
danger…signal。　It　was　covetousness　that　Ananias　and　Sapphira　had　first
cherished。　The　desire　to　retain　for　themselves　a　part　of　that　which　they　had
promised　to　the　Lord；　led　them　into　fraud　and　hypocrisy。

God　has　made　the　proclamation　of　the　gospel　dependent　upon　the　labors　and
the　gifts　of　His　people。　Voluntary　offerings　and　the　tithe　constitute　the
revenue　of　the　Lord's　work。　Of　the　means　entrusted　to　man；　God　claims　a
certain　portion；the　tenth。　He　leaves　all　free　to　say　whether　or　not　they
will　give　more　than　this。　But　when　the　heart　is　stirred　by　the　influence　of
the　Holy　Spirit；　and　a　vow　is　made　to　give　a　certain　amount；　the　one　who
vows　has　no　longer　any　right　to　the　consecrated　portion。　Promises　of　this
kind　made　to　men　would　be　looked　upon　as　binding；　are　those　not　more　binding
that　are　made　to　God？　Are　promises　tried　in　the　court　of　conscience　less
binding　than　written　agreements　of　men？

When　divine　light　is　shining　into　the　heart　with　unusual　clearness　and
power；　habitual　selfishness　relaxes　its　grasp　and　there　is　a　disposition　to
give　to　the　cause　of　God。　But　none　need　think　that　they　will　be　allowed　to
fulfill　the　promises　then　made；　without　a　protest　on　the　part　of　Satan。　He
is　not　pleased　to　see　the　Redeemer's　kingdom　on　earth　built　up。　He　suggests
that　the　pledge　made　was　too　much；

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that　it　may　cripple　them　in　their　efforts　to　acquire　property　or　gratify　the
desires　of　their　families。