Week #13 — Good Reason to Fear God
During my sophomore year of college, I became more deeply involved in Campus Crusade for Christ. I was part of a Bible study in my dorm and was being discipled by a ministry staff member. We would meet once a week to pray together, study God’s Word, and sometimes engage in campus evangelism. I was learning much and growing in my faith. I really respected him.
During a hectic week for me, he posed a question I was unprepared for. He asked, “So, what have you been reading in the Bible this week?” The truth was that, due to a good number of class assignments and a healthy bit of procrastination, I hadn’t opened my Bible that week at all. How did I respond? “Philippians mostly,” I said, “It’s always encouraging to me.” And there it was, a direct lie to his face. The biggest shock was how quickly and easily I did it, almost as if the deception was natural.
If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10), and it is, then the evil of deception and lying betrays an unwise fear of man. That was the case for me. I was more concerned with saving face than with the holiness and judgment of God. For unknown reasons, the Lord chose not to judge me then by any discernible punishment, but he justly could have done so. Instead, for me, it was an opportunity for conviction, repentance, and an increased appreciation for God’s grace and holiness. I later confessed, received forgiveness, and I remember that moment to this very day.
In Acts 5:1-11, we see God protect the purity of the early church by revealing his wrath and judgment, specifically against the evil deception of Ananias and Sapphira. This story really happened, and we should really learn from it. Our God is holy, and so we, too, are called to be holy (1 Peter 1:16). Read the passage together and then use the discussion questions below.
In Christ,
Pastor Ken
Week #13 — Questions
- Read Acts 4:36-37. Contrast Barnabas’s gift with that of Ananias and Sapphira. In what ways are they similar, and in what ways are they different?
- What exactly was the sin of Ananias and Sapphira? Why was their deception treated with such seriousness when others gave freely in a similar way and did not receive judgment?
- Where do we see the temptation today to portray ourselves as more spiritual, generous, or committed than we really are? How has this sin damaged the Church community?
- How does this passage reveal God’s holiness and his hatred of sin, especially hypocrisy within the church? Why do you think God responded in this way at this time in history?
- How should we balance the need for purity in the church with the need for grace and forgiveness? What would be some marks that we are getting the balance right?
- Both v5 and v11 describe fear coming upon the people. How is Biblical fear of the Lord different from terror and dread? Are we still to fear the Lord even today?
- When the Holy Spirit reveals the sin of hypocrisy in our own lives, we should repent. In what ways does our church culture at NAPC support a commitment to holiness through confession and repentance? Does it in any way stifle it or actually encourage hypocritical living?
- How should a healthy fear of the Lord affect our worship, our giving, and our everyday choices? What might change if we took His holiness as seriously as the early church did?