Chapter 60—The Sin of Ananias
The hearts of Ananias and his wife were moved by the Holy Spirit
to devote their possessions to God as their brethren had done. But
after they had made the pledge, they drew back, and determined not to
fulfill it. While professing to give all, they kept back part of the price.
They had practiced fraud toward God, they had lied to the Holy Spirit,
and their sin was visited with swift and terrible judgment. They lost
not only the present life, but eternal life.
The Lord saw that this signal manifestation of His justice was
needed to guard others against incurring the same guilt. It 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 the
young church, to lead them to examine their motives, to beware of
indulging selfishness and vainglory, to beware of robbing God.
In the case of Ananias, the sin of fraud against God was speedily
detected and punished. This example of God’s judgment was designed
to be a danger signal to all future generations. The same sin was often
repeated in the afterhistory of the church, and it is committed by many
in our time; but though not attended with the visible manifestation
of God’s displeasure, it is no less heinous in His sight now than in
the apostles’ time. The warning has been given, God has clearly
manifested His abhorrence of this sin, and all who pursue a similar
course of action may be sure that they are destroying their own souls....
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It is only when Christian motives are fully acknowledged, and
the conscience is awake to duty, when divine light makes impressions
upon the heart and character, that selfishness is overcome, and the mind
of Christ is exemplified. The Holy Spirit, working upon human hearts
and characters, will expel all tendency to covetousness, to deceptive
dealing....
On some occasions the Lord has moved decidedly upon worldly,
selfish men. Their minds were illuminated by the Holy Spirit, their
hearts felt its softening, subduing influence. Under a sense of the
abundant mercy and grace of God, they felt it their duty to promote
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