Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-08-12
THEY LIED UNTO GOD.
It's IN Vl, Tsi~O QUARTER. INTER-
NAT iONAL SERlES, AUG. IA.

documentary by the Rev. ID. NJ.
Stearns.
!. "But certain man named Ananias,
with Sapphira his wife, sold possession"
We have been reading Of two noble, faith
full followers of Jesus who were ready to
die for Him, and glad to suffer for Him II
only He might be glorified, but we have
now a sad contrast in the story Of these
two who while protesting faithfulness to
Jesus Christ were not sincere at heart,
but while outwardly serving Him were
serving themselves ALSO Many had sold
their possessions and had honestly given
all to God; their new hopes and joys had
made earthly possessions seem valueless
except as they might do good with them
and thus lay up treasure in heaven Math.
vi 90 p; Luke xviii, p; | Tim. vi, 1913.
2. And kept back part of the price. his
wife also being privy to it, and brought
certain part and laid it at the apostles
feet" There is an old command to this
effect, walk before me, and be thou sin.
cere" Gen. xvii, |, margin) Thou shalt
be sincere with the Lord thy God" (Deut.
xviii 10, margin). And it is also written,
Cursed be he that doeth the work Of the
l1OTu ueCellIUlly kJeT. AlNlll, w. our
Lord Jesus kept back nothing when He
gave Himself for u.s. He completely emp.
tied Himself and humbled himself even
unto death phil. ii, So.
8. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath
satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy
Ghost, and keep back part of the price of
the lapdS" God desires truth even in the
inward parts ops. Ii, O. and He has said,
Ia hat vp,.l-o th hom
within my house; he that telleth lies shall
not tarry in my sight" FPS CT, y. Con-
trast filled with the Spirit" and "flled
with satan" or "filled with Indignation or
envy" Chapter ". 81; v, 8, ~. The only
way for believer is to be filled with the
Spirit and then all else will be crowded
out, This commqnd (Eph. v, ls) is bind
ing upon all and to neglect 1t is to be
guilty Of disobedience.
4. while it remained was it not thine
OWN And after it was sold. was it not in
thine own power9 Why hast thou con-
eeived! this thing in thine hearth Thou
hast not lied unto men but unto God. 1"
God does not need our possessions, for
1.-THE earth is the Lords and the fullness
thereof" (Ps xiv, y, but He is graciously
pleased to accept that which we cheerfully
and sincerely give unto Him and use it for
His glory. All that we have He has given
tous, and what we give Him is only His
own Il Chron. xxx, IA. 16). Observe Iii
Peters question, why hast thou con.
ceived" that Ananias was responsible for
allowing satan to intrude these thoughts
upon him. There are two forces always
working with us-satan and the Holy
| Spirit-one liar the other the Spirit Of
Truth, but neither can fill us except we
welcome them.
5. And Ananias hearing these words
fell down and gave up the ghost; and
great fear came on all them that heard
these things" If the hand of God were
thus laid on all liars and deceivers in the
church today there would surely come q
great fear on many people. When we con
| slider that we are not our own, but that
these bodies even have been bought by
His blood for His service q Cor. vi, 10, 20),
and then remember how we keep back
hands and feet and eyes and ears and
voice for our own pleasure, and that all
this is simply lying unto God, why is it
that we are not afraid?
6. And the young men arose, wound him
up and carried him out and buried him"
Thus they disposed of his body, the house
| in which he had lived and lied: but what
of Ananias, the person who had occupied
that bodyS We know that thera is such a
thing as being barely saved, saved as by
fire Il Pet. w. IS; Cor. iii, 15. But when
we read of the portion appointed to all
| liars (Rev. xxi, s., we cannot have much if
any ground for expecting to see either
Ananias or Sapphire in the kingdom of
God.
Z. And it was about the space of three
hours after when his wife, not knowing
what was done, came in" Three hours a
widow, but ignorant of the fact. How
long they had journeyed together in these
mortal bodies we do not know, but his has
ended and hers is about to, though she is
all unconscious of it. Perhaps she had
come seeking him. wondering why he de
layed to return home 1t is sad story.
and is written to teach us to be sincere
with God.
8. "And Peter answered unto her, Tell
me whether We sold the land for so muchf
And she said, Yea, for so much" How
one wishes that Peter might have been led
to encourage her TO tell the truth. but per-
haps 1t would have been in vain The
heart Is so desperately wicked and deceit
full above all things tJer. xvii, 81 that even
in this enlightened age both man and
women have been known to swear before
God and man to tell the whole truth and
nothing but the truth, and then deliber.
ately lie Yet God in His long suffering
has graciously allowed them to live on if
perchance they might repent.
o. Then Peter said unto her, How is 1t
that ye have agreed together 10 tempt the
Spirit of the LordS" Compare this verse
with verses and and see the unity of
the Trinity, but particularly a clear proof
that the Spirit is God, for lying to the
Holy Spirit is called lying unto God.
behold the feet Of them which have
buried thy husband are at the door, and
shall carry thee out" This is startling
and awful. The announcement of her hus-
bands death is for the first time made
known to her. and in the same breath she
is told that she, too, shall instantly die,
and she does. Sentence is pronounced and
execution takes place in the same mo-
ment. 1t is the hand of God Compare
chapters xii, 90, and Jer. xviii, 16, II.
10. "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