The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-02-02

Acts 4:32-5:11 - Golden Tel
PROV. IL: 22-Commit Verses 81
documentary on the Lesson,
TIME.-3O A. D. or later. PLACE
Jerusalem.
EXPOSITION I. A Spirit-hIIed
Church, 4:32-3z. Some time has
passed since Pentecost, perhaps q
year or more, but still the unity and
love of the early church abide. II
was deep seated and permanent Its
origin is SHOWN in the Immediately
preceding verse, they were all filled
with the Holy Ghost. This is the
spirit Of genuine Christianity in every
age. The form of expression may diff
fer, even as it did in the early church,
for we find no community of goods
outside Jerusalem, but no true Chri&
tian regards aughtof thethings viii
he possesses as his own q Jno. 8
IL, 18). And with great power gan
the Apostles witness of the Tesurrec1
ton of the Lord Jesus ? Here waa
another result of being filled with the
Holy Ghost. There is much witness
ing to "the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus" in these days, but is it with
great power?" There is evidently
nothing more needed by the individ-
ual believer and the church than al
1ew filling with the Holy Ghost, thai
there may again be love, unity and
power. The word translated gave
IN this verse occurs forty-seven tines
in the N. T., and always has in it the
thought of giving something due.
Their witness to the resurrection d
the Lord Jesus was something TIL
Apostles owed to the world, and 1t
something every one who knows Jesu
Christ owes to the world, toI give
their witness to Him (Rom lila,
80. Great grace was upon them
all" 1t is not said whether it was
Gods favor or mans favor that was
upon them. It seems, therefore, to,
imply both (cf. Luke 2-52). The rea-
son why great grace was upon them
all was because love and self-sacri-
fee abounded No man looked upon
his own interests, but every man on
the things of Others" (comp. 2 Cor.
9:7, 6; Phil. AIS, 19). According
as any one had need. Not according
to distinguished abilities or notable
services, but according to need. That
is the Christian principle of distribu-
ion.
III. Devil-flIed Hypocrite, VS.. 81
IL. 1t is an exceeding fair picture
we have been looking on up to this
point, but the serpent again enters
Eden. Up to this point the church's
danger had been principally from
without, but now it faces the greater
peril of foes within. No wonder Cod
who loves His church, death with
this matter with a stern hand. The
atmosphere of love and entire conse-
Grafton in which the deed of Ananias
was done, made it the more unpar-
donable. The same language is used
in describing his action and that of
Barnabas. UP to a certain point. Butt
what a difference: the one the decd
of self-forgetting love, the other thu
deed of closely calculating hypocri
The early church was sndt per
emo. S:44). But the lie of Anafs
was more than an ordinary lie.
had seen the whole hearted love an
Barnabas (cf. oh. 4;36. 37), how Id
had literally brought all that he hai&
and laid it at the apostles feet. IL
had seen the admiration the conS6
Grated Barnabas had awakened in thA
apostolic company. He decided "a
gain the same applause for himself*
but without paying the full priced
He, too, sold possession, but se-l
creted part of the price and Brought
the rest with the intent to deceive the
church. The Holy Spirit guided the
early church and the attempt ito de.
ceive the Spirit-guided church Vas an
attempt to deceive the Spirit Himself.
This presumption brought swift and
awful Judgment. Ananias fell dead
the moment his sin was uncovered,
an awful warning to all who attempt
to deceive God Not all lying kan be
called lying to God. But when there
is false pretence of entire codsecra.
ton, when something is knoEinglN
held back for self, that is lying ID
God; for conservation is nod unt&,
men, but unto God. Peters question:
is very solemn. why hath SATAN filled
thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost 9
1t implies that while the plan had
originated with Satan. Ananias wa
none the less responsible, that he had
given place to Satan and permitted
him to fill his heart The fact thai
the sin originated with Satan did NOD
lessen but aggravated his guilt, I'll
had entered into partnership with TIL
devil. And that is what every liar |
doing. every teacher of error instead
of the truth of God q Jno. 2:22). I'D
chapter four we see the true disciple&
Spirit-filled (ch 4:21). here we sen
Ananias devil-filled. The heart thai
is opened to the Holy Spirit He viii
fill The heart that is opened to So
tan he will fill. The one who pre-
tends to an entire conservation
does not exist is tempting the
of the Lord 1t is a dangerous:
to do. 1t may not bring pin
death in every instance--indeedy
will not in many: for God gives az
illustrative example of His feeling To
ward certain sins las, e. g., in o.
case of Achan and here) then de-
not again visit with immediate jul
ment, but there will be great
none the less. The effect in this CT
was most salutary. Those who W
thinking of joining the church
mercenary motives were held I'D
from so doing. Would that the Sp
were present in such power in
church to-day that hypocrites woN
regard it with terror.
Attorney VIII Get 100000.
nv +ba docicion af the ITnitd*