Chapter 983 of 1163

ACTS 5

Pretending (1–11). Barnabas’s gift (4:36–37) exposed the sin of Ananias and Sapphira, just as Mary’s gift exposed Judas’s sin (John 12). The couple lied to the Spirit, to the church, and to Peter; and it cost them their lives. Their sin was not in taking money from God but in pretending to be something they were not.

Obeying (12–16). Dealing with sin in the church often results in new power for the church. Can you imagine a church so spiritual that people were afraid to join with them? Even Peter’s shadow had power!

Opposing (17–32). Because the Sadducees could not tolerate evidences of resurrection power, they arrested the apostles again and told them to be quiet. “We ought to obey God rather than men” (v. 29) is the only position to hold when you have the Word of God on your side. Be sure it is conviction and not just opinion.

Hesitating (33–42). Gamaliel advised neutrality, which means avoiding the truth and letting Satan move in (Matt. 12:30, 43–45). With all the evidence they had seen, the council’s neutrality was actually dishonesty. If you followed Gamaliel’s advice in any area of life—science, cooking, finance—it would lead to paralysis and then death.

“We make our decisions, and then our decisions turn around and make us.”

F. W. Boreham

“There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.”

William James

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