Ananias and Sapphira weren't disheveled bums. They weren't the awkward visitor that didn't know anybody and didn't know that you're supposed to sit down after the doxology. Ananias would be a deacon in most of our churches. Sapphira would run nursery. The shocking part of the story isn't the severe punishment of their sin but the frequency we mimic their sin. We make ourselves look godlier than we are. Carnal, ambitious pride covered neatly with spiritual humility. In conversations with other Christians, we repeatedly bring our spirituality to the forefront and leave our besetting sins in the background. "Yes, I'm reading this devotional book, running this ministry, studied that topic, witnessed to that person, prayed about that, see you on Sunday." Our undeniable laziness, uncontrolled lust and shameful materialism hide in the closet waiting for all the Christians to go away so they can come out and reek havoc on our walk with God. Ananias and Sapphira's sin was not they did not give everything; it was aggrandizing what they were giving like it was everything. Arrogance led them into a lie. Hopefully, your arrogance hasn't led you into boldface lying--yet. But the same spiritual pride swells inside of you everyday. Don't think of yourself more highly than you should, but think with sober judgment (Romans 12:3) In humility count others more significant than yourself (Philippians 2:3) Do your good deeds quietly and keep your good deeds secret (Matthew 6) Repent of your hypocrisy. Take the sin in your life seriously. Bring up Christ more often in your conversation than yourself. Marvel at a merciful God that loves braggarts and Pharisees. Tremble along with the early church at a holy God that punishes the boastful, resists the proud and strikes liars dead.

Comments (4)

Many of you have been panicking. This random, foggy window into my life has been dark for too long. I would like to apologize and tell you how guilty I feel for not blogging--but I don't. I had other things to do and enjoyed not being stuck in front of a computer all day. But I'm back to the routine, busy student's world. Here's what's going on:

Christmas Break: The last four weeks have been filled with friends and family. Sarah and I spent almost every evening hanging out with God's redeemed in Philadelphia. I read a little, worked two weeks for Central Salvage (the place I worked for over the summer), sang in church and preached a sermon on killing sin. The worst part of Christmas break was leaving Sarah in Philly. She just got a great job as a secretary at a law firm downtown. So she's staying busy planning a wedding, doing two correspondence courses, working and of course--talking on the phone with me.

School: School seems so much more bearable knowing that this is my last semester ever here. The thought "I'll have to do this again" can't haunt me. I'm taking 15 credits this semester: Prison Epistles in Greek, Hebrew II, Systematic Theology II, Biblical Hermeneutics, History of Preaching and Old Testament Introduction. They're all great classes taught by godly men. B.B. Warfield said that the greatest job hazard of seminary students is becoming familiar with the divine. It's the greatest danger for me this semester.

Work: Nothing's really changed here--I throw trash into a truck. My boss says that work is slow right now, so I'm a little worried about my hours decreasing even more. God knows what I need.

Church: I'm going to be soaking up everything I can this semester at Grace Bible, still teaching children's church. I'm looking forward to getting back to my friends/family at Bethel for good this summer.

That's about it. Life continues to be incredibly complicated and amazingly simple at the same time. The storm rages, waves swell, I feel like I'm sinking. But the real task is simple--keep my eyes on the Savior.

Anybody else care to share a quick update on their lives?

Comments (4)