Led by the Spirit: Journey Through the Book of Acts Part 1Sample

Day 7: Truthfulness to God

The Netflix series Inventing Anna captivated audiences when it premiered. It tells the real-life story of Anna Sorokin, who posed as a wealthy German heiress, duping New York’s elite and swindling prominent banks and hotels. Anna’s story is a striking example of our human desire to project an image that masks our true self as we strive to appear better than we really are.

In Acts 5, we see an example of how the same hypocritical tendencies resulted in the judgement of a couple in the early church. The scene is set in the context where believers in the early church willingly sold their land, bringing the proceeds to help the needy in the church (Acts 4:34-35). Ananias and Sapphira did the same, seemingly selling their land and bringing the proceeds to the apostles. In reality, they had secretly kept a part of it. In the original Greek phrase, “kept back” literally means to embezzle.

Their lies were exposed, and their sin was dealt with decisively. Ananias and Sapphira were not merely lying to humans, but to the Holy Spirit. While we may be surprised by God’s swift judgement on them, it reveals how God will not tolerate dishonesty and duplicity among His people. This resulted in the church developing a fear of the Lord.

The desire to win esteem among others around us can drive us to put up false appearances or to pretend to be someone we are not. We may not feel like we are outrightly lying to others or harming others through our ‘half-truths’. But God desires for holiness in His church, and this involves living authentically in order to bring Him glory. We may be able to fool those around us, but nothing is hidden from God.

Do we behave differently in different settings towards different groups of people? Do we consciously or unconsciously try to make ourselves appear more successful, competent, or ‘spiritual’ than we are? Do we misrepresent ourselves in order to gain the favour of man? In the end, developing a fear of the Lord involves learning to live solely for the audience of One. This is what God requires of us not only as individuals but more so as His holy church.

Reflect:

• Take time to reflect on the questions in the last paragraph. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any duplicity that may be present in your life.
• Are there any hidden sins in your life that you need to deal with? Pray and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you and convict your heart.