不可欺哄神
使徒行传五章1至11节
1有一个人，名叫亚拿尼亚，同他的妻子撒非喇卖了田产，
2把价银私自留下几分，他的妻子也知道，其余的几分拿来放在使徒脚前。
3彼得说：亚拿尼亚！为甚么撒但充满了你的心，叫你欺哄圣灵，把田地的价银私自留下几分呢？
4田地还没有卖，不是你自己的么？既卖了，价银不是你作主么？你怎么心里起这意念呢？你不是欺哄人，是欺哄神了。
5亚拿尼亚听见这话，就仆倒，断了气；听见的人都甚惧怕。
6有些少年人起来，把他包裹，擡出去埋葬了。
7约过了三小时，他的妻子进来，还不知道这事。
8彼得对他说：你告诉我，你们卖田地的价银就是这些么？他说：就是这些。
9彼得说：你们为甚么同心试探主的灵呢？埋葬你丈夫之人的脚已到门口，他们也要把你擡出去。
10妇人立刻仆倒在彼得脚前，断了气。那些少年人进来，见他已经死了，就擡出去，埋在他丈夫旁边。
11全教会和听见这事的人都甚惧怕。
信息分享
这正是初期教会要面对的挑战。神大大地祝福使徒的工作，使许多人决志信主，加入教会。撒但便立即伺机攻击教会。他要用谁来破坏教会呢？他留意到一对夫妇，男的叫亚拿尼亚，女的叫撒非喇，他们正决定了要变卖田产，把所得的价银悉数交到使徒手中，献予教会。
他们原以为自己心意已决，殊不知到他们把田产卖出，价银放在他们手中，他们看清楚数目之后，才面对真正的考验。此刻，试探来到了。是谁提议他们把部分价银收起来的呢？是丈夫？抑或是妻子？我们不知道。但我们相信，背后一定是撒但的诡计，他要利用他们来终止神对教会的祝福。
倘若他们当中一人坚持说「不」，强调「我们不可以做这事！」，那么，整个故事便要完全改写了。然而，他们不单没有彼此提醒，没有鼓励对方要忠于先前在主面前的立志；反之，却是互相怂恿去欺哄神。你的家庭又是怎样的呢？你与家人之间能否在忠于基督的事情上互相鼓励、彼此提醒？抑或互相怂恿去犯罪？
亚拿尼亚和撒非喇究竟犯了甚么罪？他们夸张了事实和说了谎话。他们并非把全部价银交给使徒，而是交出一部分，可是，他们却说自己已把全数交出。
神没有原谅他们；神没有说：「嗯，你们只是初信者，将来便慢慢学会。」不，神要立即对付罪。当罪被清除之后，神的祝福便再临到教会；第11至16节显示了教会在神祝福下的美好发展。
这原则同样应用在今天。我们的生命若有罪，神便会收回祂的祝福。唯有我们向神认罪悔改，神才会再次倾福予我们，我们的生命才会再次在神的手中成为可用之材。能够被神使用，岂不是我们的心愿吗？
BEING HONEST WITH GOD
Acts 5: 1 – 11
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.
2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.
6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
7 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?”
She said, “Yes, for so much.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.
11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
Message
That is what happened in the early church. God was blessing them and people were being converted. Then Satan hit back. Who could he use? He found a husband and wife named Ananias and Sapphira. They had a block of land which they decided to sell and give all the money to the apostles.
What they didn’t realize was that the real test would not come until they had the money in their hands and saw how much it was. Now the temptation began. Who suggested they hold back some of the money? Was it the husband or the wife? We don’t know. Behind it all was Satan trying to use them to stop blessing in the church.
If only one of them had said, ‘No, let’s not do it’ their story may have been different. But instead of helping each other to stand true to their early plan for Christ’s sake, they helped each other to sin. What about your family? Which way are you really helping them? To stand true to Christ or to sin?
What was it that Ananias and his wife really did? They stretched the truth and told a lie. They didn’t have to give all the money, but they gave some of it and said they were giving all of it.
God did not excuse them. He didn’t say, ‘Well they are only young Christians, they’ll learn’. Sin had to be dealt with and when it was, blessing came again into the church. Read verses 11 to 16 and see just how wonderful it all was.
It is still true today. If there is sin in our lives, it will hold up blessing. But when we confess it and put it away, God pours out his blessing and our lives become useful again in his hand. Isn’t that what we really want?