from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel

... A healthy fear of the Lord produces a life that seeks holiness with sincerity before God

Proverbs 16:6 NKJV (devotion translation)

The account of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 reminds us that God cares deeply about the purity of His church. Their sin was not that they withheld part of the money from the sale of their land. Peter made it clear that the property belonged to them and was under their control. Their sin was deception. They wanted the appearance of complete devotion while secretly holding back the truth. In doing so, they lied not only to people, but to the Holy Spirit Himself.

This passage may seem severe, yet it reveals something important about the character of God. The early church was being established as a witness to the world, and God desired His people to understand that holiness matters. The Lord is gracious and merciful, but He is also holy and just. Scripture teaches us not to treat sin lightly or to become comfortable with hypocrisy. God desires truth in the inward parts of our lives.

The fear of the Lord is not a terrified dread that pushes us away from God. It is a reverent awareness of who He is. He is our loving Father, yet He is also the righteous Judge of all the earth. When we live with that healthy reverence, it shapes our choices, guards our hearts, and leads us away from deliberate sin.

As believers, we are called to walk honestly before God. We do not need to impress Him or others with appearances. The Lord already sees every hidden motive and every private thought. What He desires is humble obedience, sincere repentance, and hearts that remain tender before Him through the work of Christ.

Lord, help me to walk in honesty and reverence before You. Guard my heart from hypocrisy and teach me to live in a way that honors Your holiness and grace. Amen.

• Psalms 51:6 - God desires truth in the inward parts of the heart.
• Proverbs 1:7 - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom.
• Proverbs 8:13 - Reverence for the Lord leads believers to hate evil and pride.
• Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 - God will bring every deed and hidden thing into judgment.
• Hebrews 4:13 - Nothing is hidden from the sight of God.
• 1 Peter 1:15-16 - Believers are called to pursue holiness because God is holy.
• 2 Corinthians 7:1 - Christians are encouraged to pursue holiness in the fear of God.
• Proverbs 12:22 - The Lord delights in those who deal truthfully.
• 1 Timothy 6:17-19 - Generosity is meant to flow from sincere obedience rather than for outward recognition.

Ananias and Sapphira

• Acts 4:32-37 - The early church shared generously with one another, and Barnabas sold land and gave the proceeds to the apostles.
• Acts 5:1-2 - Ananias and Sapphira sold property but secretly kept back part of the money while pretending to give the full amount.
• Acts 5:3-4 - Peter confronted Ananias, explaining that his sin was lying to the Holy Spirit rather than merely withholding money.
• Acts 5:5-6 - Ananias immediately fell dead, and great fear came upon those who heard what happened.
• Acts 5:7-8 - Later, Sapphira repeated the same deception before Peter.
• Acts 5:9-10 - Peter rebuked Sapphira for agreeing together in the deception, and she also fell dead.
• Acts 5:11 - Great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard these events.