Acts 5:1-4

But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession,2 and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

“But” is a conjunction of contrast, and what a contrast between the oneness of faith and brotherly love described in Acts 4:32-37, and what we read here in Acts 5 concerning Ananias and Sapphira. They hid behind a profession of grace, but ultimately were exposed for their hypocrisy. These are characteristics of many, even in congregations where the grace of God is faithfully declared, founded on the truth of Christ’s death for His own, and resurrection from the dead, Acts 4:33. The apostle Peter, discerning the hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira denounced them in the strongest of terms, accusing them of lying to the Holy Spirit. The question is, ‘What is it to lie to the Holy Spirit?’ and ‘Is it possible to be a child of God and guilty of lying to the Holy Spirit?’

1. What is it to lie to the Holy Spirit? First and foremost, it is to take what belongs to the LORD Jesus Christ alone, and take that glory to oneself. The Spirit’s work is to glorify the LORD Jesus. The acts of kindness and compassion of the Church in selling their goods and giving to the needy among the LORD’S Church, was a work of the Spirit and the fruit of the grace of God being on them all. The body of Christ is precious to our LORD because He purchased it with His own blood, and therefore any kindness shown to one of the LORD’S redeemed ones is an act of love to the LORD Jesus, (Matthew 25:40). In addition, to act in a manner as if to be glorifying the LORD Jesus, and yet to hold back in any way, while pretending to give Him all the glory is to lie to the Holy Spirit. The Word denounces such in Isaiah 29:13- “Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.” There is an entire religious generation that gives lip service to giving the LORD Jesus Christ all the glory, and yet in their testimony, giving, and prayers, they hold back a part for themselves, all the while making others believe that they are wholly the LORD’s. Sadly, this would be our case, but for the grace of God.