“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 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” (Acts 5:1-2). 

This reference is tied to the material in the previous chapter in Acts (cf. Acts 4:32-37).  The brethren were selling their possessions and giving the price of them to the apostles so that needs could be met.  However, Ananias and Sapphira kept part of the sale of their possession and made it appear that they were giving like all the others.  Their shortcut in giving ultimately led to their demise.

There are several “shortcuts” attempted by people to gain valuable things only to find that such does not produce.  Consider three.

1.  Bible Knowledge.  There are people who talk about wanting a great knowledge of the Bible, but they do not want to put in the work that it takes to attain it.  Solomon wrote, “If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2:4-5).  Solomon wrote in another book concerning study, “And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh” (Eccl. 12:12).  Paul wrote to Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15).  Therefore, one can see that gaining Bible knowledge takes work.  No one can do another’s studying for them.  Personal time with the Bible through an intelligent look at the text brings the benefits.

2.  Becoming a Christian.  When looking at the religious world’s view of how to become a Christian, there are several “shortcuts” presented.  For example, there is the doctrine of “Just accept Christ into your life and pray this prayer.”  There is the pressing of the account of the thief on the cross as the clear way to make it to paradise as though baptism has nothing to do with being saved.  Nothing can take away from the explicit declaration that Jesus gave to the apostles in the “Great Commission” (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-47) and the preaching and practice of the apostles as seen in the book of Acts (cf. Acts 2:37-38).  To add to or take from the word of God is to face dire consequences (cf. Rev. 22:18-19).

3.  Building Spiritual Character.  Paul wrote, “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Rom. 5:3-4).  Peter described the growth of personal faith in the Christian as adding various virtues with a diligence spirit (cf. 2 Peter 1:5-7).  There are various lessons that cannot be learned the easy way.  One does not gain patience or endurance without the trial of one’s faith (cf. James 1:3-4).  One does not learn obedience without suffering (cf. Heb. 5:8).  One does not understand one’s own strengths or weaknesses without testing (cf. Prov. 24:10; Jer. 12:5).  One does not learn contentment the easy way (cf. Phil. 4:11-13).  There are no “shortcuts” when it comes to having a solid Christian life.  Spiritual strength comes through certain weakness (cf. 2 Cor. 12:9-10).             

Jimmy Clark

“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8).

The word translated “abound” (2 Peter 1:8) is from the Greek word meaning “to superabound, to exist in abundance, to increase, be augmented” (Thayer, p. 516).  Therefore, the thought is that one not just possess the qualities of 2 Peter 1:5-7, but that those qualities develop to their fullest potential in life.  Such would reveal the full knowledge of the Lord from a practical standpoint.  Therefore, abounding is a Biblical concept that needs exploring.  Consider three areas where abounding is found in other places in the Bible.

1.  In Love.  Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you” (1 Thess. 3:12).  Again, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth” (2 Thess. 1:3).  Paul wrote to the Philippian brethren, “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment” (Phil. 1:9).  Agape love is the trademark of God (cf. 1 John 4:7-8, 16) and God’s people (cf. John 13:35).  This love is the bond of completeness in all that the Christian wears in his spiritual attire (cf. Col. 3:14).  Has the world ever seen a grandmother abound in her love for her grandchildren?  Has the world ever seen the closest of friends sacrifice for their friend out of genuine love?  Peter exhorted those Christians who had obeyed the truth, “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Peter 1:22).  A heart and life that abounds in love is a beautiful sight to behold.

2.  In Labor.  Paul wrote in view of the assurance of the resurrection, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58).  Paul wrote further to the Corinthians, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Cor. 9:8).  Truly, just as love is to abound then the expression of that love is to abound.  It is faith that works by love that avails (cf. Gal. 5:6).  How many Christians look at the work of the Lord in this way?  To abound in the work of the Lord is not just to see how little one can get by with in serving.  To abound would involve looking for more and more opportunities to do good.

3.  In Liberality.  “How that in great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. . . . Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also” (2 Cor. 8:2, 7).  Paul used the Macedonian brethren as an example of abounding in giving to stir the Corinthian congregation.  One would not see covetousness in such a quality.  An abounding congregation in this regard is far from a “worldly church.”  A giving God should be modeled in a giving church.                                                                        

Jimmy Clark

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” (Phil. 2:14-15). 

Most people know how distasteful it is to be around those who are complainers and critical.  Such projects an attitude that life is pretty sour and pessimistic.  The faithful child of God has every reason to be upbeat and happy seeing that the inner man is right with God and the future holds great things.  Paul, like Jesus (cf. Matt. 5:14-16), emphasizes the need to be “lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15).  Light is a valuable element for clarity and safety.  Consider three positive matters concerning one’s influence that projects the greatness of God and how great it is to be a Christian.

1.  Soul-Winning.  Christians, like Christ, want people to be saved and ultimately be in heaven.  Influencing people to follow the spiritual path to heaven demands a positive influence.  Paul wrote to Timothy, “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Tim. 2:24-26).  Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time” (Col. 4:5).  Peter wrote concerning Christian wives married to non-Christian husbands, “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear” (1 Peter 3:1-2).

2.  Speech.  The words of a person say much about a person’s perspective and attitude about all sorts of matters.  The exhortations to Christians abound in positive commands and clear warnings.  Paul wrote, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Col. 4:6).  Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Eph. 4:29).  James stressed strongly being careful with the use of the tongue.  After illustrating the need for controlling horses and great ships, he writes, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell” (James 3:5-6).  It is as Solomon wrote, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof” (Prov. 18:21).

3.  Service.  As Jesus was a doer of good things (cf. Acts 10:38) so are Christians to do the same (cf. Gal. 6:10).  Service is a way of life to the Christian as the church is to be people oriented.  As a matter of fact, those who will be in heaven are so service oriented that they do not occupy their minds with whom or how much service they give (cf. Matt. 25:34-40).  “How can I help” and “What more can I do” are the can-do attitudes of God’s faithful people.                 

Jimmy Clark