Out of a heart of great compassion directed by the Holy Spirit, the wealthier members of the 1st generational Body of Christ sold their lands & houses so that they could deposit the money acquired at the discretion of the Apostle in order to help those in real poverty need. Read Acts 4:34. There was no legislation requiring them to do so. Neither was there any social peer pressure to do so. This was a matter redistribution that the Holy Spirit caused to happen. With HIS help and guidance, our charity for others should abound more in knowledge (wisdom) plus in all judgement (proper discernment), as in Philippians 1:9. Communist movements have come into power by stirring up the lower classes with promises of bigger amounts of income from redistribution. They used the masses to overthrow the established government of that day. In doing so, they destroyed the middle class while making those collaborating with the new Socialist regime far more powerful than before. Farms and businesses were seized by the Socialist Marxists so that the government would be in control of daily operations. To hold and sustain all this together under Socialist control, there had to be a huge sacrifice of freedoms. This was the far opposite from what was happening with the great generosity in the 1st century Body of Christ. The Apostles were deserving of the sacred trust of having large amounts of cash placed in their discretion in order to help the needy among them. It was simply the Holy Ghost moving on the hearts of those Distribution was made by the Apostles to every man according as he or she had need. A man named Ananias with Sapphira, his wife, sold some property. They kept back part of the price. They were entitled to do that if they chose to do so. However, they pretended to give the total sum of the sale of their property. Peter said: Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost as you have kept back part of the price of your land? (Acts 5:3) While it remained (unsold), was it not your own? After it was sold, was it (the money) not in your own power? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men, but unto God. (5:4) As Ananias heard these words from Peter, he fell down and died. Great fear came on all them that heard of this. (5) The young men arose and carried him out so that they could bury him. (6) It was about the space of 3 hours after that when his wife (Sapphira) came in without knowing what had happened to her husband. (7) Peter questioned her: Tell me whether you sold the land for so much? She agreed with the amount that Peter mentioned. (8) Then Peter said to her: How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them which have buried the husband are at the door so that they can carry you out. (9) Then, she fell down immediately and died. The same young men came in, finding her to be died, and took her out to be buried. (10) As a result of this, great fear came upon all the church and upon as many as heard about this. (11) As a result, some people dared not join this new movement as they were afraid that their sinfulness would be exposed. Nevertheless, the culture of that day magnified them because of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in their midst. (13) This reverential fear (respect for the supernatural) did provide for a spiritual environment for miracles to take place through the Apostles. See verses 12, 15-16. Your lying may not result in your premature, immediate death; however, there are consequences that you must deal with. Consider Luke 12:2-3. There is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid that shall not be known. Therefore, whatsoever that you have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light. That which you have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. Back in the Bible times, the housetops were flat surrounded by walls about 4 feet in height. When an announcement was to be made to the village, the family would stand on the top of their house and get the villagers attention for making an announcement (perhaps by clapping or whistling, etc.). When the villagers had gathered around the house, the announcement would be made like an engagement, death, etc. Today, our modern rooftops often have television equipment to receive television waves so that we can view the local and national news. Therefore, the equivalent of what Jesus was saying about it proclaimed from the housetops for today is having it placed it into the television news. Here is another scripture to consider along the lines of having your lies discovered. Numbers 32:23. Be sure that your sin will find you out. People who habitually lie to others have to labor at remember what they told to whom and how they said it. It is much easier to simply tell the truth consistently.
