 Was Ananias and Sapphira were they Christians? Well, this comes up for two reasons. One, because the consequence of their sin was death. And so the question would be, do we die as a consequence of our sin? Can death be a consequence? Well, obviously, yes. Death can be a consequence of our sin, whether you are saved or unsaved. Was Ananias and Sapphira were they saved? The answer is going to be no. But here's also another reason why this comes up, because some will say that here's an example of someone who was a Christian who also was possessed or demonized or had a demon. And if that's the case, if they indeed were saved and they had a demon, well, then does that mean that we also too can have a demon as believers? However, the scriptures show otherwise that Ananias and Sapphira were not believers. So let's go there first. Acts chapter five verse one, and let's read the story. But a man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property and kept back some of the price for himself with his wife's full knowledge and bringing a portion of it he laid it at the apostles feet. That's important. So what do they do? They're selling their land and they're bringing there the portions of the proceeds to the apostles and laying it there because at the founding of the church, you've got these people that are coming to Christ, having everything in common, selling their things so that everyone will have everything in common that there will be no one in the community that lacks. That's important because we're going to have to find out a little bit more about this to determine and see conclusively that neither Ananias nor his wife were believers. But Peter said to Ananias in verse three, Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back some of the price of the land? The question is going to be, does this statement mean that he was that the devil entered him that he was possessed or demonized or whatever the lack that you want to use? Does this mean that this person that Ananias had a demon? Well, we don't really have to argue that point. Maybe he did. Maybe he did. Maybe this means that maybe not. Maybe he influenced him, but didn't have a demon. Maybe he was not demonized. That point won't be necessary to prove one way or the other to prove that Ananias was not a believer. I'll show you why just to believe in a minute. He says, while it remained unsold, did it not remain in your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? Now, he states that you have conceived, but we'll still go ahead and allow for the belief that this was Satan's doing. This is the devil's doing and that even still maybe he had a demon. You have not lied to men, but to God as he heard these words. Ananias fell dead and breathed his last and a great fear came over all who heard the young man got up, covered him up and carry him out. They buried him without reading further. We know the rest of the story. His wife comes and she goes along with a lie and the same thing happens to her. So again, the question were they saved was Ananias and his wife say the answer is a resounding no. How do we know? Here's how in Acts 432 we see that all of the believers are coming together, the congregation of the believers are coming together selling their properties and having everything in common so that no one can lack anything. I mentioned that earlier and here's why this is important. 1st 32 starts off by saying and the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and one soul. And so who believed the congregation? That's vitally important. The congregation did what they believed and the tense of this is they were believing. So this is a part of simple. So all of them were believing and what is it? What else does it say? They were all of one heart and one soul meaning that they all had the same thing in common. They all believe the same thing. They were together on this. They were all in agreement and those what else it says it says and not one of them claimed anything that belonging to him was his own. So we need to understand this none of those people none of those that were believing not one of them claimed anything that was belonging him was his own. So who's the them that's been referred to here? Let me highlight this point here. Who is the them that's been referred to? Well, the them is the ones that are believing and so he says not one of them not one not one of the believing. This is why it's vitally important that I want to over stress this point not one of the believing ones would sell something or claim that anything belonging to him was his own but all things were common property to them and with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and abundant grace was upon them all on them all for there was not a needy person among them for all who were owners of land. Notice this for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sale all of who all of the ones that Paul or the writer just says were believing all of them were doing that they would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostle's feet and they would be distributed to each as any had need. Now why is this important? Because if we just move a little further to chapter 5 verse 1 the same thing is being spoken of then we get to chapter 5 and notice how it starts off but a man named Ananias this is in contrast to what was spoken of in chapter 4 the latter part of it Ananias is not one of the ones who were believing he remember the Bible says that not one of them would have anything claiming to be his own and all of them all of who all of the believing ones would sell their proceeds and bring them and later than 50 the possible so Ananias is not called one of the believing ones he could not be one of the believing ones because if he were one of the believing ones within the writer is incorrect now Luke is writing this but Luke was not there at the time and so Luke is being told this maybe by Peter or some of the other apostles but they're being told he's being told this and so they would be incorrect and Luke would be incorrect and here would be a lie and it would be a mistake of the Bible to say that everyone when everyone isn't true when they say not one of them when there is one as a matter of fact there's two Ananias and Sapphira so this is how we know that Ananias neither he nor his wife were believing ones neither he nor his wife were saved and sometimes if we just stop and just go through the scriptures reading context understand what's happening chapter 5 doesn't take place in a vacuum by itself it takes place after chapter 4 specifically the latter part of for and we can see that all of those that were truly believing they were the ones that sold their properties and brought them to the apostles but the one guy who we know who did sell his property and lied about the proceeds he's not included as a believing one amen.