When I was a newer Christian and this passage was preached in church, I always feared the judgment of God and believe this couple went to hell. But did they? I think the answer is important for us to know because this was New Testament. The age of Grace and Truth but that looked like an Old Testament-style judgment. We should take heed indeed. So did they go to hell?
Here is the account in Acts 5:1-11:
But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife's knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.
After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.
There is a lot in these 11 verses. First, they lied to men but really to God as it states. Then they were killed by God. Not having a chance to ask forgiveness for their sin. So they have to be in hell, right? First, let's talk about salvation. If someone is born again today and asks forgiveness of sins, does God forgive them for all their sins up until that day or for every sin they committed and will commit? Next question, when someone is born again and God saves him, can he become unsaved?
We have to understand if you are born again (I mean truly born again), then you're His forever. The devil can not snatch you out of God's hand. Scripture says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38–39). Remember the same God who saved you is the same God who will keep you. Once we are saved, we are always saved. Our salvation is most definitely eternally secure!
But what if you sin and die not having a chance to ask for forgiveness? 1 John 2:21 says “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” So we are covered folks. If you are indeed born again. Only God knows your heart. If someone says in their heart, “since I'm covered I guess I can fornicate and do whatever I want.” Then the Bible will say that person is not saved. That is what the first few chapters of Romans talk about. Many people who say they're Christians will go to hell, but that is because they were never Christians to begin with. They fooled others and fooled themselves. But if you are His, you are golden.
So did Ananias and Sapphira go to hell? Depends on whether they were His to begin with. If they were saved, they are in heaven right now. Their advocate Jesus Christ presented them before God and their names are in the book of life awaiting their resurrected bodies. God disciplines His children and that judgment is still blessing the church today as it's in scripture. For the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. As it states in verse 11 “And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things.” God does punish his children for the destruction of their flesh so that their spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord (read 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 ). But if they were counterfeits Christians from the get-go, then they are unfortunately in hell. Let us heed the lesson the Spirit of God has for us concerning Ananias and Sapphira, that we may glorify Him in life and death.
(1 Corinthians 11:28-32 NIV) A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. {29} For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. {30} That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. {31} But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. {32} When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
A number of believers in the Corinthian church died because they handled the Lord's Supper sinfully. They went to Heaven.
I think that if Ananias and Sapphira weren't believers they wouldn't have come under God's discipline.
That's the thing. Was it discipline or was it judgment? We dont know for sure. But God does. I appreciate your point of view though.
Interesting! Never thought of them being in heaven either. Good theology!