Opposition Within the Church - The Church's False Witness

The fledgling Church was beginning to meet opposition from the outside in the form of persecution from the Jewish authorities. But it was also to experience opposition from within - opposition that would more effectively threaten its well-being and witness to Christ and His gospel. Luke recorded the first instance of such a threat as coming in the persons of Ananias and Sapphira and their offering to the Church. The saints hadn't yet experienced internal opposition, and so were focused on divine provision in the face of outside threats (4:23-30). But God knew what was coming and He recognized that the true danger to His Church lay in destructive forces arising from within. Thus He acted swiftly and severely, not only to intercept what Ananias and Sapphira were introducing into His Church, but also to make His people painfully aware of what they were going to face in the future and how they must deal with it.