I Do Not Exercise Myself in Great Matters, Or in Things Too Wonderful for Me

 

In the previous post, I said, “Faith and Works Must Agree.” Today, I would like to consider something further related to that. As I said in the previous post, “faith” and “works” are not separate things, but “one.” Therefore, in truth, everyone should act only according to his own faith. Sadly, however, there seem to be times when people act beyond the measure of their faith. But we must know that works done without faith can rather become sin to a person.

 

Romans 14:23 “But he that doubteth is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; and whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

 

Even if no one else knows, Jesus and the person himself surely know whether what he has done was done in perfect faith for the name of Jesus, or whether some other motive was mixed in. In Acts 5, there is a couple named “Ananias” and “Sapphira.” Ananias was the husband, and Sapphira was his wife. Since this couple was together with the disciples of Jesus and sought to sell their property and give it to the apostles, we can know that they were a couple who believed in Jesus. At that time, the disciples of Jesus and those who followed them, by the great grace of the Holy Spirit, willingly held their possessions in common, did not claim even a little of their goods as their own, and shared with one another according to each one’s need.

 

Acts 4:31-37 “31And when they had prayed, the place was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spake the word of God with boldness. 32And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and soul: and not one of them said that aught of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 33And with great power gave the apostles their witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34For neither was there among them any that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35and laid them at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto each, according as any one had need. 36And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, which is, being interpreted, Son of exhortation, a Levite, a man of Cyprus by race, 37having a field, sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.”

 

At such a time, Ananias and Sapphira also tried to sell their possession and give it to the apostles.

 

Acts 5:1-11 “1But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2and 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. 3But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4While it remained, did it not remain thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? How is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thy heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5And Ananias hearing these words fell down and gave up the ghost: and great fear came upon all that heard it. 6And the young men arose and wrapped him round, and they carried him out and buried him. 7And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much. And she said, Yea, for so much. 9But Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to try the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them that have buried thy husband are at the door, and they shall carry thee out. 10And she fell down immediately at his feet, and gave up the ghost: and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband. 11And great fear came upon the whole church, and upon all that heard these things.”

 

This passage is not merely a story about money. It is a clear example showing us what kind of result comes when we act without faith.

 

Perhaps Ananias and Sapphira saw others selling their possessions and giving them to the apostles, and felt that they too had to do the same. If so, they should rather have given nothing to the apostles at all. When we think about what the right heart for them would have been at that time, they should not have given their possession to the apostles without faith. Rather, they should have confessed to the apostles that they lacked faith, asked for help, and had the heart to listen more diligently to the word and grow into greater faith (Rom. 10:17, 2 Thess. 1:3).

 

Mark 9:24 “Straightway the father of the child cried out, and said, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.”

 

Seeing that Ananias and Sapphira kept back part of the price of the possession they had sold, it seems that they had a reluctant and divided heart, unwilling to give it all to the apostles. Also, even while having such a reluctant heart, they still gave a certain part to the apostles, which clearly shows that they were conscious of the eyes of the apostles and of the people around them. In any case, they were not able to give their possession to Jesus with perfect faith. Since Jesus knows all such works without faith, they ended up being killed on the same day because they lied to the Holy Spirit and to God. Through their tragic result, we must clearly know that acting without faith brings no profit to a person at all.

 

James 1:6-8 “6But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; 8a doubleminded man, unstable in all his ways.”

 

Jesus is the One who discerns the thoughts and intents of our hearts (Heb. 4:12). Therefore, even if we can deceive people, we can never deceive Jesus. So if we are going to give something to Jesus, or do something for Him, even if it is something small, it is very important to do it with perfect faith.

 

Mark 12:41-44 “41And he sat down over against the treasury, and beheld how the multitude cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42And there came a poor widow, and she cast in two mites, which make a farthing. 43And he called unto him his disciples, and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than all they that are casting into the treasury: 44for they all did cast in of their superfluity; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

 

Our Jesus is not one who lacks anything (Acts 17:24-25). Therefore, even if the purpose may seem to be for the glory of God, we must not strive for great matters or things too wonderful for us, beyond the measure of our faith. Rather, it is important that we be faithful with perfect faith, beginning with small things, even things that people may not recognize.

 

Luke 16:10 “He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.”

 

Therefore, just as Jesus gave us the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30), we only need to act according to the talents given to us. Jesus is not One who gives us one talent and demands that we return five talents. Therefore, whether our faith is small or great, we should act according to that measure, willingly and cheerfully, as the Holy Spirit rules our hearts.

 

Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but so to think as to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to each man a measure of faith.”

 

Therefore, even if Ananias and Sapphira had given nothing to the apostles after confessing that they did not yet have faith enough to give (Prov. 28:13), no one else—not those who had already sold their possessions and given them to the apostles, and not even the apostles themselves—could have judged or despised Ananias and Sapphira.

 

Romans 14:1-4 “1But him that is weak in faith receive ye, yet not for decision of scruples. 2One man hath faith to eat all things: but he that is weak eateth herbs. 3Let not him that eateth set at nought him that eateth not; and let not him that eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 4Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? to his own lord he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be made to stand; for the Lord hath power to make him stand.”

 

As this passage says, we cannot judge anyone. Since Jesus alone is the Lawgiver and Judge (James 4:12), if there is right or wrong, Jesus will judge it. Therefore, each of us should be concerned only with acting according to our own faith.

 

Romans 14:10-13 “10But thou, why dost thou judge thy brother? or thou again, why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of God. 11For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, to me every knee shall bow, And every tongue shall confess to God. 12So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God. 13Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge ye this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock in his brother’s way, or an occasion of falling.”

 

Now, as Psalm 131:2-3 says, by believing and loving Jesus, that is, the word of God, we must desire forever only to be with Jesus always. “If thou canst believe, all things are possible” is the word of Jesus (Mark 9:23). Therefore, whoever believes in and loves Jesus will be able, without anyone forcing him, to act according to the words of Jesus for the name of Jesus, beginning from the things around him, that is, from small things, with a willing heart (Deut. 30:11-14).

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 “4Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not its own, is not provoked, taketh not account of evil; 6rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth; 7beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”

 

Amen.