Ananias and Saphira

Proponents of the so-called "Hypergrace" movement frequently attempt to reinterpret or explain away scriptural passages and biblical facts in such a way that they in no case challenge their construct of an unconditionally good, merciful, and gracious God.
It goes without saying, however, that in doing so they sometimes resort to farfetched claims, for Scripture simply cannot be easily twisted.

In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, they argue that it is impossible, given God's goodness and grace, for Him to judge believers in the manner that evidently occurred here (Acts 5:3-10).

To substantiate this assumption, they teach that Ananias and Sapphira were not saved at all. They claim the couple merely attempted to secure a position within the church through their giving, or alternatively were Pharisees attempting to infiltrate the congregation.

However, the context contradicts this view:

1. Acts 4:32 speaks of the multitude of those who had come to believe. The subsequent account regarding the believers' generosity - as well as the specific examples of Barnabas, followed by Ananias and Sapphira - clearly falls under this same "heading." The latter, too, belonged to the multitude of those who had come to believe.

2. How could Peter have told them that they had lied to the Holy Spirit if they were not saved? If God were to judge unbelievers who lie to the Holy Spirit, the entire human race would have to be wiped out. The gravity of the couple's transgression lay precisely in the fact that they had sinned against the Holy Spirit who dwelt within them.

They cite Acts 15:1-5 as "proof" that there were Pharisees attempting to infiltrate the church; yet, they evidently fail to notice that even these individuals are explicitly designated as believers (Verse 5). What this passage does reveal, however, is that there were Pharisees who had come to faith and attempted to smuggle their own ideas into the community. Nevertheless, they are referred to as believers.

Even if Ananias and Sapphira had belonged to this group - which was not the case, as there is no evidence to suggest it - they would still have been believers; thus, God would have been judging "believing Pharisees."

The account makes it clear that even bornagain Christians are still capable of lying and deceiving, and that God can punish such behavior whenever He chooses to do so. In this instance, it occurred in a cautionary, exemplary manner, underscoring the immense importance God places on truthfulness, particularly in the context of giving.