Have you ever wondered why we don’t see the kinds of powerful moves of God that we read about in the book of Acts?
Was God simply working differently then? Or could there be another reason?
In today’s reading, we encounter one of the most shocking events in the New Testament. A husband and wife tell what many people would call a “little white lie,” and both lose their lives. At first glance, God’s response can seem severe. But what if this account reveals something important about holiness, hypocrisy, and the fear of God?
Could it be that one of the reasons there is so little spiritual power in many churches today is not that God has changed—but that we have?
Let’s take a closer look at Acts 5 and what it teaches us about truth, obedience, and the kind of faith God blesses.
God has always called His people to stand apart—to be holy, distinct, and a light in a world that doesn’t know Him. And yet, if we’re honest, there’s something in us that just wants to fit in.
We don’t want to stand out.
We don’t want to feel out of step.
We don’t want to be seen as different.
That struggle isn’t new.
In 1 Samuel 8, as the prophet Samuel grew old, the people of Israel faced a moment of decision. Instead of trusting God to lead them, they asked for something else—something that would make them feel more secure, more normal, more like the nations around them.
They asked for a king.
But their request revealed something deeper. God told Samuel, “They have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me.”
It’s easy to see how the world today rejects God’s authority. But what’s more challenging is this:
In what ways might we be doing the same—subtly, quietly, even unintentionally?
Where are we tempted to blend in rather than stand apart?
Learning to trust God as Father makes it possible to rest in Him even in the midst of pain, persecution, trials, and other difficulties. But if we’re going to trust God as Father, we must truly know Him as our Father and not just as God and Judge.
How do you see God? Do you see Him as a harsh judge just waiting to punish you? Do you see Him as a benevolent grandfather who’s not too concerned about whether or not you are holy? Or do you see Him as a Father, the only perfect father, one who cares about your holiness and not just your happiness, but a father who is trustworthy and has your best interests in mind? If not, I hope you will read today’s post and prayerfully think about these things.
Sadly, that is the perception of many. But growing in holiness is not becoming a dry, boring, legalistic fuddy-duddy. Rather, growing in holiness is to have the peace and joy that all of us want in our lives. It’s to become more like Christ, to have the wisdom to live a God-honoring life, to make wise decisions, and to avoid painful consequences. It’s to shine the light of a life well-lived in a dark world.
If that’s true, shouldn’t we all want to grow in holiness? If so, how do we do it?
And by contrast, how do some people end up pulled down into so much darkness? How does a habitual liar become one or some other life-dominating sin become a way of life? How does a truly evil person become that way?
Most of us think of holiness primarily in terms of what we do or don’t do. But God’s standard goes much deeper. He is concerned about what is happening in our hearts long before anyone else can see it.
That means the thoughts we entertain matter.
We may tell ourselves, I’m only thinking about it. I’d never actually do it. But Scripture warns us that the thoughts and desires we allow to take root can eventually control us.
In the book of James, God gives us two powerful pictures of how temptation and sin work. One comes from fishing and the other from conception and birth. Together, they show us how our desires can lure us toward sin and how thoughts that seem harmless can be fed and nurtured until they eventually produce something destructive.
The sinful thoughts we believe we can handle may eventually end up handling us.
So, how do we stop that process before temptation gets its hook into us? And how can we pursue the kind of holiness that begins in the heart?
We’ll also look at how God says we should respond when someone who has hurt us falls and why spiritual gifts were never intended to make us feel important or superior to other believers.
