Few sins are more subtle—or more dangerous—than hypocrisy. It hides behind good deeds, dresses itself in righteousness, and fools everyone…except God.
“Half of the misery in the world comes from trying to look, instead of trying to be, what one is not,” once wrote the 19th-century Scottish minister George MacDonald.
This practice can be summed up in one word: hypocrisy. Wearing a mask. Pretending. Acting instead of being. In a twisted way, “Hypocrisy is an homage that vice pays to virtue,” suggested the French writer La Rochefoucauld.
In today’s Bible reading, we see a classic example of hypocrisy exposed in the early church for all to see. It’s the familiar story of Ananias and Sapphira. If it’s been a while, take a moment to read Acts 5:1–9.
There are several lessons we can learn from this vivid narrative—the first recorded smudge on the face of the early church.
1. Their sin was fueled by Satan.
As Warren Wiersbe writes, “We must face the fact that Satan is a clever foe. If he does not succeed as the ‘devouring lion,’ then he attacks again as the ‘deceiving serpent’ or an ‘angel of light.’”
Since attacks from without failed, he moved within—seeking to deceive the hearts of this Christian couple.
Jesus called Satan “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Peter charged that the devil had filled their hearts to lie. As Oliver Wendell Holmes observed, “Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle which fits them all.”
2. Their sin was driven by pride.
They lied about their contribution. They claimed to give the full proceeds from the sale of their property, but secretly kept part for themselves.
Why?
At the end of Acts 4, Barnabas is praised for his generosity. It doesn’t take much imagination to conclude that Ananias and Sapphira wanted the same recognition. Not the sacrifice—just the spotlight.
They wanted to be seen as generous. Admired for their sacrifice. Applauded for their spirituality.
Like the Pharisees, they loved the praise of men. But as Jesus warned, that was the entirety of their reward—and it was fleeting.
3. Their sin was rooted in greed.
They desired the acclaim—but not the cost.
They wanted the appearance of sacrifice without the reality of it. So they withheld part of the proceeds while pretending to give it all.
It was selfish ambition gone to seed. The love of money quietly fueled this deception. Their gift became a cloak for conceit and covetousness.
4. Their sin resulted in death.
Literally.
“The wages of sin is death,” Paul wrote. We often think of that in terms of spiritual death—eternal separation from God. But in this case, God signaled His displeasure immediately and unmistakably.
Ananias fell dead. Three hours later, Sapphira met the same fate.
This was not God acting impulsively, but making a solemn statement about the purity and integrity of His church.
No wonder Luke records, “So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.”
The Application
The message is clear. Uncomfortable. Inescapable.
Why do we do what we do?
When we give…serve…help…encourage—what is driving us?
Is it love for God?
Or a desire to be seen by others?
Are we truly what we claim to be?
Are we standing strong against the wiles of the devil—resisting him as a roaring lion and rejecting him as a subtle serpent? Guarding our hearts against his deceptive schemes?
Has pride crept in—shaping our motives, influencing our choices, and overriding our better judgment?
Has greed taken hold? Has the desire for security, possessions, or recognition hindered our service? Hampered our spiritual growth? Closed our hearts?
Do we truly grasp the seriousness of sin?
That sin leads to death—not just physically, but spiritually? That unrepentant sin separates us from God and costs us far more than we ever intended to pay?
This sad, sordid, and shameful story reminds us of a sobering truth:
Sin will take you farther than you want to go,
keep you longer than you want to stay,
and cost you more than you want to pay.
And sometimes…far sooner than you expect.
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
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