Acts 5.5 observes Annanias collapsed and died.

When the Church started the people understood that this life was temporary and that the life to come was eternal. This eternal life was rewarded to those who followed Jesus as Lord, denying themselves in this temporary life in order to give themselves to building the eternal life into the souls of as many people as possible.

The Church was more interested in accumulating treasure in heaven than in accumulating treasure on earth.

Practically this meant that God’s people rid themselves of all excess property and possessions that was not necessary for their immediate care in order to help those who had need in the Church and provide for the Church to do the mission God commissioned.

Annanias wanted to appear as generous as many others in the Church but the truth was he didn’t really want to give everything; he wanted both riches in heaven and riches on earth.

God was not fooled by his duplicity and so removed him from earth and perhaps from heaven as well for no one can enter the Kingdom of God loving both God and money.

Giving among Christians today is seldom sacrificial and rarely universal among all members of any Christian community. Part of the blame belongs to the modern Church which begs its members for only ten percent of their income when King Jesus demanded everything from His followers.

Likewise the commitment to the mission of God, the building of His eternal kingdom, wanes in the Church for it seems most would rather be comfortable now than compensated later in the life to come.

The Church would do well to return to its roots remembering life here is short but eternity is long and will be enjoyed most then by those who give the most now.