BY ROBERT MILLER
OPINION —
One of the unfortunate realities of life is that familiarity has a way of dulling our appreciation. I remember the very first time I stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon. I could hardly find words to describe it. Pictures don’t prepare you for the size of it or the silence that settles over the canyon as you look across its vastness. Even while my family and I lived in Arizona, trips to the Grand Canyon were frequent and always just as breathtaking. Yet, I’ve talked with people who live nearby who hardly think about it anymore. What leaves visitors speechless, to some locals, has simply become part of the scenery. The same thing can happen in our spiritual lives.
When we first obey Christ, we are overwhelmed by His grace. We marvel that our sins have been forgiven. We treasure every opportunity to worship. We open God’s Word with anticipation and bow our heads in prayer with gratitude. But if we are not careful, what once filled us with awe can slowly become routine. The extraordinary becomes ordinary. The sacred becomes familiar. That is the danger unfolding in Acts chapter 5.
The early church was experiencing remarkable unity. Luke tells us that the believers were “of one heart and one soul.” They willingly shared with one another, ensuring that no one was left in need. Their generosity wasn’t driven by pressure or obligation. It was the natural response of hearts transformed by the Gospel. Then Ananias and Sapphira entered the story.
Their sin wasn’t that they kept part of the money from selling their land. Peter makes that clear. The property belonged to them before it was sold, and the money was theirs afterward. They were free to give whatever they desired. The problem was deeper. The problem was their desire to be favored by their fellow men rather than finding favor by God. They wanted to have the appearance of being completely devoted to God without having to be completely devoted. They desired the admiration of the congregation more than the approval of God. And if I’m being completely honest, that temptation hasn’t disappeared and still very much alive and well in the lives of people today.
We live in a world where appearances are carefully managed. We edit photographs before posting them. We celebrate accomplishments while quietly hiding our failures. We spend hours thinking about how others perceive us while giving only passing thought to how we are growing spiritually or how we’re seen by God. And whether we want to admit it or not, it’s entirely possible to polish our public image while seriously neglecting our private faith and relationship with our Father in Heaven.
Jesus warned about that very danger. He spoke of people who prayed to be noticed, gave to be applauded and loved the best seats because they craved recognition. Outwardly they appeared righteous. Inwardly their hearts were far from God. Why? Because what should have been held in reverence and godly fear was twisted to give glory to themselves rather than God. And that’s what happens when we no longer have a healthy fear of who God is.
Biblical fear isn’t living in terror that God is waiting for us to fail. It is living with such reverence for His holiness that pleasing Him matters more than impressing anyone else. It’s recognizing that God sees beyond every smile, every handshake and every carefully chosen word. He sees the heart. Perhaps that is why Acts 5 can be such an uncomfortable passage to read. It reminds us that God has never been interested in performances. He desires sincerity.
I sometimes wonder if one of the greatest dangers facing the church today isn’t outright rebellion but quiet familiarity. We sing about the cross so often that we forget what it cost. We speak of God’s grace but forget the grave that had to be overcome and the blood that was shed for us to achieve it. Even the way we approach the Bible has changed. There was a time when families treasured a single copy of God’s Word because it was one of their greatest possessions. Today we carry multiple translations in our pockets, receive daily Bible verses on our phones and can access Scripture within seconds. We celebrate sending rockets into space, putting people on the moon and marvel at the ability to speak with someone on the other side of the world with the touch of a finger. Yet somewhere along the way we’ve lost the awe and wonder of the One who created every star, every galaxy and every law that governs the universe. We stand in awe of creation while forgetting to stand in awe of the Creator, and what should be held close with reverence slowly becomes routine.
The answer isn’t to become fearful of God in the sense of dread. The answer is to stand in awe of Him again. To remember that His grace is astonishing because His holiness is absolute. To care more about His approval than the applause of people. To worship not because someone is watching, but because He is worthy.
When reverence returns, worship changes. And when worship changes, so do we.
