Aunty, why do pastors use the story of Ananias and Sapphira to encourage tithing?
14 April 2025 |
Dear Aunty Sevvy,
I find it disturbing how frequently I hear the story of Ananias and Sapphira cited as a warning for those who don’t tithe or otherwise support the church. Why were they punished so harshly for supposedly lying to the Holy Spirit, while many of us—including Satan—seem to escape consequences? Shouldn’t they have been given another chance?
Signed, Disturbed
Dear Disturbed,
It was a lucky day for denominational stewardship leaders when Ananias and Sapphira fell over dead after being challenged about the amount of their offering. It was a gift that has just kept on giving.
Maybe it happened just as recorded. It’s also possible (as is often the case with too-apt sermon illustrations) that it was an exaggerated or even fictitious story that was spread about by preachers because it just worked so well to twist people’s arms into being “generous.”
Before you consign Aunty to hell fire for doubting the account, just remember that it directly contradicts the words of the apostle Paul, who said, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Does giving an offering because you might fall over dead if you don’t sound like “cheerful” giving, “not grudgingly or of necessity”?
Not to Aunty. Even if (as people will undoubtedly remind Aunty) Ananias and Sapphira had made a vow and lied to church leaders, Aunty finds the story unnecessarily vengeful and cruel—more like the worst of the Old Testament than like Jesus. (Jesus, Aunty reminds you, didn’t pass the plate at all.)
One thing is for sure: to invoke this story to pressure people into giving to the church is horrible theology, and even worse pastoring.
Aunt Sevvy
Aunt Sevvy has collected her answers into a book! You can get it from Amazon by clicking here.
You can write to Aunt Sevvy at DearAuntSevvy@gmail.com. Your real identity will never be revealed.
