The Wages of Sin

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.

Acts 5:5 (NIV)

We don't usually get to see death as a direct result of sin, but it does happen. Death first entered the world because of original sin. Scripture has many examples of immediate death as a result of sin. Ananias and Sapphira is one such example. Ananias realized he had been caught in his sin and fell down and died. Scripture doesn't mention what was going through his head in between when he gave the money and when Peter called him his misrepresentation of how much he was giving. Was he smug in thinking that he got away with it? When Peter started to speak was Ananias thinking "Oh rats, he figured it out"? Was he cocky? Was he fearful? Did he even realize that he had been found out before he dropped dead?

The weight of carrying sin around can be heavy. The fear of being found out can be paralyzing. Rather than fearing being found out, it is far better to remember 1 John 1:9.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 (NIV)

A Harsh Epitaph

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 21:20 (ESV)

"And he departed with no one's regret." How would you like to see that on your tombstone? That was Jehoram - son of Jehoshaphat. Do suppose there was cheering at his funeral - not because he had lived a great life, but because he was finally dead? Jehoram did some pretty evil things while he was king. He died an agonizing death. That's not what I want. When I die, I want people to say I was a man after God's own heart. I want people to miss me when I'm gone. I want to get to heaven and hear "well done my good and faithful servant." I fear that on my own efforts my departure will be closer to Jehoram's than I would care to admit. With God's help and for His glory, may I live a life better than that.

R! I! P!

Growing up as a fan of the Baltimore Orioles, my teen years coinciding with some of there great years of the late 70s and early 80s. Memorial Stadium, "Wild Bill" Hagy, and "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" were all emblematic of the good life at the time. Yesterday, "Wild Bill" Hagy passed away. His passing brings back many fond memories to me (like when the Orioles consistently were winners)...

And also on the death front, I was just reading about the tribute concert to Brad Delp held last weekend in Boston. A reunited Extreme and a Boston featuring appearances of as many former members as Tom Scholz is speaking too... I was somewhat surprised to read that Michael Sweet of Stryper handled a lot of the lead vocals for Boston. As I thought about it a bit, I thought, he could probably pull it off well. And then I wondered which songs he sang, 'cuz there's a few old Boston songs that are a little incongruent shall we say with what I'd expect from the singer from Stryper... just a thought...