Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” Acts 5:9
People love to test the limits of how far they can go with something. Many people love the excitement of watching a stunt person do some crazy, dangerous feat attempting to defy death and injury.
Many will try to go faster, harder, higher, lower, or some other way to push the limits and boundaries.
Two people, Ananias and Sapphira had sold some land and gave a part of the money to the church, while telling a lie that it was all the money. Peter asked Sapphira why she was testing God. God then took both their lives.
Just as people love to test the physical boundaries in life, many people like to test the authoritative boundaries in place. People want to see how fast they can go without getting a speeding ticket, or how often they can be late to work without getting fired.
This type of action can be expected by the world, but sadly it is also very common among believers in the church. Many believers want to see how much sin they can get away with, or how close they can get to sin, without sinning.
Cheap grace is often applied to these situations, rather than the truth of God’s word. People do not want to turn away from sinful acts and so try to cover it up as truth or something good.
This is a testing of God’s Spirit. It is trying to see how patient God is, rather than striving to live by His standards. There will come a day of reckoning by God, either in this life, or at death.
Take a look at your thoughts, words and actions. Ask yourself how well they are lining up with the standards Jesus had provided. The more they deviate from God’s standards, the more you are testing God as a believer.
Instead of flirting with sin, flee all sin. Stay as far away as possible so that you do not put God to the test.
Put your full trust in God and do not lie to God, others or yourself. Do not allow yourself to test God’s limits, you will come out on the losing end.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will know God’s commands to you; that you will live by God’s standards; and that you will not test God’s Spirit.
Great post, Tom. It is amazing how ingrained sinful nature is in people, and it begins at such a young age too. If we told our kids not to play in the street, they of course went right to the edge! Good thing we can count on God to change our sinful desires, when we allow him to!
So true. Just as Paul said, I would not have known to covet had it not said do not covet. It is amazing how God can change us… we if we let Him. Thank you for reading. Have a blessed day!