Fear, Holiness, And The Presence Of God

God is kind, gracious, and merciful, but also full of anger, justice, and wrath (Exodus 34:6-7). It’s parental love. God gets righteously angry when His children do evil and punishes them while forgiving them. His anger at evil makes our relationship genuine. Our connection would be fake if God hid His true feelings about our actions.

The Church was booming in the early days. God showed His love through many miracles, and thousands donated their savings and sold their properties to fund the Church. Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, did the same. But they didn’t do it for God; they just wanted to look good. They kept some money and lied that they’d given everything, thinking God wouldn’t know. They didn’t take God seriously despite His miracles, so He struck them dead (Acts 5:1-11).

This was God’s parental love in action. He’s infinitely merciful and generous, but we can’t do whatever we want. Evil deeds—like lying to His face—anger Him. He’ll make that known as part of our relationship, possibly using harsh punishment. That’s why we must fear the LORD—take Him seriously. Believing that He’s real and present in our lives is the first step to a closer relationship with Him. It’s the first step to becoming holy.

God didn’t just kill Ananias and Sapphira as a warning—it was part of His promise. He is mighty, and messing with Him is asking for trouble. Meanwhile, taking Him seriously will let your relationship flourish. With God in your heart, you can boldly face the worst situations with a joyful smile, knowing you’re doing His work (Acts 5:17-42).

Watch the full sermon here.