Recognizing that they were part of a new family, the believers were willing to share their possessions with one another. Typically that is what happens in all families. We share a home; we sit together to share a meal; we work together to help with various tasks and duties. A true family is made up of individuals, but it is not that we all do our own thing. We are part of a whole with a role to play; we are not a collection of consumers and customers.
In the early church, the Holy Spirit helped believers to understand their unity in Christ and to have the same mind as Jesus. He came to serve and not to be served (Mark 10:45). He was willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of others (see Ephesians 2:4–7), even submitting to death on a cross (see Philippians 2:1–11) in order to save those whom the Father had chosen from eternity (see Ephesians 1:3–14). This attitude is one which also characterized the early church. They did not only confess to believe in the communion of saints, they actually lived that communion.
In sharing their goods to provide for the needs of other believers, Christians did not practice an early form of communism. As we will see from Acts 4:36 – 5:11, sharing was voluntary and not compulsory. People were encouraged to share; they were not taxed and threatened. Christian giving must never be forced.
In modern churches, we must work hard at promoting and encouraging a sacrificial attitude amongst church members. This is achieved by highlighting first and foremost the work of Christ and God toward us. Reflecting on his work, the Spirit will produce a change in our hearts. We also need to change our thinking about church. The church is not a common interest organization where I come to do things whilst keeping my distance. No, the church is a family where I must play a part. The higher the value we place on privacy and freedom from commitment, the shallower will be our grasp of fellowship. It will be nothing more than idle chit-chat after worship services. This is not what God wants and we must think carefully how we can help to foster relationships among church members and change our default thinking about what church is meant to be.
32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.