All that believed were together, and had all things in common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted
them to all men, as every man had need.
(Acts 2:44-45)
There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds
of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite,
a native of Cyprus,
Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that
belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
(Acts 4:34-37)
Acts 4:34-5:11. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands
or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet: and the distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
"And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed
Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus.
Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira
his wife, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part,
and laid it at the apostles' feet.
"But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled
thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
"Whiles it remained, was it not thine own?
and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied
unto men, but unto God.
"And Ananias hearing these words fell down,
and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
"And the young men arose, wound him up, and
carried him out, and buried him.
"And it was about the space of three hours
after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
"And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether
ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
"Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye
have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door,
and shall carry thee out.
"Then fell she down straightway at his feet,
and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
"And great fear came upon all the church, and
upon as many as heard these things."
This is not an anomaly, for many of the first Christian communities were communal. The Epistle attest to this.
The Christians believe based upon clear wording of the bible that there is a resurrection of the body.
These will be the same bodies people had in earthly life—but our
resurrection bodies will not die and, for the righteous, they will be transformed into a glorified state, freed from suffering
and pain, and enabled to do many of the amazing things Jesus could do with his glorified body (cf. 1 Cor. 15:35–44,
1 John 3:2).
The resurrection of the body is an essential Christian doctrine, as the apostle Paul declares: "[I]f
the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are
still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished" (1 Cor. 15:13–18).
"will judge the living and the dead, to render to every person according to his works,
both to the reprobate and to the elect. All of them will rise with their own bodies, which they now wear, so as to receive
according to their deserts, whether these be good or bad [Rom. 2:6–11]"