ANSWER: The passage in question is not proposing the idea of communism. That is, it is not to be understood that “all” followers sold “all” they possessed and then placed the proceeds into a single treasury so that every man within the church would be economically equal. The phrase “as every man had need” in verse forty-five restricts the suggested action to the extent of the current “need.” The idea is as true today. Christians, who have the resources, should be willing to supply the “needs” of poorer brethren when the occasion arises. It is in this sense that Christians have “all things common” (vs.44).

That this was the case in the early church is evidenced by Peter’s statement to Ananias (Acts 5:4), “whilst it (property that he owned) remained, was it not thy own? And after it was sold, was it (the money received from the sale) not in thine own power?” Clearly, then, we see that the property owned by this Christian was his to do with as he wanted. His sin was not directly related to his handling of this possession, but rather to the fact of his lie ‘about’ the handling of the possession!