The First Apostates

[RICHinCHRIST]

This morning, I was reading the account of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts chapter 5. These were the ones who offered their money to the apostles and held back some money for themselves. They lied to the Holy Spirit, and subsequently were struck dead by God.

So do the Calvinists see these two people as non-believers who "never were saved to begin with"?

It seems a difficult argument for Calvinists since these people were part of the New Covenant community and were most likely baptized by this time. I've also heard some commentators say that Ananias and Sapphira were still saved but God killed them to make an example of the seriousness of grieving the Holy Spirit.

I tend to think these people were saved but were cut off from salvation due to the grievousness of this sin. Perhaps this is one of the reasons the Church Fathers thought people lost their salvation after a sin was committed after baptism (although I don't agree with the Church Fathers on this in all cases..)

What are your thoughts on this?