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@keithprosser
the story of Acts shows that A and S died because they lied to the Holy Spirit. It is ridiculous in my opinion to suggest it had to do with an end of the world cult. Christians may have believed Jesus was going to return soon - as they do now - but this was not why they died. Read the story in the book of Acts. You don't need to make stuff up.
Now you are correct that it was not a Marxist or political communism - but it not anything to do with communism. Communism whatever its political ideology still has to do with the loss of individual rights. This was not the case in the NT. And it cannot be read into it either. It was not collectivism. the bible says that they sold what they had to share amongst the group so that whoever needed it got some. This is people loving each other in a time which very unique in history - and not everyone sold all of their property. After this many would go home - and away from Jerusalem. This is private citizens voluntarily helping each other because they loved each other and saw a need. This is all it is. It is not an end of the world cult. It is not a proto-type of communism. It is the church in action from the very beginning loving and serving one another. That is the most plausible and likely scenario. Others such as communism or end of the world cult are implausible. There is no evidence in the NT that people were killing themselves off as they waited for Jesus to return. They believed that when he returned that he would rule. Killing themselves would have no benefits. It does not make sense.
