As I begin this pastor’s message, consider what God’s word says in Luke 16:10 (NLT): “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” This principle is also in Matthew 25:21-23 and in both cases is stated in both a positive and a negative way—whether you are faithful or unreliable. Although this principle can be applied in many ways, I would like us all to consider it from within the context of the eighth commandment found in Exodus 20:15 and repeated in Deuteronomy 5:19: “You shall not steal”.
Through the Eighth Commandment, we know that God intends for everyone to enjoy the right of private property, and conversely to respect the property of others. Sadly, unchecked human nature is dominated by selfishness, lust, greed, and envy. And with an increasingly secular and materialistic world ruled by Satan, many people rely on all the wrong things including dishonesty and stealing. (see 1 Timothy 6:9-10.) We should recognize that we experience the temptation to steal even from childhood. It is critically essential for parents to be continually teaching God’s laws and biblical values to their children (Deuteronomy 6:1-25).
Stealing scorns boundaries established by most societies and more importantly God. There are two methods of stealing: Active stealing—taking something that does not rightfully belong to you—is a sin of commission. Passive stealing—deliberately withholding what belongs to another—is a sin of omission. Stealing whether active or passive is the ultimate assertion of the greedy, lustful way of life, one that emphasizes acquiring material and intangible things with no regard for the rights and feelings of others. In some respects, it is the epitome of selfishness.
Under the covenant God made with Israel, when a thief was caught, he had to restore to the victim the value of what was stolen plus an additional amount. The additional amount for reparation was intended as a punishment—plus it helped compensate the victim for the stress and temporary loss. The specific laws are found in Exodus 22:1, 3-6, 12 and Leviticus 6:1-7. In most countries today, the “justice system” punishes criminals but does nothing for the victims of the crimes. Although good in one sense, that doesn’t entirely fulfill what God intended in His laws of reparation.
Let’s consider that any commandment of God that forbids bad things implies the opposite—that we should be doing good things instead. If we love our neighbors as ourselves, we will treat them like we want to be treated. That’s what has been termed the Golden Rule, Matthew 7:12, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets”. Part of denying our adversary the devil a foothold in our lives comes through our practical actions as believers.
In a large city such as Ephesus, theft was more than likely quite common. Much like what occurs today in our major cities, those who could not (or would not) support themselves by a trade might have lived almost entirely by stealing. That more than likely included some of Paul's readers, prior to coming to faith in Christ. Paul's words would have been personal for these individuals as he wrote, “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).
This scripture teaches three lessons that are relevant to all of us. The first step was to stop doing what was wrong, even if it meant totally changing one's life. In this case (1) Never steal. Paul then gives two positive changes we are to cultivate in our lives. (2) Practice a biblical work ethic and be productive so you have enough to provide for your family plus give to others. (3) Be compassionate and generous to those who need help. (Regarding the third lesson, see Luke 6:27-38, Acts 20:35, Romans 12:1-13, 2 Corinthians 9:10-13, Philippians 2:4 and Hebrews 13:16.) The spiritual intent of the commandment against stealing demonstrates to us where the battle against selfishness begins. It originates when we learn to appreciate the rights and the needs of others.
His approach to our having material possessions, including wealth is balanced. He wants us to prosper and enjoy physical blessings (3 John 1:2). He also expects us to show wisdom in how we use what He provides us. He does not want possessions to be our primary pursuit in life (Matthew 6:25-33). When we see material blessings in proper context as a means to achieve more important objectives, God enjoys seeing us prosper. To Him it is important that generosity rather than greed motivate the choices we make. Because giving and serving are qualities of His own character, God asks that we, from the heart, put these ahead of accumulating possessions for ourselves.
Jesus Himself introduced this approach when He spoke of assisting the less fortunate: “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours [money lent to the poor], do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you . . . If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men” (Luke 6:30-35, NASB).
Basing what comes next on what He has already told us about having a generous rather than a selfish heart, Jesus continued: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (verse 38). God rejoices when we, once our own needs are met, use any additional abundance in blessings to increase our usefulness and service to others. He then sees that we are beginning to understand and follow His way of life.
How does all of this relate directly to the command not to steal? Remember the connection Paul was inspired to make. “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28). To please God, a thief must go far beyond simply ceasing his larceny to please God.
Someone once wisely observed: “A thief who has quit stealing may still be a thief at heart—a thief just temporarily unemployed. He really ceases to be a thief only if and when he replaces stealing with giving.” A thief has to change his heart and outlook and truly incorporate the second and third parts of Paul’s inspired instruction.
Many kinds of stealing have been pandemic throughout history, even among religious people. Perhaps even we could be breaking God’s commandment against stealing without realizing what we are doing. To cease stealing at times we need to consider what stealing includes. Space does not permit stating the numerous scriptures that forbid specific types of stealing, but the following are some common types that directly or indirectly violate the spirit of the Eighth Commandment.
Although this is not an exhaustive list it helps us to recognize just how prevalent stealing is. No matter how secretive one who steals is, God, the Judge of all, sees everything, and His Word declares that “thieves” . . . will not “inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:10). Thankfully, He forgives when there is true repentance!
As I close this pastor’s message, I would like us to consider another way we can steal; one that directly impact us as God’s called and chosen people.
From the time of Abraham forward (see Genesis 14:20), the Bible shows examples of how God’s faithful servants formally acknowledged who ultimately owns everything—God. They faithfully gave Him a tithe (or one tenth) of their increase. In the covenant God made with ancient Israel, a tenth of the people’s increase was set aside to finance the priests’ spiritual service to the nation. Needless to say, this practice of tithing never became popular with most people. It required faith that God would amply supply their needs if they were a giving people.
By the 700s B.C, general disobedience to God’s laws had become so entrenched in ancient Israel that God sent the northern 10 tribes into captivity by the hand of the Assyrian Empire, leaving only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and scattered Levites, in the southern kingdom of Judah. They continued the pattern of disobedience and were themselves taken as captives to Babylon in the 500s B.C. About a century later a small group of Jews returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the city and the temple. But their loyalty to God soon began to wane, as it had before their captivity. Through the prophet Malachi, God reprimanded the priests for neglecting the teaching of His laws (Malachi 2:7-9).
Meanwhile, He reproved the people for keeping His tithe for themselves. “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation” (Malachi 3:8-9).
The leaders of the Jews at that time reversed the nation’s disobedience and instituted detailed regulations to force everyone to comply with the law. The physical aspects of these regulations were strict, but many people continued in woeful negligence when it came to the spiritual aspects of the law. Later Jesus condemned the misguided priorities of the Jewish religious leaders of His day. He supported the Jews’ continued observance of the physical aspects of the law and their faithful tithing. But He criticized their failure to emphasize the spiritual virtues of justice, mercy, faith and love.
Luke 11:42: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Matthew 23:23). On another occasion he mentioned their tithing while bypassing “justice and the love of God”.
Jesus told them they should have been doing both—practicing the law of tithing along with exercising justice, mercy, faith and love. Jesus thus affirmed the practice of tithing—of giving back to God a portion of what He gives us. We are not to take for ourselves the tithe that belongs to Him. Remember the difference between Holy and Profane? We profane that which is holy by treating it as common. Leviticus 27:30 clearly indicates; “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord” Let’s be very careful to not profane that which is holy by not being faithful in this regard. I will cover offerings in the next pastor’s message as an addendum to this commandment as they are specifically included in Malachi 3:8-9.
A second way we can steal from God which is a passive form of stealing. God owns us because He created us—plus He sacrificed His Son to redeem us (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Therefore, our time, talents and energies should be appropriately devoted to serving and glorifying God. Otherwise, we are in effect servants stealing from our Master.
What a dramatically different world it would be if there were no stealing! That world is coming quickly. Jesus Christ will return and establish the Kingdom of God on the earth. He and the saints will teach and enforce the Ten Commandments in all nations.