"You Shall Not Steal"
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December 07, 2014 |
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 "You shall not steal" (Exodus 20:15).
Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
If we call a person a thief, he would feel very uncomfortable. It's because we all know very well that stealing is a sin and crime.
But in many cases, people do not admit they are stealing. It means they commit the sin without knowing and moreover they don't repent of it because they don't think it is a sin. Let's now look into the meanings of 'steal' in the eighth commandment—"You shall not steal".
1. Fleshly stealing: taking somebody else's things
Some people just use somebody else's belongings without the owner's permission. They might think it is okay to use it without getting permission from the owner because they are close friends and because it is not something valuable. So, they have no qualms of conscience about it. Sometimes they do not even return it immediately.
This is not only causing damage to the owner, but it is also something rude that shows disregard for the person. Even if it is something very small and the owner is a very close friend of ours, if we use what belongs to him without his permission, it is stealing in God's sight.
Some others frequently say, "Can I use it?" or "Can I borrow it?" and use somebody else's things very often. Some people even use it all up and they have nothing left to return to the owner. Even if they return it, their use causes loss and inconvenience to the owner. On the contrary, a person with good conscience will have qualms of conscience when he takes even a tiny thing of somebody else's.
In addition, although we did not actually steal or take somebody else's possession from them, if we received something unjustly, it is also stealing. For instance, some took a bribe using their position or power, and others overcharged customers and took unearned profits. In such cases, good-hearted people have pangs of conscience. Even though they did not steal somebody else's things, because they unjustly gained something that they shouldn't have taken, it is actually a stealing in a strict sense.
2. Spiritual stealing: taking things that belong to God
Stealing things that belong to God is directly related to one's salvation. For instance, Judas Iscariot who was one of Jesus' twelve disciples and in charge of the money from offerings stole some money from it, and in Satan's work he even sold Jesus. He could not receive the spirit of repentance so he faced a very miserable death by committing suicide.
Today there are some believers who steal God's money. Some of them seem to lead a good Christian life and even are church workers. But they do not realize what kind of grave sin they are committing. Even if their sin is not found by others and they are not punished for it, God watches everything. They certainly have to pay the price according to the justice, which is something more dreadful. What if they did not repent and ended up falling into the Seven-Year Great Tribulation as a thief stealing God's belongings? It would be very heart-wrenching thing!
Next, misusing of holy things in the church and spending church money without care is also stealing what belongs to God. We must not spend membership fees of mission groups and group finance at our disposal without care; use the church's stationeries for personal purposes; and waste things that we bought with church money. Also if we received church finances, used it, and had residuals remaining but we didn't return it and used it personally, it means we used God's money at our discretion. It is again stealing.
We must not use church telephones and other equipment for personal purpose either. In addition, parents should prevent their little children from folding or tearing offering envelopes, weekly bulletins, or church newspapers for fun. Such things can make a wall of sin before God.
In particular, God strictly warns us about stealing tithes and offerings. A tithe is to give to God one tenth of our income in recognition of God's sovereignty over material things. This is a proof that we believe in and acknowledge God who governs our lives. So, if we do not give a tithe while professing our faith in God, it is to rob God, and then curses may fall (Malachi 3:8-9). It's not that God will curse us because we don't give tithes, but it's that God cannot protect us from Satan's accusations, so we will come to suffer from financial difficulties, tests, trials, and diseases.
A tithe is not only one tenth from our salary but one tenth of our whole income. If we have any extra income, or pocket money, or a gift from others, it is also our income, and we have to give tithes for those things, too. But some people just exclude all other incomes and they give a tithe of their basic salary only. Also, even from the salary, they deduct other expenses, and give a tithe only from the remaining income. In some cases, they calculate the tithe, but they don't give it as a tithe, but they give it as mission offering or charitable work offering as they want.
Next, we must not steal thanks offerings. God's children have so many things to thank for. We are thankful for having been saved and going to Heaven; for having received a duty, having been able to store up rewards; and that God protects and blesses us in every matter. We are also grateful because even in difficulties or trials, we believe that God will cause all things to work for good. So we give thanks offerings every Sunday, and special offerings during special occasions.
This is a matter of course even between people. When somebody does us a favor, it is proper to express our thanks and repay the grace in deeds as well as to feel grateful in heart. In the same manner, we may feel grateful to God for protecting us every week and answering our prayers and want to pay back the grace by giving more. However, some people begrudgingly give thanks offering though they say they believe in God.
Giving reluctantly to God shows that one has filled his heart with greed for wealth and worldly desires (Matthew 6:24). If he is a newcomer, it might be understood, but if he has been a Christian for a long time and still has such a heart, his faith might backslide. Thus, if one takes offerings that he should offer up to God, it is related to salvation.
Of course, each one's measure of faith is different, and because God knows all the conditions and inner heart of each person, He does not look at the amount of offering (Mark 12:41-44). God wants to receive our aroma of thanks and faith. If we please Him, we will receive great blessings from Him. God will let our souls prosper, give us more conditions of thanks, and bless us 30, 60, and 100 times more.
Another kind of spiritual stealing is to steal God's Word. It is to make false prophecies in the name of God. Some people talk about the future of somebody, like a fortune-teller, saying that he heard the voice of God. Also, some have a personal dream and say the dream was given by God, or others see a vision with their own thoughts and say God showed them that vision. It is to take the name of God in vain.
Of course, it is something good to understand the will of God in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and proclaim it, but to do that, we must check ourselves first as to whether we are truly worthy of an instrument to deliver the Word of God. God chooses those who have no evil and are clean in heart and lets them proclaim the will of God. I urge you to watch over what you are saying with discretion and never steal God's Word with your thoughts by any means.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, aside from the cases above, if a person doesn't fulfill his duty and he spends at his disposal his time that is supposed to be spent for God and causes waste of time, it is stealing. I urge you to cast off all self-centered mindsets and greed and always seek others' benefits with truthful and faithful hearts having good conscience. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will all become God's perfect children in the truth.
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