Thou Shall Not Steal
Exodus 20:15
Introduction
Many lives have been touched by theft in our society today. Millions of dollars are lost every year in this country over the theft of goods and services. One estimate says that 1 out of every 52 shopper’s carries something out of the supermarket for which they haven’t paid. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, 4 million people are caught shoplifting every year. But for every 1 caught, 35 others get away with it. At least for now. This means that there are over 140 million incidents of shoplifting every year in American! What’s really tragic is that only 10% of all shoplifters come from low income backgrounds. 70% are middle class and 205 are classified as wealthy. These facts are astounding! America appears to be a country of thieves. I suppose that if everyone who was guilty of theft was arrested, there would be no jails to hold them, nor arresting officers to lock them up! One new hotel reported that in their 10 months of operation, they lost 38,000 spoons, 18,000 towels, 355 silver coffee pots, 1,500 silver finger bowls and 100 Bibles to thieves.
Regardless of the reason, stealing is wrong! God, in these verses condemns it and declares it to be a sin. Today, I would like for us to take some time to look at the 8th Commandment, which reads, “Thou Shall Not Steal,” and consider what stealing really is, as we think together on this thought.
I. Stealing is a Violation of the Law
a. The Correct Means of Getting Gain
• God has authorized two primary methods by which people can legitimately increase their possession.
• When we engage in these 2 areas of getting gain, we are doing it the right way.
• Notice what they are.
1. As a Reward for Work
• Contrary to popular belief, work is not a curse!
i. It is a means, ordained by God, whereby people can obtain the resources they need to function in the world.
ii. In fact, work is glorified by God according to 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat either.”
• One evening a man saw his neighbor, a famous author, carrying coal into his house. The neighbor told him that it was undignified for a man of his social standing to be seen carrying coal. The famous author replied, “Any man who is ashamed to carry his own coal deserves to sit all winter by an empty fireplace.”
• God’s will is that we obtain the things in life we need by the labor of our hands!
2. By the Reception of a Gift
• Another legitimate means of increasing our possessions is by the generosity of another.
• Some one may give us a gift, or we may receive an inheritance, or we may be the beneficiary of a will or insurance policy.
• These are all legitimate ways of getting gain.
• There is nothing wrong with receiving things from others.
• Often, God may choose to bless your life in this way.
b. The Corrupt Means of Getting Gain
• This is by taking that which does not belong to us as our own.
• Also known as stealing.
• God has condemned this practice and has declared that His children should leave it behind with the others works of the flesh.
• Ephesians 4:28 reads, “He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.”
II. Stealing is a Violation of a Loyalty
a. As an Employee
• Employee theft costs companies billions of dollars every year, somewhere in the neighborhood of $120 billion.
o According to USA Today, 48% of all American workers took something from an employer last year.
o People do this by taking things home, selling things without their employers knowledge and pocketing the money, taking kickbacks, falsifying time records, wasting time while at work, and so on.
Many years ago a young boy in a small village was working in a general store when a man entered and ordered some cloth. Observing that the owner of the establishment wasn’t there, the customer suggests the boy cheat a little and gives him an extra yard or two. “It’ll be all right, son,” he said. “Non one will ever know about it. Your master isn’t in.” Looking somewhat stunned, the youngster quickly replied, “Oh, but you’re mistaken, sir. My Master is always in! You see, I’m a Christian.” He was conscious of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
After one preacher finished preaching on this subject, a young man came to him and said, “Pastor, you have put me in a bad fix. I’ve stolen from my employer, and I’m ashamed to tell him about it. You see, I’m a boat builder, and the man I work for is an unbeliever. I have often talked to him about Christ, but he only laughs at me. In my work, expensive copper nails are used because they won’t rust in water. I’ve been taking some of them home for a boat I am building in my backyard. I’m afraid if I tell my boss what I’ve done and offer to pay for them, he’ll think I’m a hypocrite, and I’ll never be able to reach him for Christ. Yet, my conscience is bothered.”
Later when the man saw the preacher again, he exclaimed, “Pastor, I’ve settled that matter and I’m so relieved.” “What happened when you told your boss?” “Oh, he looked at me intently and said, ‘George, I’ve always thought you were a hypocrite, but now I’m not so sure. Maybe there’s something to your Christianity after all. Any religion that makes a man admits he’s been stealing a few copper nails and offer to stele for them must be worth having.’”
• Anytime we take things that are not ours from an employer, we are guilty of stealing.
o Whether it is time, or materials, the result is the same!
o Notice what God has to say to employers are well though.
b. As an Employer
• When employees are underpaid, over worked and treated badly, this too is a form of stealing!
• God has certain principles, which are to be followed by employers.
• Take Colossians 4:1 for example, “Masters grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.”
• However, I am of the opinion that there is less theft among employers than there is among employees!
c. In Our Ethics
• Often, we are guilty of stealing in various areas of our lives.
o Things like taxes, keeping our word, honoring our debts, borrowing things and not returning them.
o When we are obligated to do something, we should do it!
o When we don’t, we have stolen.
o When we owe a debt, or taxes etc, then we also must pay that, or, again, we are guilty of stealing before God.
• One Sunday morning, Charles Finney preached a message entitled The Sin of Borrowing Things and Not Returning Them. He said, “When I went to my tool shed yesterday with some men on hand to do some work, I found it practically empty. President Mahan had borrowed my plow and never sent it back. Professor Morgan had borrowed my spade and I haven’t seen it since. Deacon Butcher has had one of my monkey wrenches for so long that I don’t remember how long it has been.
• What does it mean?
o It means that there are some amongst us that are careless concerning our everyday obligations.
• The sermon was extremely effective. The next morning before dawn, one neighbor trying to bring back a workhorse had to be rescued from Finney’s dog. All the rest of the morning, there was a steady stream of people and kids bring back borrowed tools. They even returned things that were not Finney’s.
• What the Lord wants us to see is that when we owe something, whether it be our money or just the fulfillment of our word, He expects us to make it right!
III. Stealing is a Violation of a Heavenly Love
There is one more form of stealing that many are guilty of today. There is no law of man against it, yet it is far more terrible than these other forms mentioned. It is the idea that a man can steal from God. Just the thought that man would steal from God is amazing. Let’s see how it is done.
a. The Stealing of the Tithe
• Notice what Malachi says about the tithe in Malachi 3:8-10, “Will a man rob God! Yet you are robbing me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until if overflows.”
o God says that when we hold back that which belongs to the Lord, then we are guilty of stealing from God.
o Now, when we think of all that he has given us.
o How He loves us and how He saved us by His grace, how can a person with any sense at all condone stealing from the Lord?
o We rob God when we do not give Him what is His, or when we use what is His for our own purposes.
• You might rob a man, your employer, a bank or shoplift form a store and get away with it here.
o But my friends, you will never rob God and get away with it.
o He will get what is His!
• A pastor related that he heard a pastor friend say that he had to visit a church member at the hospital. The first pastor asked him what the member was having done. The second replied, “Oh their just having their tithe removed.”
o That happens to a lot of people!
o If you give god what belongs to Him, he will give you what you need.
o Are you as faithful with the Lord’s money as you should be?
o We need to remember that none of us has the right to all that we earn.
o 100% belongs to God, but 10% (at least) is to be dedicated to His work, and is to be given through His storehouse according to 1 Corinthians 16:2.
o When we follow God’s plan, we will prosper.
b. The Stealing of Time
• You and I have been allotted only so much time in this world.
• If we waste that time instead of using it for the glory of the Lord, we are guilty of theft!
• Are you using your time as you should?
• There are 24 hours in a day, how much of it do you actually give to God.
• I bet you would be shocked, by how little you give if you sat down and figured it out.
c. The Stealing of Titles
• There is also the matter of Lordship.
• We are guilty of stealing when we hold back areas of our lives from the Lord.
• When we try to exercise control over our own lives, instead of giving Him the place of supremacy, then we are guilty of stealing form the Lord.
d. The Stealing of Talents
• The Bible is clear when it tells us that when we are saved, we are given certain gifts (Spiritual Gifts) from the Heavenly Father, according to 1 Corinthians 12:7-27.
• When we fail to exercise our God given gifts and talents, we are guilty of stealing from the Lord.
• When we fail to fill our place in His body, we are thieves and robbers.
• Our lives are gifts and they are to be invested for the glory of God.
Closing
If we were honest today, most, if not all, would have to admit that they were guilty of stealing in one form or another. If this is the case in your life, then God has a word for you. According to the Word of God, when we steal, we are to repay according to Ezekiel 33:15-16. We are to practice restitution to those we have wronged. Whether it is an employer, a neighbor or even God. We are to make it right, whatever the cost!
At Valley Forge in the winter of 1777 and 78, George Washington and his troops were in utterly desperate straits. He appealed to the government of Pennsylvania for help. Jacob DeHaven, a staunch believer in the revolutionary cause, lived near Valley Forge, hearing of Washington’s appeal, he loaned him $50,000 in gold and $400,00 in supplies. The army survived that winter, but after the war DeHaven was never repaid.
There’s another debt all of us owe that we can never repay. It is the price of Jesus Christ paid to give us liberty from the bondage of sin.
God’s will is that His people never resort to stealing, and if we are guilty, then we need to make restitution. Let’s pray.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for allowing us to come together and be feed by the Word you have given us, that we may all be filled and overflowing with your love. I pray in response to what has been preached here this morning that you would search our hearts and reveal to us any areas within us that we might need to make restitution for today. Give us the strength today to break free from the binds that Satan tries to put around us, and the courage to stand for what is right according to your Word. We ask these things in your son’s name, Amen.
Invitation
PLEASE STAND TO YOUR FEET. We have covered a lot of ground to day in this 8th commandment, and I know that the Lord is working on some of your hearts right now. I pray that you would not walk out of here today in the same shape that you came in. I pray as Brother Bill comes to led us in a hymn of invitation that you would do what is right in the eyes of the Lord today. If you need to make restitution with someone, then do so today. If you need to make restitution with God, then come and do so today. If you need to thank God for the greatest debt he has and will ever pay for you by what Jesus did on the cross, then do so today. I will be down front to assist you in any way that I can. Won’t you come?
