Thou Shalt Not Steal

THOU SHALT NOT STEAL

By

Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (March 7, 2018)

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10, King James Version [Christ is the door]).

Greetings in the Holy Name of Jesus,

My sisters and brothers, folks say the thief with pride hang from the gallows. Or, the thief with pride dangled from the gallows. However, in The Proverbs, we understand that “Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.” [6:30-31, KJV, Things hateful to God] Accordingly The First Epistle Of Paul The Apostle To Timothy witnessed, “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” [I Timothy 6: 9-10, Godliness is great gain] How many saints decided to give up their lusts for taking from their sisters and brothers---Thou shalt not steal---during the 40 days of Lent before Easter? [Exodus 20:15, KJV [The ten commandments]

Most importantly, the story of the good Samaritan comes to mind because it was because of thieves that a certain man was found half dead. Luke witnessed, “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead…”[Luke 10:30-36, KJV {The good Samaritan] Who among you have ever been a neighbor to someone who fell among thieves? We do not have to enter into your secrets to find out that not only have you looked the other way---passed by on the other side, but few, if any had compassion---enough to care for your neighbor? You see no one cares until it is their care that needs taken care of. The question of humanity still remains a question of civility, for the practice of hate rampantly oppresses the desire to act as a neighbor as we hear in the saying, No good deed goes unpunished [For, I heard the practice of laughing out loud at the news of a neighbor’s death, not even hanging their head low as they laugh out loud---who does that?]

More importantly, Christ is the door. The gospel According To St. John said:

“This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am

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the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep…” (John 10: 6-18, KJV [Christ is the door]).

Do we judge the princes of the world as Isaiah, the Prophet and Hosea did---even the princes in Christ Jesus for neither judging the fatherless nor does the cause of the widows come to them because the holy scripture called them out---The Word of God called the princes companions of thieves, rebellious, revolters, and wicked---so wicked God hated them, in Gilgal (Isaiah 1:23; Hosea 9:15, KJV [Christ’s kingdom; Israel’s distress])?

The Proverbs said, “Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth cursing, and bewrayeth it not.” [29:24, KJV, Observations of Solomon] In today’s world, the babes in Christ, now princes self-proclaim themselves kings unwilling to wait for the generation before them to pass away---die out---for their ambition to be heads is only matched by the ambition of Judas Iscariot who betrayed Christ Jesus like dogs---the canine species---some litters of dogs born to overthrow their mother---the head bitch dog and their father, for the father and sometimes the mother will leave the pack not able to stay because of the aggression of the puppies. The Book Of The Prophet Jeremiah spoke of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah king of Judah who had the manner in his eyes and in his heart from his youth of obeying not the voice of God because of his wickedness---covetousness, shedding innocent blood, oppression and violence. [Jeremiah 22: 17 -22, Jehoiakim]The Third Book Of Moses, Called Leviticus said, “And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.” (Leviticus 5:1, KJV [Sin offerings of ignorance]).