A Steal of a Deal

The Seventh of the Ten Commandments from God in Exodus 20:15 is “You shall not steal.” The term “a steal of a deal” is an old example of marketing hyperbole. It means “this price is so low, it’s almost as if you are stealing the thing from us.” We all love sales and low price, but stealing is never good; it is a sin. 

 

Leviticus 19:11 “Do not steal.”

 

The word “steal” is defined in the Webster’s dictionary as: To take and carry away feloniously, as the personal goods of another. To constitute stealing or theft, the taking must be felonious, that is, with an intent to take what belongs to another, and without his consent. It’s criminal; they are guilty of a crime. These thieves have partaken in and committed a crime; violated public law, divine or human Theft is a criminal act. And have violated a moral obligation; have broken the Moral Law of God. They have sinned against God and man, and therefore are wicked. 

 

Deuteronomy 5:19 “You shall not steal.”

 

Our church Youth room was broken into last month and thousands of dollars worth of equipment and instruments were taken. There was absolutely no regard that they were stealing from a house of Worship, and therefore, no regard for God Himself. I asked what was the “take away” lesson learned here. The answer I received was: “Turn the other cheek” and “I hope that the thieves used the money from the sale of the stolen items to feed their family.” To turn the other cheek, in this case, is to “look the other way” [to intentionally overlook a wrongdoing], not addressing the true issue or doing something to change or prevent it in the future. I replied: No. You have to look at the root cause of sin in the first place. One of the main jobs of a Christian church is to learn, know, obey [live in righteousness] and worship God, then make Him known. The “take away lesson” here is that the church needs to get out of their pews, out of the four walls of the Sanctuary, off the church campus property and go make disciples of all nations; to change hearts by bringing the light of the Gospel; the Gospel of Jesus Christ for repentance of sin, forgiveness of sin, transformation of the heart that restores a person to an upright position before God, and creates a desire to live a life pleasing to the Lord. 

 

Romans 6:16 “Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

 

The church needs to be the “salt and light” that the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ told them to be, teaching and preaching the Truth that transforms lives from enemies of God to children of God. Those who commit sin are “slaves to sin”. Romans 6:23 proclaims, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Those thieves, and all other thieves, are dead in their trespasses and sins and object of wrath by God. They do not love God and live by another code of life: I see it, I want it, I steal it, then I have it. The desires of the flesh rule their being and they are slaves to sin. There is a great need today. 

 

Romans 3:23-24 explains, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

 

But Jesus Christ was sent by Father God to redeem and sent the captive free. John 3:16-18 declares, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” God is in the heart and life changing business. Instead of walking away from God, we change our mind and turn around to walk towards God with the Holy Spirit as our Helper, Counselor and Guide. Reconciliation and eternal life in Heaven is the consequence. That is a steal of a deal!

 

Ephesians 4:28 tells born-again Believers, “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” Why would I steal? I would be letting my Heavenly Father and my fellow man down and causing them grief and sadness. I do not want to steal.

In Christ, Brian