The Thief

Exodus 20:15 “You shall not steal.”

What in the world is going on when elected officials and public-representative government agencies in this country state put in place to serve the public good that they will not arrest or prosecute shoplifters from local merchants? Store owners suffer loss as law-enforcement is commanded to turn a blind eye as outright thief is turned into immoral government sanctioned robbery. Have we lost our moral compass in society? What determines "right" from "wrong"? 

 

Laws are made and enforced to protect the public and public commerce, provide safety and security, and ensure a stable community. By definition, shoplifting is the criminal act of intentionally stealing merchandise from a place of business; an act of larceny and thievery. One who steals is a thief. A thief is one who secretly, unlawfully and feloniously takes the goods or personal property of another. The thief takes the property of another privately, secretly, in the dark, without a witness; but the robber by open force. President George Washington stated that “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” 

 

Morals relate to the practice, manners or conduct of people as social beings in relation to each other, and with reference to right and wrong. The word “moral” is applicable to actions that are good or evil, virtuous or vicious, and has reference to the law of God as the standard by which their character is to be determined. Morality is defined as the quality of an action which renders it good; the conformity of an act to the divine law, or to the principles of rectitude. This conformity implies that the act must be performed by a free agent, and from a motive of obedience to the divine will [the will of God].  

 

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 

 

The 1828 Webster’s dictionary defines God’s Moral Law as, the law of God which prescribes the moral, religious and social duties to God and to each other, and prohibits the transgression of them. The laws which enjoin the duties of piety and morality, are prescribed by God and found in the Scriptures. The moral law is summarily contained in the decalogue or ten commandments, written by the finger of God on two tables of stone, and delivered to Moses on mount Sinai. Immutable God’s Moral Law is absolutely immutable. The eighth commandment in God’s Moral Law is “You shall not steal”. Therefore, stealing is immoral, wrong, a sin against God, against God’s people and ultimately damming by the wrath of God. 

 

In Revelation 21:7-8, 24-27 God says, “He who overcomes [the God-rejecting world by adhering faithfully to Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior] will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My children. But as for the cowards, the unbelieving and abominable [who are devoid of character and personal integrity, and practice or tolerate immorality], and murderers, and drug abusers with intoxicating drugs, and idolaters and occultists [who practice and teach false religions], and all the liars [who knowingly deceive and twist truth], their part will be in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” The nations of born-again believers will walk by the kingdom of Heaven’s light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful in the eyes of God, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Jesus [the Good Shepherd, the Gate to the sheepfold] confirms in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

 

But, the born-again, repentant sinner confesses their sins and accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, is forgiven, regenerated and transformed by the Holy Spirit, given a godly heart, mind and soul to obediently walk in righteousness and holiness by the light of God’s Word. Though the sinful flesh desire remain on this side of eternity until glory, the Christ-following disciple walks in the Spirit and does not fulfill sinful flesh desires. Ephesians 4:28 instructs the “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.” Leave the thief behind. 

 

The Bible is the authoritative standard of living. As 2 Timothy 3:14-17 explains, “continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Stand on the promises of God.

 

In Christ, Brian