The first four commandments are concerned with our relationship with God.

The fifth through to the seventh commandment are concerned with family and life.

The final three commandments are focusing on property.

Martin Luther said, "If all thieves who never the less do not wish to be called such were to be hanged upon the gallows. The world would soon be desolate and without both executioner and gallows."

"Thou shalt not steal," just two words in the original. ‘Not steal’, how simple and yet how profound. How necessary this commandment is in this day and age.

Read the newspaper any day and you will read about robberies galore. Banks, homes, cars and muggings are a few examples.

Many are the lives that have been touched by theft. Millions of pounds 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. [USA]

According to the U.S.A. Department of Commerce, 4 million people are caught shoplifting every year. But for every one caught, 35 others get away with it. This means that there are over 140 million incidents of shoplifting every year in America! What’s really tragic is that only 10% of all shoplifters come from low incomes. 70% are middle class and 20% 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 were 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 spoon, 18,000 towels, 355 silver coffee pots, 1,500 silver finger bowls and 100 Bibles to thieves.

There are some synonyms for stealing like extortion, seize, burglarise, defraud, cheat, beguile, misappropriate, pilfer, pillage, plunder, rob, snitch, swindle, swipe, fleece and embezzle to name but a few.

Thieves are becoming more numerous and younger. I watched a crime programme one night showing youngsters who pick pockets in London tube stations. Some are too young to be arrested there is very little the law can do.

Let us consider the eight Commandment as found in the following verse.

Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.

The Root Causes Behind Breaking This Commandment.

This commandment reminds us that God owns everything.

Haggai 2:8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.

1 Cor. 10:28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:

1 Tim. 6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

Psalm 24:1 The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

If men would recognise that God is in control, it is his right to distribute to whomsoever he will. God owns everything and yet he is pleased to allow us to own things or perhaps he entrusts us with goods or riches for a while.

A man was once offered a New Testament. He replied that didn’t put any bread on his table. How wrong he was, it is only by the grace and mercy of God and by his goodness that we have food to eat and clothing to wear and a roof over our heads. The world needs to recognise the goodness of God.

Communism teaches that everybody should have common ownership. That’s not what we find in the word of God, God doesn’t mind us having things.

Acts 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

Peter said to Ananias and Saphira speaking of their possessions, "It was yours," God had no difficulty with them owing things. God has entrusted us with possessions or with things.

There are four ways that we can accumulate things.

• We can be fortunate enough to receive an inheritance.

• We can receive a gift from someone.

• We can work for our possessions just like the fourth commandment, work is encouraged by this commandment as a legitimate way to receive things.

• We can steal.

There are four ways to add to our possessions, three of which are fine.

Three of them are things that are good for believers.

Inheritance reminds us of relationship. We have a relationship with God. And we have a wonderful inheritance.

Gift reminds us of love especially the gift of God his only begotten son.

Work reminds us of service, and how God worked and he rested on the seventh day.

Three of those things, which add to our possessions, are commended in scripture.

Stealing of course is the wrong way to accumulate wealth.

It is opposite to relationship, it shows poor relationships with our neighbour.

It shows an absence of love, we would hardly steal from those we love.

If we steal we receive that which we have not worked for.

Stealing is getting ahead at another’s expense. It is getting without giving anything in return.

The word of God bears this all out.

Ephes. 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Honesty is required, let him that stole, steal no more. God condemns this method for accumulating things. He says, "Steal no more."

But look what God commends.

• Industry.

Ephes. 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Working is encouraged again.

• Generosity.

Notice generosity is encouraged. We don’t just work to get things for ourselves but that we might be able to help others.

God doesn’t mind us possessing things, but things should never possess us.

God forbids sealing in the Old and New Testaments.

What causes men and woman to steal?

• Discontentment is perhaps one reason. They are discontented with their lot. They perhaps feel that they deserved more. They think that they need more and fail to recognise the sovereignty of God in their lives.

The unsaved know nothing of contentment. I wonder dear child of God how content we are?

Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. [6] So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

1 Tim. 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Calvin said this law is as much for the heart as the hands.

A discontented spirit leads to stealing.

• Laziness can lead to stealing.

2 Thes. 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Laziness can lead some to meet their needs by illegitimate methods.

• Greed and covetousness are obvious examples of that which would cause stealing.

Some steal for need others for greed. Some just want more and more and try to get it by fair or foul means.

It takes a cold-hearted person to steal.

Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

David stole Uriah’s wife. What consequences it caused others. Stealing effects others those who steal show a lack of care for others.

• Self-centredness surely is a root of this crime.

Jacob stole the blessing and the birthright. He split the family and practically ruined Esau.

How many victims of robbery and burglary have lost more than their possessions

The reason I mention some of the root causes is because it could be that we have a discontented spirit, a self- centredness, a loveless, greedy or covetous spirit in us. These are the roots that lead to the breaking of the eight commandment.

But these are internal problems. We have an external enemy remember Satan entered Judas, what was Judas?

John 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

Satan has been in the stealing business for some time. He encourages it and because of our own fallen nature we are open to it.

A little child will probably break this commandment first of all by wanting something that belongs to another.

This was the first sin in the Bible.

Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Eve took something that was not given to her. She took something she didn’t work for.

This was the first sin the Children of Israel discovered in the Promised Land.

Joshua 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.

Achan took something he didn’t work for nor was it given to him.

It was one of the first sins to come into the new church in Acts.

Acts 5:1-2 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, [2] And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

There is one root cause which leads to all of the above causes.

1 Cor. 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? [20] For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Men and woman refuse to give God what is rightly his. This is the same thing as stealing. This is the mother of all stealing, keeping back that, which belongs to God.

When fallen and sinful man refuses to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. When they refuse to accept the finished work and spurn the price paid and go on in their sin. Every lost soul breaks this commandment.

At Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-78, 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 $400,000 in supplies.

The army survived the winter, but after the war Dehaven was never repaid. Now his descendants are trying to collect. They claim that the loan compounded at 6% interest daily, amounts to $141.6 billion.

In one sense, all the money in the world could never repay dehaven for what he did. In reality, he saved the cause of freedom for all America.

There’s another debt all of us owe that we can never repay. It is the price Jesus Christ paid to give us liberty from the bondage of sin.

Men are breaking this commandment by refusing to accept God’s offer of salvation.

A Random Selection Of Ways To Break This Commandment.

We all can think of the obvious the armed robber, the burglar, the mugger and the pickpocket and the shoplifter. We certainly have no shortage of all of these in this land of ours.

We could mention embezzlement that is the misuse of something entrusted to us.

We could mention extortion, which is ripping people off by over charging.

Luke 3:13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

Fraud is another form of stealing. Benefit fraud is surely rife in most places and indeed in this land. Many look upon benefit fraud as practically a legitimate right and not as stealing but it is stealing.

• Shops and business can steal from us by short changing people.

Amos 8:5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?

Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.

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Proverbs 16:11 A just weight and balance are the Lord's: all the weights of the bag are his work.

Proverbs 20:23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the Lord; and a false balance is not good.

Thou shalt not steal.

Bankruptcy can be stealing. Someone changes all their property and assets into their wives name and then they go bust. Perhaps they get going again but fail to pay up.

Failure to pay debt. It is not a sin to borrow the Lord borrowed a colt. It is a sin to borrow with no intention of paying back that’s just stealing.

2 Cor. 4:3-7 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: [4] In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. [5] For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. [7] But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

• Be careful of borrowing and not returning.

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 plough and never sent it back. Professor Morgan had sent for my spade and I haven’t seen it since. Deacon Beeches has had one of my monkey wrenches for so long a time that the memory of man cannot recall how long ago it was borrowed. What does it mean? It means that there are some among the best of us. Such a carelessness concerning our fundamental everyday obligations." The sermon was extremely effective. The next morning before dawn, one neighbour 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 the neighbour’s kids bringing back borrowed tools. They even returned things that were not Finney’s

We could be guilty of stealing by breaching copyright. Be careful when copying tapes and music. I don’t know the law too well but we don’t want to steal someone else’s labours.

We could steal by using another’s name for advantages for example discount cards.

We could steal someone’s reputation by gossip and slander

Acts 19:27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.

Paul was accused of destroying her magnificence by what he said. On the negative side we could ruin someone’s reputation by gossip and slander, we could steal their character.

Thou shalt not steal.

What about an employer? He can steal from employees by not giving a full days pay for a full days work

James 5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.

What about employees, does this not work both ways?

An honest days work for an honest days pay.

How can we steal from our employers?

• Start later than we say, finish earlier than we should.

• Claim sick pay when we are not sick at all.

• Taking longer breaks than permitted.

• Phone calls made and items we remove without permission.

We could steal quite easily from our employers.

You all know what happened in Ulster in the 1920s.

WP Nicholson preached the gospel and the shipyard had to make an announcement. "Will all those men attending Nicholson’s meetings stop returning stolen goods we have nowhere to store them."

We could steal by cheating for example in school by stealing from someone else’s exam paper.

A true story is told about a young man who wrote on his exam paper this answer to a question.

"I don’t know,"

The fellow beside him who was copying put down, "Me neither."

What about stealing from the government especially in the area of income tax?

Luke 20:22-25 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? [23] But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? [24] Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's. [25] And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

Tax dodging is stealing from the government.

In a gallop poll this conclusion was reached, "Many of those who claim a religious interest do not allow it to effect their personal concept of morality in behaviour."

One taxman said, "Some the churches must be very wealthy or they are full of liars."

Gambling is a form of stealing. You are getting something you haven’t worked for. Something that wasn’t willingly given to you. The national lottery is a national shame.

The Result Of Breaking This Commandment.

Psalm 62:10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

Proverbs 1:18-19 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. [19] So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

Jeremiah 17:11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

Zech. 5:3-4 Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. [4] I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

These scriptures show us that any temporal benefits are short-lived, and that there are consequences to ill-gotten gains.

Eternal consequences.

1 Cor. 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

For the child of God if we are stealing we should repent and make restitution as soon as possible.

Luke 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

Something We Need To Realise About This Commandment.

As God’s people we could be breaking it practically by some of the things already mentioned or by something else. It is more likely that we are spiritually guilty of breaking this commandment.

Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

We could be robbing God by holding back our treasure. Remember whatever we have is his. The law demanded a tenth plus offerings but we are under grace. Would grace deserve less?

1 Cor. 16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

• "Thou shalt not steal," are we robbing God of our treasure?

• Are we robbing God of our talents?

1 Tim. 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

• Are we robbing God of time?

We can kill time, we can loose time, and we can waste time. The scripture says we are to redeem the time.

Col. 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

• Are we robbing God of our thanks?

1 Cor. 4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

We are only men. All praise all glory and all the honour belongs to him. How dare we steal any of it for ourselvess.

Are we robbing God of our totality?

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

1 Cor. 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Has he got us all or are we holding back and robbing God?

Take my life that’s grand.

Take my hands that’s splendid.

Take my voice and my lips that’s wonderful.

Take my silver and my gold that’s unusual but very fine.

Take my self that’s it, all of ourselves.

Ephes. 4:28 "Let him that stole steal no more:"

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