Why did God give commandments to the people of Israel? Because He, the Almighty Creator, knew that they, being human, would worship idols, would use His name in vain, would neglect His holy Sabbath, would dishonor their parents, would kill each other, and would commit adultery. He also knew that they would be prone to stealing. That is why in Exodus 20:15 God said to them, “You shall not steal.”Â
It was really that simple. If it didn’t belong to you, leave it alone. Do not steal other’s land, animals, spouses, inheritance, etc. Do not cheat, steal, lie for gain. Israel needed to know that God would not put up with it. Stealing would be a sin. God would punish anyone who stole.
Today, God still doesn’t like stealing. Stealing is still a sin. Stealing, lying, cheating, fraud, etc. If it doesn’t belong to you then leave it alone. There are different ways to steal things. Do not:
Steal merchandise from the store.
Do not steal someone’s money or possessions.
Do not lie and cheat on your taxes.
Do not steal from your employer by not working as you should.
God says not to steal. Stealing is a sin. Stealing will bring the punishment of Hell. Is having something on this earth worth stealing if you end up in Hell for eternity? I think not. Don’t do it. Be thankful for what you have. Be content with what you can afford. Give money to whom money is owed. Taxes to whom taxes. Give your best in your job. Do it on purpose. Do it God’s way. God’s way works. God’s way leads to Heaven.
A Cord of Blue 