Introduction
Stealing is a subject well worth our attention for several reasons. First, stealing has become a national problem of epidemic proportions. For example, consider the impact of “time theft” on our economy:
The Robert Half Personnel Agencies has calculated
that time-theft will
cost the American economy as much as $70 billion a
year. Time-theft is defined as those deliberate employee actions which
result in the massive, growing misuse and waste of time. Estimated
time-theft are: arriving to work late, leaving early, taking unjustified
‘sick’ days, extensive socializing with co-workers, turning the water
cooler into a conversation pit, inattention to the job at hand, reading
novels and magazines on the job, operating a business on the side during
working hours, eating lunch at the desk and then going out for the
‘lunch hour,’ excessive personal phone calls, on-the-job daydreaming and
fanticizing, long, frequent coffee and snack breaks, etc.53
Second, our culture sends us “mixed signals” as to how serious a problem stealing is.
On the one hand, stealing is taken very seriously, when compared with
some other evils. An adulterer is not even punished by the Law
enforcement agencies any longer, even though there may be laws against
it. A person may be given a lengthy sentence for misappropriating money
(e.g. banking violations) while another may serve less time for murder.
On the other hand, stealing is often romanticized in the media.
Television programs portray police officers as either inept or bound by
the Law from apprehending the villains, and so the private eyes always
get their man, often by the use of a “pick” to break into locked
quarters, where they steal incriminating evidence.
Third, stealing is a much more complex problem in our society than it was in the days of ancient Israel.
In the ancient world, very tangible objects were stolen: cattle,
property, wives, and the like. One could hardly argue that he had not
taken anything if it were found in his possession. On the other hand, we
now live in an age of sophisticated technology. For example, we have
ideas which are patented and materials which are printed, both of which
can be stolen. Credit cards and electronic banking have made matters
even more complicated. And then there are the electronic gadgets.
Satellite dishes are available to “steal” electronic signals from the
sender, electronic recordings may be duplicated, so that the owner does
not get any remuneration for his labor. And now there is computer
software, much of which can be copied in seconds, making it possible for
thousands of dollars worth of programming to be obtained for the few
pennies it costs for a diskette.
Fourth, stealing is often viewed as an evil for the wrong reasons.
Usually we think of stealing as a violation of the right of private
property. While this may be true, I believe that there are much more
serious problems than this, which we shall explore in this sermon.
Finally, stealing is a serious sin because it is
included in the Ten Commandments, which identifies the “ultimate evils”
of Israel’s day, and of our own as well. I have come to view the
evils prohibited by the Ten Commandments as the “ultimate evils” which
God prohibits. There are other evils, but they are condemned under one
of the “ultimate evils.” For example, if it is wrong to kill our
neighbor, it is also wrong to do bodily harm to him, or to destroy his
reputation (as taken up in the Sermon on the Mount). If it is wrong to
commit adultery, it is also wrong to practice other sexual sins. In our
society, since first degree murder is wrong, then so is second degree
murder or manslaughter. (Thus, one charged with first degree murder may
be charged with any lesser offense. But one charged with a lesser
offense cannot be charged with a greater, of the same kind.) The greater
offense thus includes the lesser.
My approach in this lesson will differ somewhat from
that of the study of previous commandments. Rather than to follow the
development of the commandment (or the evil condemned) progressively
through the Bible, I will seek to explore the nature of stealing, ending
up with a concise definition. This will enable us to explore some of
the ways in which we steal today. Finally, we will conclude by focusing
on the biblical solution for stealing, as prescribed in the Scriptures.
Stealing—Its Categories
Broadly speaking, stealing falls into two
categories: active stealing and passive stealing. Active stealing
aggressively, willfully, maliciously takes what belongs to someone else,
through a variety of means. In Leviticus chapter 6 we find several
forms of active theft identified:
Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “When a person
sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD, and deceives his companion
in regard to a deposit or a security entrusted to him, or through
robbery, or if he has extorted from his companion, or has found what was
lost and lied about it and sworn falsely, so that he sins in regard to
any one of the things a man may do; then it shall be, when he sins and
becomes guilty, that he shall restore what he took by robbery, or what
he got by extortion, or the deposit which was entrusted to him, or the
lost thing which he found, or anything about which he swore falsely; he
shall make restitution for it in full, and add to it one-fifth more. He
shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he presents his
guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him before the
LORD; and he shall be forgiven for any one of the things which he may
have done to incur guilt” (Lev. 6:1-7).
(1) Embezzlement. Embezzlement is the misuse or misappropriation of something that has been entrusted to us (Lev. 6:2).
Embezzlement is a violation of trust, for what has been placed in a
person’s keeping has been appropriated for selfish purposes.
Embezzlement is frequently an offense of a bank employee or of a
comptroller of a corporation.
(2) Robbery. Robbery is the act of taking what belongs to another (Lev. 6:2).
Robbery, I believe, is a broad definition, covering several kinds of
stealing. Robbery generally takes things directly, often by the use of
superior force (frequently involving a weapon). Stealing suggests
stealth. A pick-pocket for example, uses stealth, as does a burglar.
Fraud may also be included here. If so, fraud involves getting what
belongs to another by deception. Here, the victim often gives what is
stolen to the thief, thinking that doing so will be profitable. The only
one who profits, however, is the thief.
(3) Extortion. Extortion gains possession of another person’s property by the illicit use of authority or of force (not a weapon, however).54
Sometimes, charging an excessive price is included here, if one feels
compelled to buy the product. For example, if your child was seriously
ill and there was only one medicine which would cure the child, you
would be willing to pay almost anything to obtain it, even if the cost
were excessive. In many parts of the world, Law enforcement officers use
their position of authority to extort funds from those who are
vulnerable. If a policeman could, by his false testimony alone, convict
you of a crime that would imprison you, you would gladly pay his
extortion fee to avoid the threatened punishment. Thus, John the Baptist
told the tax gatherers and soldiers of his day:
“Collect no more than what you have been ordered
to.” And some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us,
what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone
by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages” (Luke 3:13-14).
(4) Kidnapping. In the ancient Near East, kidnapping was considered a form of theft (Deut. 24:7), probably because the individual would be kept as a slave, rather than because he or she would be ransomed.
In addition to these “active” forms of stealing,
there are a variety of “passive” forms of stealing. While the thefts
previously described wrongly took something from the possession of
another, passive theft is the failure to give to another what belongs to
them or is due them. For a variety of reasons, we may have in our
possession what rightfully belongs to another, and yet fail or refuse to
give it to them. While a more passive act, it is nevertheless stealing.
The following forms of passive stealing are forbidden in the Bible:
(1) A man’s negligence which results in a loss to his neighbor.
Exodus chapter 22 (verses 1-15) describes several acts of negligence
which deprive a neighbor of his property, and which thus require
restitution. For example, if a man’s pasture land has been grazed bare,
and he therefore lets his animal loose, so that it grazes on his
neighbor’s pasture, consuming it, the negligent man is guilty of passive
stealing (Exod. 22:5).
(2) A man’s failure to return something lost to its owner is stealing. In Leviticus 6:3,
the old adage, “finders keepers, losers weepers,” is shown to be an
excuse for theft. To find what belongs to another, and not to return it,
is to steal it, by one’s negligence or refusal to return it.55 Clear instructions regarding the returning of lost items is given in the Book of Deuteronomy:
“You shall not see your countryman’s ox or his sheep
straying away, and pay no attention to them; you shall certainly bring
them back to your countryman. And if your countryman is not near you, or
if you do not know him, then you shall bring it home to your house, and
it shall remain with you until your countryman looks for it; then you
shall restore it to him. And thus you shall do with his donkey, and you
shall do the same with his garment, and you shall do likewise with
anything lost by your countryman, which he has lost and you have found.
You are not allowed to neglect them. You shall not see your countryman’s
donkey or his ox fallen down on the way, and pay no attention to them;
you shall certainly help him to raise them up (Deut. 22:1-4).
(3) Failure to give what belongs to another is stealing. A day laborer is to be paid at the end of the day (Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:14-15).
For an employer to keep a laborer’s wages, which at the end of his work
day rightfully belonged to the worker, was to rob him. So, too, to keep
back the tithes, by which the Levites were supported, would have been
robbery (cf. Deut. 18:1-8; 26:9-13).
Withholding the charity which was to be shown to the poor, the alien,
and the stranger, was also stealing. God instructed the Israelites to
make certain provisions for the poor, such as leaving the corners of
their fields unharvested (Deut. 24:19-22).
Whenever an Israelite became greedy and did not leave something behind
for the poor, he was stealing from them, for God had given the gleanings
to them.
Stealing—Its Characteristics and Its Culpability
Theft, whether actively or passively perpetrated,
has certain characteristics, so that stealing can be positively
identified as an evil act. For each of these characteristics, there is a
corresponding principle or precept of God which is thereby violated,
identifying the act as sin. Several of the tell-tale ear marks of
stealing are:
(1) Stealing involves an unauthorized change of possession.
When one steals, he takes possession of something which does not belong
to him. Obviously, ownership of the stolen property belongs to the one
from whom the property was stolen. Ultimately, all things belong to God:
“The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is
Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me” (Lev. 25:23). “The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it” (Ps. 24:1).
God not only owns all things, He also possesses all people. When a
person steals, he disregards both divine and private ownership of that
property.
God is so concerned that property not accumulate in
the hands of a few that He gave Israel regulations which would assure a
relatively equal distribution. In Deuteronomy chapter 15, for example, a
number of measures are prescribed to prevent the concentration of
Israel’s wealth into the hands of a few. Debts were be canceled and
slaves were to be liberated every seven years. The land was to revert to
its original owner at the end of 70 years. The thief resists God’s
distribution of property and seeks to concentrate and control it.
(2) Stealing does harm to one’s neighbor by taking what rightfully belonged to him.
Stealing is always detrimental to the victim. Indeed, stealing is often
accompanied by other evils, which are harmful to one’s neighbor (cf. Prov. 1:10-19). The man who was robbed in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) was also beaten. Stealing therefore is a violation of one’s obligation to love his neighbor, and to do good to him (Lev. 19:18; Matt. 19:19).
(3) Stealing takes unfair advantage of one’s neighbor.
Stealing is always accomplished by gaining some advantage over the
neighbor who is the victim. The advantage may be that of strength
(including the use of a weapon), subtlety (deception or stealth), or
power. For example, a person who has wealth may take advantage of a
neighbor who is in dire economic straits, loaning him money at a high
rate of interest (cf. Exod. 22:25-27; Lev. 25:35-38; Neh. 5:1-14; Hab. 2:6-11).
This is to take advantage of a neighbor’s adversity and vulnerability,
often preying upon the most vulnerable members of society:
For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, And the
greedy man curses and spurns the Lord. The wicked, in the haughtiness
of his countenance, does not seek Him. All his thoughts are, “There is
no God.” His ways prosper at all times; Thy judgments are on high, out
of his sight; As for all his adversaries, he snorts at them. He says to
himself, “I shall not be moved; Throughout all generations I shall not
be in adversity.” His mouth is full of curses and deceit and oppression;
Under his tongue is mischief and wickedness. He sits in the lurking
places of the villages; In the hiding places he kills the innocent; His
eyes stealthily watch for the unfortunate. He lurks in a hiding place as
a lion in his lair; He lurks to catch the afflicted; He catches the
afflicted when he draws him into his net. He crouches, he bows down, And
the unfortunate fall by his mighty ones. He says to himself, “God has
forgotten; He has hidden His face; He will never see it” (Ps. 10:3-11).
Your rulers are rebels, And companions of thieves;
Every one loves a bribe, And chases after rewards. They do not defend
the orphan, Nor does the widow’s plea come before them (Isa. 1:23).
The Israelite was not to capitalize on such
tragedies and hard times, but was to help without expectation of profit,
or even of getting back what was given. The biblical principle, both in
the Old and the New Testaments is that the strong are to support the
weak (Deut. 15; Rom. 15:1).
One steals when he is strong and he gains from the adversity of the
weak. Thus, the scribes and Pharisees wrongly used their power to
oppress the widows, and to “devour their houses” (cf. Matt. 23:14), rather than to help them in their distress (James 1:27).
(4) Stealing sins against God by wrongly possessing the property of another. Stealing is a sin against God (Lev. 6:1-2, 6-7), profaning His name:
Two things I asked of Thee, Do not refuse me before I
die: Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor
riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion; Lest I be full and
deny Thee and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be in want and steal,
And profane the name of my God (Prov. 30:7-9).
(5) One who steals sins against himself, thereby bringing calamity upon himself.
The folly of stealing is that while the victim of the theft is harmed,
the thief is not benefited. Both the thief and his victim will suffer
due to the theft. The thief will suffer because he will not gain from
stolen goods and God will bring divine judgment upon him. In fact, the
thief destroys himself by his crime.
Do not trust in oppression. And do not vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them (Psalm 62:10).
My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. If
they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the
innocent without cause; Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even
whole, as those who go down to the pit; We shall fill our houses with
spoil; Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse,” My son,
do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path, For
their feet run to evil, And they hasten to shed blood. Indeed, it is
useless to spread the net In the eyes of any bird; But they lie in wait
for their own blood; They ambush their own lives. So are the ways of
everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors
(Prov. 1:10-19).
Ill-gotten gains do not profit, But righteousness delivers from death (Prov. 10:2).
Then I lifted up my eyes again and looked, and
behold, there was a flying scroll. And he said to me, “What do you see?”
And I answered, “I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits and
its width ten cubits.” Then he said to me, “This is the curse that is
going forth over the face of the whole land; surely everyone who steals
will be purged away according to the writing on one side, and everyone
who swears will be purged away according to the writing on the other
side. I will make it go forth,” declares the LORD of hosts, “and it will
enter the house of the thief and the house of the one who swears
falsely by My name; and it will spend the night within that house and
consume it with timber and stones” (Zech. 5:1-4).
(6) Robbery corrupts the nation and the land:
Listen to the word of the LORD, O sons of Israel,
For the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land, Because
there is no faithfulness or kindness Or knowledge of God in the land.
There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing, and adultery. They
employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed. Therefore the land
mourns, And every one who lives in it languishes Along with the beasts
of the field and the birds of the sky; And also the fish of the sea
disappear (Hosea 4:1-3).
When I would heal Israel, The iniquity of Ephraim is
uncovered, And the evil deeds of Samaria, For they deal falsely; The
thief enters in, Bandits raid outside, And they do not consider in their
hearts That I remember all their wickedness. Now their deeds are all
around them; They are before My face. With their wickedness they make
the king glad, And the princes with their lies (Hosea 7:1-3).
(7) Stealing is destructive to the community, to the unity of the people of God.
A friend observed that few things adversely affect the sense of unity
within a community more than a theft. When the thief is not known,
everyone tends to look at one another as a possible thief. Thus, the
sense of trust which binds a group together is destroyed. Stealing is
therefore referred to as a “breach of trust” (Exod. 22:9).
(8) Stealing seeks to set aside the consequences of man’s sin. Because of man’s sin, God decreed that man would live “by the sweat of his brow” (Gen. 3:19).
Stealing is man’s effort to make a living by the sweat of another man’s
brow. Often, stealing is obtaining those things which one is not
willing to work for. Stealing therefore is an attempt to set aside the
curse. It is a sin which endeavors to avoid the consequence of sin.
(9) Stealing seeks to set aside the covenant of God with Israel.
The commandments, of which the prohibition of stealing is one, are a
part of the covenant God made with Israel. The purpose of the covenant
was to set Israel apart from the surrounding nations, to be a holy
people, so that they might be a priestly nation, representing God to
men. Stealing was one of the evils of that day, as it is today. To
refrain from stealing would set Israel apart. To practice stealing would
be to fail to live up to the high calling of God. Stealing would thwart
the intent of the covenant.
Furthermore, the terms of the covenant were that God
would prosper Israel as she kept His commandments and pursued His
purposes. On the other hand, God’s judgment was promised if the covenant
was violated (cf. Deut. 28).
For an Israelite to seek to prosper on account of sin was to disregard,
indeed, to disdain, the terms of the covenant which God had made with
Israel. The thief sought to prosper by sin, rather than by obedience.
But to the wicked God says, “What right have you to
tell of My statutes, And to take My covenant in your mouth? For you hate
discipline, And you cast My words behind you. When you see a thief, you
are pleased with him, And you associate with adulterers” (Psalm 50:16-18).
For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery in the
burnt offering; And I will faithfully give them their recompense, And I
will make an everlasting covenant with them (Isa. 61:8).
“You also say, ‘My, how tiresome it is!’ And you
disdainfully sniff at it,” says the LORD of hosts, “and you bring what
was taken by robbery, and what is lame or sick; so you bring the
offering! Should I receive that from your hand?” says the LORD (Malachi 1:13).
(10) Stealing disregards God’s laws, because of the distrust of God and His promises.
In the final analysis, stealing evidences a man’s lack of faith in God,
and in His promises to provide for His people, who keep His
commandments. Men trust in stealing because they refuse to trust in God.
In the final analysis, the thief trusts himself more than God:
Do not trust in oppression, And do not vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them (Ps. 62:10).
Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, “Since
you have rejected this word, And have put your trust in oppression and
guile, and have relied on them, Therefore this iniquity will be to you
Like a breach about to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose collapse
comes suddenly in an instant” (Isa. 30:12-13).
(11) Stealing was sometimes an effort to avoid genuine sacrifice.
God gave, as a part of the covenant, a sacrificial system, by which men
were able to approach God and worship Him. As an expression of worship
and gratitude, the Israelites were to offer a part of their crops and
cattle as a sacrifice. In time, they refused to do this:
“From the days of your fathers you have turned aside
from My statutes, and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will
return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. “But you say, ‘How shall we
return?’ Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How
have we robbed Thee?’ In tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a
curse, for you are robbing Me, the whole nation of you! Bring the whole
tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and
test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for
you the windows of heaven, and pour out for you a blessing until there
is no more need. Then I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it may
not destroy the fruits of the ground; nor will your vine in the field
cast its grapes,” says the LORD of hosts. “And all the nations will call
you blessed, for you shall be a delightful land,” says the LORD of
hosts (Malachi 3:7-12).
In some cases, the Israelites would sacrifice to
God, but rather than give of their own goods, they stole from their
neighbors and sacrificed stolen goods:
For I, the LORD, love justice, I hate robbery in the
burnt offering; And I will faithfully give them their recompense, And I
will make an everlasting covenant with them (Isa. 61:8).
“You also say, ‘My, how tiresome it is!’ And you
disdainfully sniff at it,” says the LORD of hosts, “and you bring what
was taken by robbery, and what is lame or sick; so you bring the
offering! Should I receive that from your hand?” says the LORD (Malachi 1:13).
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, How much more when he brings it with evil intent! (Prov. 21:27).
In effect, the offering of stolen sacrifices enabled
men to give to God without really sacrificing at all. It was the victim
who made the sacrifice, not the thief. How blatant was the sin of the
thief, which actually had the audacity to give to God what he had
stolen.
(12) Stealing is an act that is completely contrary to the character of God.
Perhaps the reason why God hates stealing so much is that it is a crime
which completely contradicts His character. God is gracious; the thief
is greedy. God gives; the thief takes. God responds to the cries of the
needy; the thief callously creates needs and tragedy. Nothing could be
more contrary to the graciousness of God than the cruelty of the thief.
Stealing, then, is a sin against God, against one’s neighbor, against one’s nation, and ultimately against one’s self.
Stealing—Its Contemporary Forms
Before we attempt to expose some of the popular
forms stealing takes in contemporary society, let us seek to arrive at a
simple, working definition of stealing. Originally, I thought that a
good definition would be: Stealing is getting ahead at another person’s expense.
I think this definition has some merit. But upon more reflection, I
have decided on this definition: STEALING IS TAKING FROM OTHERS WITHOUT
GIVING IN RETURN.
Stealing is, in its essence, an unfair exchange.
When we steal, we take something from another person, but we do not
adequately compensate them for what we have gained. In this sense, we
gain, but our neighbor loses. Let’s consider some of the ways in which
men seek to take from others, without giving adequately in return. Here,
I believe, is where the “rubber meets the road,” where stealing can be
seen for what it is—sin. (I am going to assume here that the most
blatant forms of stealing—armed robbery, extortion, and embezzlement,
those for which one can be sent to prison, need not be described in
detail here.)
(1) We must beware not to steal on the job.
Petty theft is one of the most costly losses of American business. Tools
mysteriously disappear, along with supplies ranging from paper and
pencils to much more costly items. Services can also be stolen. We may
ask others (our secretaries, for example) to do personal work for us. We
can also use the copy machine for personal copying, without permission.
Then there is the stealing of time, which was mentioned in the
introduction to this message. Padded expense accounts are another
tempting way to steal from our employer.
It has been my observation that we often attempt to
justify theft at work by the use of some rather questionable reasoning.
One of the popular excuses is, “I’ve put in a lot of extra time.” If
such is the case, turn it in as overtime, or at least be sure that your
boss is willing to exchange a given amount of services for your extra
time. Another justification is that “I’m worth a whole lot more than
they pay me.” If that is so, ask for a raise, and then pay for the
things you take from the office (if this is permitted).
(2) Stealing from others by depriving them of the fruit of their labor.
The stealing of software (“bootlegged” copies) deprives the author and
the dealer of the fruit of their labor, and is nothing less than
stealing. The same is true of duped copies of audio and video
recordings. Taking credit for the ideas or the labor of another is also
stealing. It deprives the individual of the reward they should obtain
for their labor. Also included in this area would be failing to pay
those we owe promptly.56
From a biblical perspective, withholding our giving to those who
minister to us is also a failure to let the Lord’s servants benefit from
their labor (cf. 1 Cor. 9:1-14).
(3) Stealing may also involve the abuse of legal rights.
The Law provides certain legal remedies for particular evils, but these
remedies may be abused so as to rob another. The Law thus becomes the
advantage one has over another. For example, bankruptcy can be a means
for structuring the payback of debts, and as such is honorable, but as a
legal pretext for non-payment of debts it is robbery. Insurance claims
can also be abused, so that claims are paid based on false information.
Lawsuits provide another means of forcibly taking (excess) money from
another. Let us be on guard concerning the use of these legal remedies
for evil, so that the remedy itself does not become an evil.
(4) Stealing by negligence or neglect. Our
negligence can be costly to others. For example, littering and polluting
is an act of negligence which makes life easy for us, while others pay
the price. We avoid the inconvenience of disposing of our trash or
pollutants, but someone else has to pay for cleaning up our mess. And
lest you think this is something that doesn’t relate to you, how many of
you turn your pet loose in the neighborhood to “pollute” someone else’s
yard, so that you don’t have to clean up the mess in your own yard?
(5) Stealing in the name of getting a “good deal.” This
kind of stealing is far more subtle. Indeed, one can actually be
praised for this kind of deal. It is getting a “great deal” at the
expense of the other party. For example, suppose that you went to a
garage sale and found a widow selling some of her husband’s tools, at
far below their real value. We could buy them all up and walk away
feeling that we really got a great deal. But is this really honest? Is
this not stealing, gaining at the expense of this woman, having the
advantage over her, due to her ignorance of the value of what she
possessed? I have had people tell me in the past that I “stole”
something at a sale. At the time I was flattered. Now, I might be
embarrassed. Good deals should not be occasions when we got the better
deal because of another person’s vulnerability.
Incidentally, modern advertising has taken note of
our greed here. Have you noticed how many advertisements include
statements like, “getting divorce, must sell,” or, “going out of
business,” or “lost our lease,” or “fire sale.” All of these statements
(often untrue) cause us to think that the seller is in desperate
straits, and thus vulnerable. Rather than having feelings of sympathy
and compassion, we leap at the chance to get the upper hand.
(6) Corporate or collective stealing. There
are ways in which we can participate in a theft that is perpetrated by a
group. For example, some large business can steal, either by fixing
prices, or manipulating the market, or by using their power to pay
inadequate wages. They can also provide unsafe working environments,
which can certainly produce profits at the expense of their employees.
The child labor abuses of the last century are an example of corporate
theft. The existence of labor unions can be attributed, to a large
degree, to industry’s gains made at labor’s expense.
Labor unions quickly learned from the carnality and
greed of big business. They, too, have stolen by the misuse of their
power. By threatening a strike (or worse), which could economically
destroy a company, unions have been able to demand wages and benefits
for workers which they have not earned. In other words, labor has gained
at the cost of big business.
Governments, too, can steal. It is possible for the
majority of a country’s citizens to impose unfair taxes on the rich, so
that by a “legal” governmental function (taxation) the poor rob the
rich. In other countries, the rich use their influence and power to
oppress and rob the poor, by manipulating and misusing governmental
power. Communism appeals to the greed of the masses, encouraging
revolution and the formation of a new government which will
disenfranchise (take the property away from) the rich, and give it to
the poor. Functionally, this is stealing.
Governments can also employ tariffs to steal from
people. Tariffs can be levied on foreign goods, so that higher prices
must be paid to purchase American goods. This could mean that Americans
are “forced” to pay higher prices for inferior goods, or that foreign
peoples are deprived of the ability to sell their goods and to make a
living. On the other hand, some foreign manufacturers have no qualms
about copying (stealing) U. S. designs, manufacturing the products with
“slave” or “cheap” labor, and then selling their product below the U. S.
market price, thus stealing from American business.
(7) Religious robbery. Religious robbery is
one of the most serious forms of stealing, in my opinion. The reason is
that we are either robbing God, robbing in the name of God, or robbing
in a way that suggests God is our partner in crime. Let us consider
“robbing God” first.
We rob God whenever we withhold from Him what is due
Him, or what belongs to Him. We rob God when we withhold our offerings
from Him. Now I would be the first to point out that the Old Testament
tithe is not binding on the New Testament saint. I would also point out
that everything we have ultimately belongs to God, and that we are only
stewards of what He has given us. I would suggest that whenever we treat
ourselves better than we do God’s servants and God’s work, we have
withheld from Him. Thus, Haggai, the Old Testament prophet, accused the
Israelites of robbing God when they lived in paneled houses, while the
house of God was in shambles and incomplete (Hag. 1:2-4).
To put the matter a bit more personally, when we find our own houses in
better condition and better maintained and furnished than the church
building (I am not saying that the church building is God’s house) we
are in danger of robbing God.
There is another way that we rob God. Some
Christians pride themselves for having left money to the church or to
Christian causes in their will. I commend those who have the forethought
to assure the good stewardship of their resources after their death.
But we can deceive ourselves in this matter if we are not careful. Let
us not salve our consciences for poor stewardship now by leaving our
worldly goods to God in our wills. For some this is only saying, “I’ll
enjoy all that my money can do for me now, ignoring the pressing needs
of others and the great opportunities before me, comforted by the fact
that when I am dead and gone (and won’t be able to use the money
anyway), God will have my money.” We should be good stewards of God’s
resources now and in the future.
The most frequent and flagrant way in which men rob
God is when we fail to give Him the praise which He deserves. Unsaved
men and women are condemned for failing to give God praise:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in
unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within
them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the
world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so
that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did
not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in the
speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened (Rom. 1:18-21).
Perhaps we should expect this of unbelievers, but
the tragedy is that Christians also fail to give God the praise and
adoration He deserves. Frequently this evil is compounded by our taking
the credit and praise for what God has done in us, most often in spite
of us (cf. 1 Cor. 1:26-31; 4:6-7; Eph. 2:8-10).
Then, there is what I call “sanctified stealing.”
Sanctified stealing is that which is done in the name of God, in the
name of religion, or by the misuse of religious position or power. The
scribes and Pharisees were sanctified stealers. Jesus accused them of
“devouring widows houses,” while at the same time they prayed long
pretentious prayers (Matt. 23:14).
Outwardly, they were pious, but in reality they were thieves: “Woe to
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the
cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and
self-indulgence (Matt. 23:25).
In addition, they used their religious position and power to make money
in the Temple, buying and selling sacrificial animals and exchanging
money. For this these religious merchandisers were forcibly cast out of
the Temple with the rebuke, “It is written, ‘my house shall be called a
house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den” (Matt. 21:13).
As harsh as it may seem, I believe that some
ministries rob God and His people by mismanagement and specifically by
excessively high operating and administrative costs. This is
particularly inappropriate for those ministries which are supposed to be
caring for the poor.
Some ministries and so-called “Christian businesses”
rob their employees by paying them sub-standard wages. They assure the
employee that they are “serving the Lord” and that some of the profits
of the company are being given to Christian causes, but that does not
put food on the tables of the employee. I would suggest that Christian
companies pay a fair wage and let the employee determine which Christian
ministries he or she would like to support. Then, of course, some of
these employees do poor quality work, or steal time, comforting
themselves with the fact that they are underpaid anyway.
The worst robbery of all, in my opinion, is that
which is done by the false prophets and teachers of every age. They
generally live very well, generously provided for by the gullible, who
love their “smooth words” and who fall prey to their sophisticated
fund-raising schemes. And in return the deceived not only fail to learn
the truth, but very often believe the lies which they are taught, and
which will lead them to destruction.
Stealing—Its Corrective and Its Cure
For those who had stolen from another, the Old
Testament prescribed restitution. The most detailed prescription of the
restitution required is found in the Book of Exodus:
“If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it
or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the
sheep. If the thief is caught while breaking in, and is struck so that
he dies, there will be no bloodguiltiness on his account. But if the sun
has risen on him, there will be bloodguiltiness on his account. He
shall surely make restitution; if he owns nothing, then he shall be sold
for his theft. If what he stole is actually found alive in his
possession, whether an ox or a donkey or a sheep, he shall pay double.
If a man lets a field or vineyard be grazed bare and lets his animal
loose so that it grazes in another man’s field, he shall make
restitution from the best of his own field and the best of his own
vineyard. If a fire breaks out and spreads to thorn bushes, so that
stacked grain or the standing grain or the field itself is consumed, he
who started the fire shall surely make restitution. If a man gives his
neighbor money or goods to keep for him, and it is stolen from the man’s
house, if the thief is caught, he shall pay double. If the thief is not
caught, then the owner of the house shall appear before the judges, to
determine whether he laid his hands on his neighbor’s property. For
every breach of trust, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for
clothing, or for any lost thing about which one says, ‘This is it,’ the
case of both parties shall come before the judges; he whom the judges
condemn shall pay double to his neighbor” (Exod. 22:1-9).
It is interesting to note that restitution varies in
this text, according to several factors. First, restitution varies,
depending on whether of not the stolen animal is recovered. Second,
restitution varies according to the value of the animal, especially with
regard to the productivity of the beast. I believe that the oxen was
more valuable than the sheep because it was the “John Deer,” the farm
tractor of that day. If a man’s ox was stolen, the fields could not be
plowed, the wagon pulled, or the grain threshed. Thus, a stolen (and not
recovered) ox was to be paid for fivefold, while a sheep only fourfold.
In Leviticus chapter 6, we find that the sacrificial system provided a
means for the thief to repent, to make restitution, and to obtain
forgiveness. In the New Testament, Zaccheus demonstrated his repentance
by restoring what he had wrongly taken fourfold (cf. Luke 19:8-10).
Restitution reveals both the wisdom of God and the
failure of the present approach to criminal justice in America.
Restitution kept the offender out of prison, and kept him in society. It
also enabled him to make his offense right by repaying the victim of
the crime in a way that replaced the harm by the a positive benefit.
Thus, both the offender and the offended could live together, both with a
sense of justice and human dignity. Today, the victim receives little
or no compensation, the offender makes no restitution, and is forced to
live apart from society, at a price society is penalized to pay. For
these reasons I believe the efforts of Chuck Colson and Prison
Fellowship to reform the present criminal justice system have a great
deal of merit and are worthy of our support.
Restitution is a corrective, but not a cure for the
crime of stealing. The Bible clearly prescribes the cure, especially in
the New Testament. Crime would have the thief get ahead at the expense
of one’s neighbor. Justice would have one person gain while, at the same
time, the other party gained equally. Jesus Christ teaches that we
should be willing to sacrifice our own interests if that benefit our
neighbor:
“Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you” (Matt. 5:42).
“Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back” (Luke 6:30).
“And if you love those who love you, what credit is
that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do
good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even
sinners do the same thing. And if you lend to those from whom you expect
to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners,
in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do
good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be
great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to
ungrateful and evil men” (Luke 6:32-35).
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but
with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more
important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal
interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in
yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:3-5).
Christ calls for nothing less than what He Himself
exemplified, nothing less than a complete reversal of the attitudes and
actions of the thief.
Let him who steals steal no longer; but rather let
him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he
may have something to share with him who has need (Eph. 4:28).
The thief does not wish to work, but rather to live
off of others who work. The thief looks upon the needy as the
vulnerable, whose weaknesses he may very well use to his advantage, and
thus to prey upon them. The Christian must put away laziness and go to
work. The Christian views the needs of others as the opportunity to
manifest the love and grace of God to men, and thus reaches out to help,
giving of his own resources. Nothing more dramatically demonstrates the
radical change which conversion, faith in Christ, produces in the life
of a sinner than that change which should occur in the Christian who was
formerly a thief.
Let me very briefly summarize the thrust of this message:
- Stealing takes from others with no thought of giving in return.
- Justice demands that when one takes he must give something equal in return.
- Christianity teaches us to give freely, with no expectation of getting something in return.
May God enable all of us to give without expecting
to receive anything in return, rather than to take without expecting to
give anything in return.
54 This would seem to cover usury (loans made at excessive rates of interest), cf. Exod. 22:25-27; Lev. 25:35-38; Neh. 5:1-14; Hab. 2:6-11.
55 This seemingly passive
act of negligence could very quickly become more willful in the ancient
Near East, for one might have to swear to the fact that he did not find
the lost item (cf. Lev. 6:3).
56 I have not thought the matter through carefully, but it would seem that Romans 13:8
may apply here: “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.”
Some have said that this prohibits any borrowing. I doubt this. It seems
to me that the text teaches us that we must not have any unpaid
obligations. So long as we are repaying a loan according to our original
agreement, we have not left an obligation unmet. The only obligation we
should view as unmet is the obligation to love one another—a debt which
will never be paid in full.
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