Humanly speaking, one would not have thought that this prohibition against stealing should be part of the Decalogue alongside offences which are far more serious, such as offences against life, marriage and truth. After all, stealing is manifestly wrong, even to those who are outside the faith. Alec Motyer suggests that the Decalogue does not go in for a ‘league table’ of sins, much like the Seven Deadly Sins that the church as early as the third century had enunciated, which are pride, envy, anger, sloth, avarice (greed), gluttony and lust. Yet, God knows better, that is, He knows our hearts better!

The Meaning
Rabbinic tradition and some modern scholars suggest that what the eighth commandment prohibits is kidnapping since the previous two commandments carries “capital” offences and the Mosaic law lays down death penalty for kidnappers (Deut 24:7). However, most scholars are of the view that the command is much broader and should not be limited to stealing of people.

Rob Schenck explains that the Hebrew word, “Ganaf – stealing – covers all conventional types of theft: burglary (breaking into a home or building to commit theft); robbery (taking property directly from another using violence or intimidation): larceny (taking something without permission and not returning it); hijacking (using force to take goods in transit or seizing control of a bus, truck, plane, etc.); and pick pocketing and purse-snatching. The term ganaf also covers a wide range of exotic and complex thefts … (such as) embezzlement (the fraudulent taking of money or other goods entrusted to one’s care). There is extortion (getting money from someone by means of threats or misuses of authority), and racketeering (obtaining money by illegal means).”

Love to our neighbour requires that we hold sacred not only the life of a person (“You shall not murder”) and his marriage (“You shall not commit adultery”) but also his property and what is due to him or her. Implicit in this commandment is the demand to respect private property, for it is an offence to take what is not rightfully one’s own. This is the matter of personal integrity. Personal integrity demands honesty, complete freedom from any form of cheating, stealing, or taking advantage of others.

Ways Of Stealing
The means of thieving comes in many forms and shapes. I remember to my shame, when I was younger, that I had stolen small amounts of money when I took care of my brother’s provision shop. Then it got bigger until one day I was caught redhanded by my own brother! But then later I thought, I worked for him and he did not pay me a cent! How we can justify our own misdeeds!

Failure to return things that we have borrowed from others is a form of theft. The Mosaic law considers it wrong when things or property which have been entrusted are not protected or are stolen by deception or negligence, or when someone pretends that a stolen or lost article belongs to him (Lev 6:1-4). It was reported not long ago that an elderly lady in UK decided to deposit her money which she had been keeping at home. However, on the way to the bank, she forgot to take out her bag which she had left in a taxi, loaded with cash! The money had not been returned to her. That is theft too.

We break this commandment when we under-declare our income for tax purposes. In the words of our Lord, we are to give to Caesar what is due to him (Luke 20:20-25). We steal when we make false and exaggerated claims from insurance companies or from employers. Employees steal from employers when they misuse their office hours to do their own personal things or when they spend their time surfing the net, or play with computer games. Theft, therefore, is not limited to mere material things but extends also to services and other areas such as intellectual property and plagiarism. Copyrights must be respected and illegal copying of books, CDs, VCDs or DVDs are forms of cheating.

Failure to return debts which are owed is a form of stealing. “Owe nothing to anyone,” Paul wrote in Rom 13:8, “except your obligation to love one another.” This verse does not mean that we cannot take loans from banks, but certainly integrity requires that we are honest in all our payments. Some may declare bankruptcy, and while this is legally possible, it can be misused and morally wrong.

Employers cheat when they withhold wages that is due to their employees (Lev 19:13) or when they take advantage of their employees and under pay them for their services. James has some harsh words against those who fail to pay their workers (Jas 5:1-4). Again, it is theft when businessmen fail to give value for money. Dishonest scales and measurement are abhorred by God (Lev 19:35f; Pro 20:23). Overcharging interests such as those involved as loan sharks or certain credit companies are guilty of breaking this command. Mosaic law requires that no interest is charged when a loan is given to fellow Israelites “so that your God may bless you in everything you do” (Deut 24:19-20). Compassion for those in need will rule the heart that fears God, and God will remember them.

Corruption at the highest level whether in the government or companies involves cheating the masses for their own personal benefit. They give false figures to deceive people. The lack of transparency on government spending (which is public money) is a major cause of concern in our country. People have to pay more for goods and services as a result. In our country, toll charges appear to be well above the justifiable amount. It is a well-accepted fact that greed, dishonesty and fraud lay at the root of the current global and national economic crisis. Hugh funds amounting to billions of dollars were misreported, misused or siphoned off for personal interests. As a result, thousands lost their savings. Many more are laid off their work. Once again, it is the ordinary people who suffer.

John Calvin said, “It follows, therefore, that not only are those thieves who secretly steal the property of others, but those also who seek gain from the loss of others, accumulate wealth by unlawful practices and are most devoted to their private advantage than to equity”. Stealing is far more common than acknowledged. Martin Luther remarked, “If we look at mankind in all its conditions, it is nothing but a vast, wide stable full of great thieves.”

Stewardship
Philip Graham Ryken notes further that, “By saying, ‘You shall not steal,’ God indicated that people have a right to own their private property. Otherwise, the whole concept of stealing would fail to make sense. Only something that belongs to someone can be stolen from him….This brings us to the positive side of the eighth commandment. What the Bible means by ownership is not possessing things to use for our own purposes, but receiving things from God to use for his glory. So at the same time that we are forbidden to take things that don’t belong to us, we are required to use what we have in ways that are pleasing to our God. To put it simply, the eighth commandment isn’t just about stealing; it is also about stewardship.”

J.I. Packer expands on this, “Behind the commandment lies the Bible’s view of property; namely, that ownership is stewardship. By human law, my property is that which I own and may dispose of as I wish, as distinct from that which I am merely allowed to use as borrower or trustee, under conditions which the owner imposes. Bible-believers, however, know that what human law says I own – my money, goods, legal rights and titles – I actually hold as God’s trustee. In the terms of Jesus’ parable, these things are talents, lent me by my Lord on a temporary basis to use for him. One day I shall be asked to give account of how I managed those of his resources which I was given control.”

Stewardship means that we are to work hard for our own living. Laziness is sinful because we are laying to waste God’s given resources which are to be used creatively for the benefit of others. But beyond honest labour and providing for our own, the scriptures urges us to work in order that we may share with others who are in need, particularly with those in the household of faith (Gal 6:10), but also to a wider, hurting world (see Eph 4:26).

We are stewards when we gladly give of our tithes (Mal 3:8-10), our time and our service to God. A spirit of generosity is a mark of those who have been touched by the grace of God, aware of the sheer generosity of God who has given the indescribable gift of His very own Son. But giving is also a sign that money does not possess its damning power over us. As Kent Hughes has said, “Every time I give, I declare that money does not control me. Perpetual generosity is a perpetual de-deification of money.” The consequence of such generosity will last forever. As A.W. Tozer once said, “Any temporal possession can be turned into everlasting wealth. Whatever is given to Christ is immediately touched with immortality.” Jesus has commanded us to lay treasures in heaven (Matt 6:19-21), and giving to the poor and needy and for the furtherance of His kingdom is an amazing means of converting our temporal currency to eternal ones (Matt 6:33; Mk 10:21)!

Contentment
The eighth commandment further bears out the truth about being contented with whatever that God has provided for us. The tenth commandment strengthens this thought further. For many, contentment is foolishness because the aspiration to get rich is so entrenched in our world’s economic system. But surely if there is one thing the global economic crisis ought to teach us, it is that greed and discontentment does not pay. The system will just collapse, and billions of dollars can take its wings and disappear (Pro 23:5)! Better still to take hold of opportunities and invest in the eternal.

Contrary to common perception, contentment is not a dull, insipid spirit that kills all adventure. Rightly understood, it drives a person to live in robust spirit knowing the goal of one’s life is to glorify God through all that one has, thus enabling him to make godly choices (so the prayer in Pro 30:8-9). John Wesley understood that in his time, giving all he had for the gospel’s sake while keeping only to his basic needs. Robertson McQuilkin rephrases his famous words in this context of stewardship, “Earn all you can (with integrity), save all you can (toward meeting known future obligations), give all you can (in sacrificial love and faith in the God who provides).”


Rev Mark Chua is the Associate Pastor of KL Chinese Methodist (Hokkien) Church and KL Methodist Vineyard.