The Eighth Commandment: Do Not Steal

1. Stealing Is More Than Taking

• “Do not steal” — Exodus 20:15

• Hebrew: ganab — to steal secretly, craftily, or by stealth

• The commandment addresses more than obvious theft.

• It also confronts subtle ways of taking or withholding what is not ours.

• Jesus and the Temple — Matthew 21:12–13: the merchants and money changers exploited people for personal gain.

2. Stealing Is a Failure to Love My Neighbour

• Romans 13:9–10 — Love your neighbour as yourself.

• Love does no wrong to a neighbour.

• Stealing ultimately disregards the person affected by our actions.

• Examples: plagiarism; taking credit for someone else’s work; keeping something we borrowed; hoarding what we do

not need; taking advantage of someone; withholding a blessing.

• Jen Wilkin: Stealing says, “My kingdom come, my will be done.”

• Question: Am I looking to love and bless others—or am I primarily looking out for myself?

3. We Are Stewards, Not Owners

• Psalm 24:1 — “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it.”

• Everything we have ultimately belongs to God.

• God entrusts resources, possessions, abilities, and opportunities to us.

• Matthew 25 — Parable of the Talents: one day we will give an account to the Owner for how we used what He

entrusted to us.

• Giving our tithes and offerings recognizes God’s ownership.

• Question: How faithfully am I stewarding what God has entrusted to me?

4. The Commandment Calls Us to Trust God

• When we steal, we are ultimately saying: “God is not enough,” “God cannot be trusted to provide,” and “I have to take

matters into my own hands.”

• Faith says: God will provide. God is my sustainer. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. God will supply all my

needs.

• Question: Can I trust God to provide for me and my family, or do I feel the need to take matters into my own hands?

5. From Taking to Giving

• Ephesians 4:28 — “Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has

something to share with anyone in need.”

• The gospel does not simply transform a thief into someone who does not steal.

• It transforms a person who takes into a person who gives.

• From taking - giving; greed - generosity; self-preservation - blessing others; “What can I get?” - “How can I

give?”

• Klaus Bockmuehl: the transformation is from parasite to provider.

6. Become Like Jesus

• God is the ultimate example of generosity.

• John 10:11 — “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

• God did not withhold His Son from us. Jesus willingly gave His life for sinners.

• The Gospel: We do not begin with what we can give to God. We begin with what God has already given to us.

• Romans 8:31–32 — If God is for us, who can be against us? He did not spare His own Son; therefore, we can trust

Him with everything else.

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The Movement of the Commandment

• Stealing - Selfishness - Mistrust - Taking

• The gospel reverses the direction:

• Trust - Stewardship - Generosity - Giving

• Ultimate question: Do I trust God enough to stop grasping and start giving?

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Reflection

• Take a moment of silence and allow the Holy Spirit to speak.

• Where am I mistrusting God?

• What am I withholding?

• Where have I been taking instead of giving?

• Where is God inviting me to choose generosity?

• What do I need to surrender and entrust to Him?

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