Thou Shall Not Steal

Thou Shall Not Steal

Series: Exodus

Speaker: Chris Oswald

Sunday Morning

Date: 13th October 2024

Passage: Exodus 20:15

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Introduction:

What do we make of the relative agreement across cultures time and space on the 2nd tablet? That the world is built on universal moral laws that are as fixed and unbreakable as the physical laws.

The second table (commandments 5-10) is simply the codification of the nature of reality. This is the way the world works — there is no other sustainable way…

There are two types of laws: “stop sign” laws and “fire” laws, as explained by Dorothy Sayers. “Stop sign” laws are arbitrary rules created by humans for various purposes. Examples include traffic regulations, curfews, and minimum wage laws. These laws can be negotiated and changed with the agreement of relevant parties. Individuals may choose to disregard them if they disagree with them.

In contrast, “fire” laws are inherent laws of nature that are discovered rather than created. These laws, like gravity and inertia, cannot be altered by human intervention. Attempts to defy them will inevitably result in consequences. For example, touching fire will burn you, stepping off a roof will make you fall, and trying to stop a moving car with bare hands will be futile. These laws operate independently of human desires or opinions.

The 5th commandment — honor your father and mother that you may live long in the land — that promise is implicitly extended to all the commandments. For later God will command the parents to teach their children these laws. And if the children obey them, they will live long in the land.

Today we’re going to look at theft in three directions:

Stealing from Yourself Stealing from Others Stealing from God

I. Stealing from Yourself

Here’s a category I wouldn’t have thought of. Listen to the WLC:

The sins forbidden in the Eighth Commandment, besides the neglect of the duties required, are, theft, robbery, man-stealing, and receiving anything that is stolen; fraudulent dealing, false weights and measures, removing land marks, injustice and unfaithfulness in contracts between man and man, or in matters of trust; oppression, extortion, usury, bribery, vexatious lawsuits, unjust enclosures and depopulations; engrossing commodities to enhance the price; unlawful callings, and all other unjust or sinful ways of taking or withholding from our neighbor: What belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves; covetousness; inordinate prizing and affecting worldly goods; distrustful and distracting cares and studies in getting, keeping, and using them; envying at the prosperity of others; as likewise idleness, prodigality, wasteful gaming; and all other ways whereby we do unduly prejudice our own outward estate, and defrauding ourselves of the due use and comfort of that estate which God has given us.

I was surprised to find that in the older literature, stealing from oneself came up time and time again. How do we do that? The WLC lists various ways but for the most part, it all falls into the category of wastefulness.

Buying stuff you don’t need Not taking care of the stuff you already have.

“…we must render to every man his due. In substance, then, the commandment forbids us to long after other men's goods, and, accordingly, requires every man to exert himself honestly in preserving his own.” — Calvin

And the primary expression of wastefulness in the old world was laziness —