Theft

Biblical Church Worship: A Study of the Ten Commandments 
Exodus 20:15

The Eighth Commandment: You Shall Not Steal
Reading: Matthew 21:12, 13; Ephesians 4:28

You Shall Not Steal
God’s command forbidding theft stands as a pillar which upholds human relationships. This is because honesty and fidelity build trust, a foundational requirement for relating well to another. Without trust, societies, whether they are a large nation or a small household, cannot thrive.
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Honesty is a universal value within every human heart. By this, I mean that no correct thinking individual desires to be deceived or robbed. Theft removes security. And a study of people quickly reveals that most people love security.

Theft comes in many forms. At its core, stealing is the taking that which does not rightfully belong to the taker. Such ill gotten possession requires defrauding or deceiving the rightful owner of whatever is being taken. The Bible lists such acts as borrowing without returning, business deception, and withholding what is due as thievery (Psalm 37:21; Deuteronomy 25:13-16; Leviticus 19:13). There are also less obvious forms of theft. Bribery steals justice (Micah 7:3). Tax fraud steals from civil authority, which is designed by God to serve the public (Mark 12:14-17). Murder steals God’s gift of life from another (Genesis 4:8). Kidnapping is the theft of a human being (Exodus 20:6; I Timothy 1:8). Adultery and fornication steal trust, relationship, and innocence (II Samuel 12:1-9; I Thessalonians 4:3-6). In each case, robbery damages people.
It is even possible to rob God Almighty. He is robbed when we deny Him that which is rightfully His, such as proper worship (Malachi 3:8). Unbelievers rob the Lord of their own heart, a possession of God alone.

Implication
Theft and worship cannot coexist. Since stealing is condemned by God, those who wish to worship the Lord in truth and spirit must put away all deception. The unbeliever should give back his or her own life to the Creator of life. They do so by relying upon Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sin. Believers must not withhold worship of God, which is expressed through obedience to Christ. Believers must never take what is not rightfully their own possession. They must pay their bills and give what they owe to whom it is owed.

Questions to Ask Yourself
1. What am I withholding that God demands?
2. What am I taking that is not lawfully mine to have?