Adrian Rogers: 8th Commandment – You Shall Not Steal

Exodus 20:15 reveals the eighth commandment: ”You shall not steal.” In this message, Adrian Rogers reveals three principles to teach our children about honest living.

Let him that stole steal no more.
But rather, let him labor working with his hands, the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that need of.
Now, did you listen to In that verse, there are three things that every parent ought to try to emblazon into the heart of his or her child to etch there into his or her consciousness.
3 grand principles. The first one is integrity.
Let him that stole steal no more.
The second principle is industry, but rather let him labor.
Working with his hand the things that is good.
And the 3rd is generosity that he may have to give to him that need him.
Now all of these, according to the new testament, are wrapped up in this, uh, this commandment that says thou shall not steal.
Profound truth simply stated. This is love worth finding with pastor, teacher, and author, Adrian Rogers.
I’ll be finding the book of Exodus chapter 20.
Our verse for today is verse 15.
And, uh, you don’t have to have a doctorate to understand it It can’t be much plainer.
Val, shout, not steel.
The reverse that is needed, the this one is we’re talking about a perfect tin for homes that win, and this is one of god’s great laws for living, rules for righteousness, and, uh, encouragements to have the kind of homes that will win.
You know, America has just forgotten the basic rules of honesty.
I read about a market in California It was a little boy standing there in front of the fruit stand.
There were grapes there. He was putting those grapes, cramming those grapes in his mouth as fast as he could.
There wasn’t an adult anywhere. A clerk was standing by absolutely hopeless, a helpless, not knowing what to do, and this little fells just cramming the grapes in his mouth.
After a while, his mother appeared, and she saw what was happening.
She said Johnny not so fast.
This is, uh, the kind of a situation that we we live in.
We seem to have forgotten the basic rules of honesty. Well, I wanna be very pertinent in this message.
And tell you this message tells us that anytime we take anything that belongs to someone else or that we keep from someone, the thing that we owe to them, we have transgressed this command.
Now it might be time, It might be money. It might be affection. It might be possessions.
It may be courtesy or appreciation or love or anything else.
If we defraud somebody else, we have taken that, which does not belong to us, and we are guilty of stealing.
And many synonyms to extort the burglarize, to defraud, to filch, to cheat, to misappropriate, to rob, to swindle, to swipe, to embezzle.
Now how do we teach our children? What this commandment means?
You remember that god gave this commandment to the children of Israel And then he said that fathers are to teach these things to their sons and to the grandsons.
Well, there’s a verse in the new testament that I’d like for you to put in your margin, and it is Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 28.
And in my estimation, this one verse is the perfect explanation and amplification of the old testament verse that says thou shall not steal.
Again, Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 28. Listen to it. Let him that stole steal no more.
But rather let him labor working with his hands, the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that neither.
Now did you listen to it? Let me read it again. This is a dynamite verse.
Let him that stole steal no more.
But rather let him labor, working with his hands, the thing that is good that he may have to give to him that needed.
In that verse, there are three things that every parent ought try to emblazon into the heart of his or her child to etch there into his or her consciousness.
3 grand principles. The first one is integrity.
Let him that stole steal no more.
The second principle is industry, but rather let him labor working with his hands, the things that is good.
And the third is generosity that he may have to give to him that needed.
Now all of these, according to the new testament, are wrapped up in this, uh, this commandment that says thou shall not steal.
Integrity, Industry, and generosity.
Those are three characteristics that all of us ought to say, dear god, help me to teach these things to our children and help me and help us that we might practice these things before our children.
Now let’s talk a little bit about the demands of integrity, the first of those three items.
Uh, you know, there are many ways that you can live without integrity. Of course, there’s direct stealing.
You know what the kids call shoplifting?
A five finger discount where they just go in and fix that.
It is amazing how much is stolen by sheer shoplifting.
Well, it may be, you know, just shoplifting armed robbery, burglary, Our city is plagued with this.
Stealing at the workplace is epidemic.
Did you know, according to the research that I did that the American economy loses 40 $1,000,000,000 a year from stealing on the workplace.
That’s, uh, simply embezzlement or pilfering from the workplace. And so That’s that’s one kind of stealing.
Just, uh, direct stealing, whether it be, uh, shoplifting or whether it be burglary or robbery or pilfering on the job or embezzlement.
All of these things will receive a sure judgment of almighty god, but there’s another form of stealing.
And that’s fraud, what we call white collar crime.
You know, for years, the beech nut people, uh, soul baby foods.
And, uh, mothers said, well, when you think of beaching up, you know, we we just, We give our little children.
I know we’ve raised ours. These little jars of baby food, and we thought, well, that’s that’s purity and that’s, uh, health and all of that.
Then one day, the authorities discovered that they had been selling apple juice And they sold it for 10 years.
And on the label, it said 100% fruit juice. No sugar added.
And when they analyzed it, they found out it was little more than chemicals and dye and water, sort of a chemical cocktail.
And so they were they were told you can’t you can’t sell this on the mark.
You can’t advertise this and let mothers think they’re giving their babies apple juice.
When you’re giving them this chemical concoction. So what did they do with it?
I’ll tell you what they did with it.
They loaded up 9 tractor trailers with the stuff And within days, it was being sold in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and the Virgin Islands.
Bible says thou shall not steal I read about a motel. You walk into that motel.
It says the rooms are $80. Cash rebate $20. Now think about that.
Doesn’t say the rooms are $60. It says the rooms are $80. Cash rebate, $20.
So if you’re a salesman, you go in there and they give you a receipt for an $80 Room, you turned that into your employer and said, I rented a room for $80.
You put $20 in your pocket. Now this this is going on all over the land.
It is a form of stealing. Halfhearted work is stealing.
You work for an employer and don’t give him an honest days labor. You’ve stolen from him.
Colossians 3 verse 22. Servance obey an all things or masters according to the flesh, not with eye service as men pleasers, but as singleness, but in singleness of heart, fearing god.
Now if if you don’t fear god enough to give an honest day’s work, you have broken the commandment that says thou shall not steal.
I heard about a man who applied for a job, and he asked the prospective employer, said, what will you pay me?
He said, well, I’ll pay you what you’re worth. He said, oh, no. No. No. Nothing doing.
He said, I just quit a job making more than that.
And There are a lot of people who are being paid more than they’re worth.
And and if you’re an employer, and you don’t pay a man what he’s worth, you have stolen from that man.
Listen to these scriptures. Those of you who have business Colashians 4 verse 1. Masters.
Give under your servants that which is just and equal.
Knowing that she also have a master in heaven.
That input that that also speaks to the domestic work in your house.
That made, or those people who work in your yard, do you pay them what is just and equal?
I mean, if you were in their place, would you expect to be paid more than you pay those people.
James chapter 5 in verse 4 says behold.
The hire of the laborers who have wreaked down your fields, which is of you kept backed by fraud, cry and the cries of them which have reaped or entered into the ears of the lord of Saboa.
That means that god sees when you don’t pay what you ought to pay.
And god sees when you don’t earn what you get paid for.
Some who are sitting in this building today have no idea that you’ve broken the commandment that says thou shall not steal.
You just think of yourself as a shrewd business man. Now tax avoidance is one thing.
Tax evasion is something else. Having insurance is one thing. Insurance insurance manipulation is something else.
High finance and sharp dealing. Jesus warned about the pharisees which devoured widows houses.
They saw an opportunity to take advantage of unsuspecting widows whose husbands had died, and the the woman did not know how to protect herself.
And so the Bible says in a back at 2 verse 6, woe unto him that increases that which is not his.
Withholding love and devotion breaks this command.
Did you know the Bible commands husbands and wives not to defraud the other in the matter of will love that if you withhold from your husband or from your wife, uh, physical, sexual, love, and endearment that you defraud them.
Why, if you withhold from your neighbor, love You defraud your neighbor.
The Bible says in Romans chapter 13 verse 8, oh, no man anything, but to love one another.
We owe that love. Some have defrauded their parents of honor.
Some parents have defrauded their children of guidance and love and instruction.
God’s word says thou shall not steal.
Do you know the worst thievery is to steal from god?
And so many are stealing from god. You say, how? Am I stealing from god?
Well, I wanna ask you a question. Have you given him your life?
You belong to him, you know? I mean, you’re not your own.
You are bought with a price. Isn’t that what the Bible says? You’re his by creation.
He made you. You’re his by redemption. He died for you. You’re not your own.
You’re bought with a price. Therefore, glorify god in your body and in your spirit which are god’s.
And when you live your life for self and self alone, as if Jesus Christ never lived and Jesus Christ never died, you, my friend, are a thief.
We need to teach this to our children.
We need to teach our children integrity line upon line precept upon precept.
But here’s the second thing we need to teach them.
Not only do we need to teach them integrity, We need to teach them industry.
Now remember what our verse said, let him that stole steal no more, but rather rather Let him labor.
Working with his hands, the thing which is good Work is not bad.
Work is good. Work is not a curse. Work is a blessing.
You know what is wrong with this generation?
Our young people do not know, by and large, the duties of honest work and labor.
Now the Bible is very clear about the necessity of work.
The Bible says in 2nd thessalonians chapter 3 in verse 10, If any would not work, neither should he eat?
The ancient Jews They understood the meaning of this commandment, thou shall not steal.
And they also understood the commandment that says, 6 days, shalt thou labor was just as well was just as true as the one that says on 7th day with arrests.
God commands labor. He says 6 days shout thy labor.
They saw labor and work as a divine imperative.
And the old rabbis used to say this, he who does not teach his son a trade teaches him to steal.
We have boys and girls who are going to college today and graduate with college and still don’t know how to make a living.
The rabbis again saw work as a gift from god.
And the prophets did also at Clelesiastes chapter 5 verses 1819. Listen to it.
Behold that which I’ve scene. It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he takeeth under the sun all the days of his life, which god giveth him for it is his portion.
What? That god gives him work and then the fruit of his work.
Every man also to whom god hath given riches and wealth and hath given him power to eat thereof and to take his portion and to rejoice in his labor.
This is the gift of god. Labor is the gift of god. Work is not a curse.
6 days, shout out labor. Now look at this verse. Ephesians 4 verse 28.
Number 1, it says let him that stole steal no more. That is integrity.
But rather let him labor. That is industry.
Now here’s the third thing that he may have to give to him that needeth.
The opposite of stealing is not not stealing, but it is giving. It is giving.
And for every negative, there’s a positive. And we need to teach our children generosity.
We need to teach them charity.
We need to teach our children to work not only to meet their greed, but to meet others needs.
Let me give you a verse for your margin. Acts chapter 20 verses 33 in the following.
Here’s what the apostle Paul had to say.
He said I have coveted no man silver or gold or apparel.
And we’re gonna talk about that next week coveting. Yay.
Yee yourselves know that these hands have ministered under my necessities. And to them that were with me.
He said I had my needs met because I worked.
And then he said I was able to meet the necessities of them that with were with me.
And now listen to this. I have showed you all things how that’s so laboring.
You ought to support the week and remember the words of the lord Jesus, how he said it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Laboring that we might have to meet our needs and laboring that we might give to others.
It’s a sin and a shame before god that we’re expecting the government to take care of our loved ones and our parents and our children when we ourselves ought to do it.
And if we would do it with industry, we would have to give to ourselves and to give to others.
This kind of living freeze us from selfishness and little children who are learned to be selfish are going to be miserable children.
Misery comes from mirrors Joy comes from windows when we are beginning to pour out and give to others.
I want everybody in this building.
They do a little experiment with me, if you will, not ashamed to make you feel a little childish, but take your fist and squeeze it as tightly as you can for just a moment.
Everybody, if you will, just take it and squeeze it just as tight and hold it there. Squeeze it.
Keep it there. Hold it. Don’t let go. Just squeeze it. Keep squeezing. Hold it. Don’t let go.
Don’t let up. Just squeeze it. Hold it. Uh, don’t relax. Hold it there. Squeeze it. Go ahead.
Now relax it. Don’t I feel a lot better?
I feel a lot better. This way so many are living. That’s mine.
They go through life that way. That’s the way they go through life.
Let him that stole steel no more, but rather let him labor working with his hands and things that is good that he may have to give.
Life is made up of takers and givers. Teach the children to give.
And and and there’s so much they can give.
Give them understanding, and they’ll give you understanding.
People today want somebody to understand and to care. It’s an amazing thing.
Give acceptance. Give forgiveness to your children. Don’t let the bitterness poison you and them. Give love.
Love means I I I’ll do you good no matter what you do to me.
Teach the children to give John Wesley, founder of Methodism, great man of god said this in one sentence, Make all you can, save all you can, and give all you can.
Teach children, integrity, teach children industry, teach children charity, generosity, teach your children to clean up the neighbor’s yard, Go over and help a a way to carry the groceries home, teach them, uh, to bring their own money to church.
Give them give them their allowance.
But let them take out of their allowance, a gift, and and it may be a nickel of dime, a quarter, whatever it is, but let the children have the joy are bringing their money to church.
Let the children participate in mission projects.
Teach the children how to give to their brothers and sisters teach them how to give, train them in giving.
You do it by precept. You do it by example. Do it consistently.
I wish I had more time, but Talk to you about this, but I don’t.
Time is gone. But now listen to me. Listen carefully.
The Bible says, thou shall not steal.
And I wanna remind you again, listen. Listen. Don’t even get your books. Just look at me.
Jesus on that cross. Port out his life’s blood for you.
He suffered blood and died for you. He bought you.
You belong to him. Are you saved?
If you steal from god, I will promise you as surely as my name is Adrian Rogers, that you’ll steal from yourself.
For your sins have withholding good things from you.
If I had a 1000 lives to live, I’d give every one of them to Jesus.
I am so glad that I knew Christ as my personal savior and lord.
I know all of the toys of this world that we cling to were soon gonna leave.
We used to say when I was a kid, finders keepers, losers weepers, binders keepers.
Uh-huh. Jesus says keepers, weepers. Losers finders. Lose my life.
Lose your life for my sake and the gospels. And you’ll find it.
Jesus said of the devil, the thief cometh, but to steal and to kill and to destroy.
I’ve come that you might have life and have it abundantly.
Satan is the biggest thief of all, and he wants to steal from you the abundant life that Jesus has for you.
Do you know what you ought to do if you’ve never done it?
Right now, you ought to just open your and say, lord Jesus.
I received the gift of salvation, and I give myself back to you.
Lord, I don’t wanna steal from you.
My very life belongs to you, and I give it to you right now.
And friend, you’ll understand that when you give to him, he gives back to you.
And what he gives to you is nothing compared to what you give to him or gave up for you.