{"id":6721,"date":"2025-10-09T17:27:07","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T17:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/?p=6721"},"modified":"2025-10-16T21:05:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T21:05:11","slug":"episode-51-the-seventh-commandment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/2025\/10\/09\/episode-51-the-seventh-commandment\/","title":{"rendered":"Episode 51: The Seventh Commandment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-spotify wp-block-embed-spotify wp-embed-aspect-21-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Spotify Embed: Episode 51: The Seventh Commandment\" style=\"border-radius: 12px\" width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/episode\/3I8h98NvuL9bCXomPpsmke?si=9770a12a6ace4e41&#038;utm_source=oembed\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/2025\/10\/01\/episode-50-the-sixth-commandment\/\">The Sixth Commandment<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/2025\/10\/16\/episode-52-the-eighth-commandment\/\">Next Episode<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Seventh Commandment: <\/strong>You shall not steal. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor\u2019s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bible Passages: <\/strong>Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Seventh Commandment seeks to protect property.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cAfter the commandment about you personally and your spouse, next comes the commandment about temporal property.\u201d LC 1:223<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What does it mean to steal? Stealing means to take what doesn&#8217;t belong to you without permission, secretly or by force.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cTo steal is nothing else than to get possession of another\u2019s property wrongfully. \u2026 this includes all kinds of advantage in all sorts of trade to the disadvantage of our neighbor.\u201d LC 1:224<br><br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stealing doesn&#8217;t only mean mugging someone at gun point or sneaking into a house at night. Stealing includes taking something by show of right or in any dishonest way.<ul><li>&#8220;You shall do no wrong in judgment, in measures of length or weight or quantity.&#8221; Lev. 19:35<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u201cSo if all thieves who did not want to be known as thieves were to be hanged on gallows, the world would soon be devastated. There would be a lack both of executioners and gallows.\u201d LC 1:224.<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Laziness or any dishonest work is also a sin. \u201cIn whatever way this can be done purposely\u2026 you can in a year steal thirty or forty florins. If another servant had taken that much money secretly or carried it away, he would be hanged with the rope.\u201d LC 1:225<ul><li>&#8220;If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.&#8221; 2 Thess. 3:10<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u201cAll these are far worse than burglars, whom we can guard against with locks and bolts and, if caught, can be treated in such a way that they will not commit the crime again. But against unfaithful workers no one can guard.\u201d LC 1:226<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u201cSome are called swivel-chair robbers, land and highway robbers, not picklocks and burglars. \u2026 They rob and steal in a way assumed to be good.\u201d LC 1:229<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cThis is, in short, the way of the world: Whoever can steal and rob openly goes free and secure, unmolested by anyone, and even demands that he be honored. Meanwhile, the little burglars, who have once trespassed, must bear the shame and punishment to make the former thieves appear godly and honorable. But let such open thieves know that in God\u2019s sight they are the greatest thieves. He will punish them as they are worthy and deserve.\u201d LC 1:231<br><br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You are <em>not <\/em>to steal from your neighbor or get things from him in a dishonest way. What <em>are <\/em>you supposed to do for him? Philippians 2:4 (above)<ul><li>&#8220;Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.&#8221; Ephesians 4:28<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>&#8220;If anyone has the world&#8217;s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God&#8217;s love abide in him?&#8221; 1 John 3:17<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u201cLet everyone know his duty, at the risk of God\u2019s displeasure: he must do no harm to his neighbor nor deprive him of profit nor commit any act of unfaithfulness or hatred in any bargain or trade. But he must also faithfully preserve his property for him, secure and promote his advantage. LC 1:233<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Briefly, in summary\u2026 this is what is forbidden: (a) To do our neighbor any injury or wrong (in any conceivable manner, by impeding, hindering, and withholding his possessions and property), or even to consent or allow such injury. Instead, we should interfere and prevent it. (b) It is commanded that we advance and improve his possessions. When they suffer lack, we should help, share, and lend both to friends and foes [Matthew 5:42]. &nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>God instituted government to deal with thieves.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cBut to check such open greediness there is need for the princes and government. They themselves should take note and have the courage to establish and maintain order in all kinds of trade and commerce. They must do this lest the poor be burdened and oppressed and the leaders themselves be burdened with other people\u2019s sins.\u201d LC 1:249<br><br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, if one escapes the human authorities, God will take care of him.<ul><li>Those who escape punishment from authorities will not escape God\u2019s wrath (Gal. 6:7-8; 1 Thess. 5:3).<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u201cYou will find that where you have cheated or done injury at the value of one mite, you will have to pay thirty again.\u201d LC 1:236<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>Luke 12:16-21: <strong><sup>16&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong>And he told them a parable, saying,&nbsp;\u201cThe land of a rich man produced plentifully,&nbsp;<strong><sup>17&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong>and he thought to himself,&nbsp;\u2018What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?\u2019&nbsp;<strong><sup>18&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong>And he said, \u2018I will do this: I will tear down my&nbsp;barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.&nbsp;<strong><sup>19&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong>And I will say to my soul, \u201cSoul, you have ample goods laid up&nbsp;for many years; relax,&nbsp;eat, drink, be merry.\u201d\u2019&nbsp;<strong><sup>20&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong>But God said to him,&nbsp;\u2018Fool!&nbsp;This night&nbsp;your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared,&nbsp;whose will they be?\u2019&nbsp;<strong><sup>21&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong>So is the one&nbsp;who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.\u201d<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>James 5:1-3: Come now,&nbsp;you rich, weep and howl for the&nbsp;miseries that are coming upon you.&nbsp;<strong><sup>2&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong>Your riches have rotted and&nbsp;your garments are moth-eaten.&nbsp;<strong><sup>3&nbsp;<\/sup><\/strong>Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire.&nbsp;You have laid up treasure&nbsp;in the last days.<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u201cIn short, if you steal much, you can expect that much will be stolen from you. \u2026 For God is master of this art. \u2026 God punishes one thief by means of another.\u201d LC 1:245<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u201cFor we know that the godly shall nevertheless have enough [Psalm 37:25]. But you injure yourself more than another.\u201d LC 1:246<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cSince he can complain to no one else, he will cry and call to heaven [Psalm 20:6; 146:8-9].\u201d LC 1:247<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How does this commandment teach you to love your neighbor?<ul><li>&#8220;So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.&#8221; Matthew 7:12<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u201cWhoever now seeks and desires good works will find here more than enough to do that are heartily acceptable and pleasing to God.\u201d LC 1:252<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It teaches you to protect your neighbor&#8217;s possessions as if they were your own.<br><br><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How does this commandment teach you to love and trust in God?<ul><li>&#8220;Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?&#8221; Matthew 6:26<\/li><\/ul><ul><li>\u201cProverbs 19:17, \u2018Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his deed.\u2019 Here, then, you have a rich Lord. He is certainly enough for you. He will not allow you to come up short in anything or to lack [Psalm 37:25]. LC 1:253<\/li><\/ul>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When you steal you show a distrust in God, that he will provide you with all that you need.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How does this commandment hint at the Gospel?\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Breaking the 7<sup>th<\/sup> commandment means to distrust that God will care for your temporal needs. In Matthew 6, Jesus assures us that God will take care of our temporal needs, so that we can seek first His kingdom and righteousness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Luther\u2019s Hymn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou shall not steal or take away<br>What others work for night and day,<br>But open wide a gen\u2019rous hand<br>And help the poor in the land.\u201d<br>Have mercy, Lord!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor\u2019s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income. Bible Passages: Philippians 2:4 Let each of you&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/2025\/10\/09\/episode-51-the-seventh-commandment\/\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6721","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6721","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6721"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6721\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6741,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6721\/revisions\/6741"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6721"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christforus.org\/NewSite\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}