Thou shall not steal.
"Thou shalt not commit adultery."{Exodus 20:14}
The concept is simple. The God Plan is easy to understand. One Man, One Woman, Come together, as one Flesh.
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." {Genesis 2:24}Marriage is now and has always been, one Man, and one Woman. Doesn't matter what we say about it. That IS God's plan of marriage. One Man and one Woman, for LIFE.
"My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge. For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.
Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins. He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray." {Proverbs 5:1-23}
Also ...
"My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee."But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul." When you find the one you love, your soul mate, the one you love more than anything else on Earth, they become, and are, part of you. You are one. To go out and give yourself to another, in the most intimate way, that should be reserved for only your Spouse, is not just playing some kind of game, it is the most hurtful and evil thing you can do to your other half. It's NOT just sex. It's not just fooling around. It is the deepest hurt you can possibly cause, to the one, you claim to love the most.
For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.
Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.
A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away. For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts."{Proverbs 6:20-35}
Is it just sex? How about if I told you, you do not even have to commit that actual act to be guilty of Adultery in God's eyes.
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.So what is Jesus saying here? Sin always starts in the heart, mind, then deeds. He is telling you that if you start looking at another, undressing them in your mind, or fantasizing about them, it's not harmless, normal, behavior. It is planting a seed to be harvested later. You have committed Adultery already.
It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery." {Matthew 5:27-33}
So what about Divorce? Is Divorce legal in the sight of God. Jesus tells us there is ONE reason, that Divorce would be recognized by God. Adultery. If you really want to get technical, there are three ways the obligation you have to another is nullified and is recognized in the Word.
Death. Obviously.
Fornication. Adultery.
And then you have this...
"But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.Now notice the first thing I want you to understand it THIS. "But to the rest speak I, not the Lord," Paul said this. Makes sense. I understand it. If you are the Child of God in your home, and even if your Spouse doesn't believe, you cover them. They become "Clean" because of you. But if they leave, Paul tells us we should let them go. So that they do not corrupt the whole house.
For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace." {1 Corinthians 7:12-15}
Accept what you will when it comes to Divorce. Jesus said, Adultery? No problem. Anything else is a Sin. Regardless of what man says. Or you can cling to what Paul says about a non-believer leaving. This is why The Word tells us we should never be "unequally yoked together with unbelievers." {2 Corinthians 6:14} Most of the time, it does not end well. However, if neither of you was Children of God when you Married, and now you accept Christ after, and they chose to reject Him, you as a new Creature, no longer guilty nor responsible for your old self. I get that. But I would not go out and find someone who is not of God and decide to Marry that person. You do so at your own Peril and God will require YOU follow His plan for Marriage, even if they do not wish to. Be careful.
Marriage, if done the right way, is a Blessing from God. The wrong way could become a nightmare. It is not to be taken lightly. Next, to Salvation, Marriage is the Holiest and honorable thing you can do. After forming the first Man, what was God's first gift to him? Woman. Marriage. Two in it as one. A lifelong Friend, helper, comforter, playmate, ETC. Why do you think Marriage is under such attack? Think about it.
What if I told you there is a THIRD way to commit Adultery?
Spiritual Adultery. These all, Idolatry, Covetousness, and Apostasy are spoken of as Spiritual Adultery. Some examples are Jeremiah 3:6, 8-9, Ezekiel. 16:32, Hosea 1:2-3, Revelation 2:22. An Apostate Church is an Adulteress according to Isaiah 1:21, Ezekiel 23:4, 7, 37, and the Jews are described as “an Adulterous Generation” in Matthew 12:39, and in Revelations 12.
Is God concerned about Adultery? I think so.
"Thou shalt not steal."{Exodus 20:15}
Do you? Do you steal? Are you sure? There are three primary ways to steal. One, outright. The taking of something that does not belong to you. Money, property, ETC. The second way to steal is Theft of Services. You take advantage of something that is provided for a cost, yet, you chose not to pay for it. The third is Destruction.
Outright.
It doesn't matter to God if you use the word "Borrow." If it is not your property, and it is not permitted for you to take it, you are stealing it. Even if your intention is to give it back. You are still stealing it. What about those pens you took home from work? What about that food you ate at the end of your shift at a Restaurant when it is company policy to dispose of it, not consume it? What about that ten dollars that you took from the one who has millions? In any of this, you are stealing. What does God say about it?
"If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double."{Exodus 22:1-4,5,6}Again, pretty cut and dry here. If you steal something outright, you are violating this Commandment. You are a Thief. You are guilty under the Law.
Theft of Services.
"If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution."Ever "Dine and Dash?" Ever take a taxi, and not pay for it? Ever get "Free" Cable? Use someone else's phone or the Internet, without their permission? You are guilty of this Commandment. You are a Thief. You are guilty under the Law.
Destruction
"If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution."It really does not matter why. Say you are jealous? Say you do not feel that someone who has something should have it. You decide to destroy what they have. You are a Thief. You are guilty under the law.
"Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning." {Leviticus 19:11-13}There are many ways to Steal. If you agree to buy something from someone, and you know that the cost of it is low, yet you tell them the cost is great, just to make a profit, you are a Thief. If you are in charge of protecting someone else's property, and you allow it to be stolen, God calls you a Theft. You are guilty under the Law.
There is one more way you can be considered a Thief in the eyes of the Lord. This one has been so convoluted, so twisted, that whenever someone discusses this, people turn off. They get imagines of a Preacher with a Mic in one hand, and the other outstretched hand, seeking money. But the Word tells us, that if you do NOT Tithe, you ARE guilty of being a Thief. You are stealing from God Himself.
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.It is extremely rare, that a Millionaire does nothing but serve the Lord. Most of the time, it is average, everyday folks that are called to serve. A Church should be concerned with Teaching, of course, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, ETC. In order to do that, they need money.
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." {Malachi 3:8-10}
You want to know if God is serious about this?
"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet."Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." You see, he sold it for a certain amount. All he would have had to do was say, here is my Tithe, which IS ten percent, and here is my Offering, which is anything more. He lied. He said we sold it for this much. His Wife did the same. By doing so, they lied and stole from God.
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband." {Acts 5:1-10}
You may or may not believe me. I have no way to prove it to you. However, the Laws of Tithing and Giving works. That ninety percent will go far further than that one hundred percent ever will. When I was first saved, I was a Security Guard working at a local Mall. I starting obeying this Law and started giving as much as I could. When I walked away, as I talked about in MY Story, I was a Hotel Manager.
The more I gave, the more I received. As Malachi said "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it." It really does work.
When I walked away, my excess became negative. Fast. Now, these things do not happen overnight. Try it. God will see where your heart is, and He WILL bless you. It really does work.
Now I do want to caution you of this as well. Pray for your Tithes and Offerings. Ask God what HE wants you to do. If you are in a dead church, or a church that is misusing the Tithes, God may want you to instead give your Tithe and Offerings to a Food Pantry. Or some other way.
If your Tithe is, say $100 dollars, you go and buy $100 dollars worth of sandwiches and go down to where the hungry are, and feed them, you are still doing God's Will. It doesn't have to go to a Preacher that is using it to pay for his new Corvette. Just saying. However, whatever they do with it, is between them and God. You do your part, and Tithe, you are covered.
"Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." {Ephesians 4:28}Trust me, this really does work. I'm living proof of it. Try it. Ask God to show you what this is all about. You WILL be Blessed.
We will wrap it up next time with "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." and "Thou shalt not Covet,,,." We will also discuss how it is that Jesus summed all these up as two. Plus how the new Commandment Jesus gave us, plays into all this. But if you are not a Child of God, then none of this matters to you at all.
Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.
"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"
That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}
If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}
Until next time, be Blessed, be a Blessing, and Jesus IS Lord!
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