Christians- Stop stealing and get an honest job!

One of my colleagues woke me with a bit of a challenge when he wrote:

"It's not what you get, it's what you give: "Thieves should stop stealing and get a job doing honest work with their hands. Then they'll be able to give to the poor." (Ephesians 4:28)

John Piper's commentary on this verse is instructive:
"There are three levels of how to live.
1.) You can steal to get.
2.) You can work to get.
3.) You can work to get 'in order to give'.

Too many professing Christians live on level two. But the Bible pushes us relentlessly to level three."

Working to get is good but no more than anyone should do. Working to get to give is better and is the way of Christ."

It's amazing but I get to hear of so many churches that are struggling financially and yet find nice new cars outside the church building. Not only that but I am regaled by stories of wonderfully exotic holidays and shown, or told of, the very latest in fashion, technology and person-possessing property (don't try that after a four service Sunday when you've misjudged the communion wine at them all!).

If we were to preach the heading of this blog entry we'd be faced with angry and affronted church members I'm sure, but there is something we need to take away from this. So let's have a look see:

The Bible unequivocally (Exodus 20: 15) tells us that we must refrain from stealing. This means that we don't 'steal to live' and definitely not to prosper (which I guess is what having more than the basics for living must be thought of - being prosperous).

None of us can give what we do not own to another, for it is not ours so how could we offer stolen things to God, for to offer Him stolen goods is to not only defile Him but to rebel against Him too? Bring into the equation tithes and offerings (a contentious sermon in prospect for some I meet!) where bringing as tribute to God anything dodgy would really us in it, wouldn't it?

Stealing is actually a very clever reference insofar as Paul is concerned for this often disregarded act is one of which most commonly takes the silver behind lying. To cease stealing is to be in accord with God's call on our lives in such a way that our daily living and worship becomes right. Righteousness and obedience are prime factors in our ability to lead others into the 'Way of the LORD'

So those of us who don't steal have a Pharisee point and are prompted to work out a way whereby we can live without sinning (in that way at least!).

So what do we do to live?

We we either get a job, live off rich families and friends, win the lottery or charge people for the answer to the question, "What do we, as Christians, do to live?". (I'd like to think this also applies to non-Christians but I'll only preach to the converted with this stuff today!)

We've cracked part the first: Stop stealing and are struggling with the second, which is 'get a job'! So what sort of job? The answer to which is, a proper job - one that pays (a difficult task these days, especially as there are so many who pay little and only want to pay the little for the minimum hours they can to get the job done).

So what we need to do is look at the third part which basically says get enough to pay for all you need to pay for which means shelter, food, heat, light and stuff for yourself and your family (clothes and the like). Add to this the money you might need to pay the taxman (25%) and the God man (10% service charge to the Lord please?) and then that's the basics dealt with. But of course there is more to be considered isn't there (cigarettes, alcohol, entertainment, SKY, cars and so many other other basics)?

The key to the passage that challenged me is that we need to be right in the area of stealing and get our money for the basics from honest labour. We need to make sure that we define our basics correctly (I think I have) and move forward from there. The problem is that so many Christians I meet will make out their list like this:

Income: 25n (after tax - so George Osborne's paid)
Expenditure
House = 7n
Food = 5n
Energy = 3n
Clothes = 2n
Entertainment = 3n
Other stuff = 3n
What's left = 2n

What God gets (plate at the ready and drumroll please . . . . )

Here you are God - here's you 1n as usual!

Seems to me that whilst most (many, some, all?) Christians don't steal from man, they also don't manage to either earn enough or perhaps merely give enough to prevent them from shortchanging God (and being in a place to care for the needs of those around them) and there is a chance that this might be considered to be stealing from God (or at least denying Him what might rightfully be considered His, which is a much nicer term isn't it?).

The Bible does indeed, "Push us relentlessly to level three," for it here that we settle all our debts and provide for those around as they have need from what it is that we have.

Now, I'm convinced - how on earth will I convince others?

A final thought:

where your treasure is, there will your heart be also!(Matt 6:21)