Care for Property and Truth

Introduction

In high school I was once asked a question from a peer who was seeking to challenge my belief of the Word. He posed questions like- can God make a rock so big that even He can’t lift it?

At the time, they seemed like deep philosophical questions, that now only reveal the lack of understanding of God.

However, one time he posed a hypothetical ethical question- if it was the end of the world and you were trying to provide for your family and could only get food by stealing it, would you?

This one was hard. I would want to provide for my assumed children and wife, but also honor God’s Word. I balanced in thought that I could steal and ask for forgiveness, but that always seemed cheap.

I would eventually answer this theoretical question with a theoretical answer (because I was actually not in the moment described). I said, I guess I would not and just trust that God would provide.

After all, He provided mana for Israel, bread for David, food and rest for Elijah, fish and bread for 5,000+ people, and contentment for Paul.

Of course my peer was trying to find a way to crack my biblical ethic to make me look like a hypocrite and somehow disprove God in the process.

The last 3 commandments we will examine deal with relationships in the community at large. At their core, they pertain to the respect and care of other people’s property/belongings- care for the community and then care for the truth.

Jesus would take these commandments and expound deeper the spirit of the law to our lives.

Exodus 20:15-17

Stealing, lying, and desiring what is not ours cover our last 3 commandments. Each one pretty straight forward in the action we are not to take.

Do Not Steal

First, do not steal. Followers of God are not permitted to take from someone what belongs to them. We cannot take physical property or intellectual property from another.

As simple as taking money from someone’s wallet or a toy from a friend’s room to plagiarizing someone’s writing or artistic work as our own is stealing.

This speaks of the fullest intent of taking what does not belong to us.

I do think this also applies to circumstances of negligence. Have you ever borrowed a tool from someone or someone has borrowed a tool from you and it accidentally got into your toolbox?

It wasn’t done on purpose, but with a negligence it was taken and became claimed as your own. Days, weeks, or even months pass and you forget about it until it is found once again. If you remember it isn’t yours, go and return it.

The heart of this commandment is about respect and care for others, particularly their belongings. What others have is provided by the Lord and we have no right to it.

Take the step even further. Think of what Paul wrote,

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

No Lying

This commandment is definitely tied to the judicial system and process of Israel. It was required for 2 or more credible witnesses to be present to exact justice.

So, to bend the system to your desire by lying about someone is definitely in mind here. However, the word false alone means not speaking the truth. Either in full or partial.

So, in general there is application that we are to be truth tellers in all matters and circumstances. Why?

Ultimately because God is truth. While there is not a specific verse except one that speaks of God being the Truth, it is displayed throughout in the character and nature of God.

John 14:6 “6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Deuteronomy 32:4 “4 The Rock—his work is perfect; all his ways are just. A faithful God, without bias, he is righteous and true.”

Hebrews 6:18 “18 so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie…

As those who are to reflect the character of God in relationship with Him, we are to be bearers of truth, of His truth, of telling the truth.

Also, have you ever tried to keep up with a lie? Usually lies upon lies have to be built up. Last week I mentioned a true crime show Jenny and I watched. The woman who eventually would commit murder was building her life around lies. Lie upon lie was formed to keep up the narrative she wanted. This ultimately led to her being caught in her big lie and thus led to the murder she committed.

Sin begets sin.

Do Not Covet

This one is a little harder to nail down, but interestingly this commandment ties into the rest.

To covet is to desire or lust for that which belongs to another. It is to wish so deeply that what they have is yours you are willing to take action…typically wrong action.

Why steal? Because you want what the other has. Why bear false witness, because you desire to perhaps be in a place of another and bring then down. Why commit adultery? Because you have coveted a relationship apart from your wife or husband.

Why make idols or worship something in place of God? Because we desire what that thing can possibly give us over God Himself.

Why dishonor your parents? Because they carry and authority over you life that you wish you had. Or because you seek self over caring for them.

What does Jesus have to say about these commandments from His Sermon on the Mount?

Matthew 6:25-34, 7:7-12

Because the spirit of commandments 8 and 10 are similar I am going to connect them with Jesus’ teaching that we are going to look at.

Jesus is speaks on prayer in chapter 7 and anxiety in chapter 6. Both bear weight to our commandments.

Chapter 7

Ask in the will of the Father

Jesus tells us that we are to ask the Father to care for our needs. “Ask, and it will be given to you, seek and you will find.” But remember, Jesus’ teaching on prayer. “Your will be done.” When we pray and ask for our care of our needs we are to do so in the will of God.

This means we must be in line with His heart.

What leads to someone coveting or stealing? The fact they have not sought the Lord for their need.

God wants to take care of our needs.

Jesus makes it clear here that the Father wants to provide for us. He uses and analogy of an earthly father to a son who asks for the simplest of things. Would an earthly father give a son a snake when he asks for fish or a stone for bread? Absolutely not!

Since an earthly father, who is a sinner and imperfect would treat his son as such, how much more then would the heavenly Father to us?

There is no need to covet or steal as the God of the Universe wants to give to us what we need and what is best for us.

Imagine for a moment that Baron Trump walked into a Walmart and filled up his cart and just walked out without paying for anything. How insane does that sound? A kid who has pretty much access to funds beyond what any of us could image and a father who can grant him pretty much whatever he wants goes and steals.

So it is for the Christian who has a heavenly Father ready to provide. Our issue is we are not often patient enough to wait on Him and so we take matter into our own hands.

Chapter 6

Jesus turns His attention to anxiety in provision and care in this life. Why do we face this kind of anxiety that can lead to action such as coveting and stealing?

Anxiety is often due to a lessened recognition of who is in control

Jesus relates how God take care of His creation, even grass of a field and birds. That which is of lesser value than His creation of humanity, the Lord cares for and is in control of.

When I fill with anxiety about a situation, about a need, etc it is often because I have placed myself as lord of my life over the Lord.

When I worked at the emergency youth shelter it was part time as was my youth ministry job. There were plenty of times we would be in need of a car repair or extra money to get by while in seminary. I learned in those days that my anxiety in those situations was a lack of trust.

The Lord would sometimes provide miraculously- a check in the mail or our rent was paid by someone unknown. Sometimes, it was a full week shift would open up at the shelter and I could work extra to make up what was needed.

There was one time, I literally worked the right amount of hours to equal the exact amount of money needed for us.

He is in control!

The spirit of the law is that we are to trust in our Creator and Sustainer.

Matthew 5:33-37

Now we come to Jesus’ addressing of the 9th commandment. We do not see a direct correlation as we have with others, but a connection is present.

Jesus quotes a law that is used in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy concerning oaths. Yet, the undercurrent of Jesus’ teaching is truth telling. If you make and oath, keep it. To not keep it is to lie. Let your yes be yes and no be no. Again, be a person of truth and stick with it.

From His teaching I think we can draw some application for us in connection to you shall not bear false witness.

Remember who is Lord of all

Jesus reminds us that we must be careful by who or what we bind an oath to. Ultimately all belongs to God.

Earth, Heaven, the greatest city we could imagine, even the very hair on your head (or lack thereof for some of us) belongs to God.

Our lips and tongue, our character belongs to God. Our minds and our hearts belong to Him and are to be filled with truth-His truth. That is what we are compelled and controlled by.

Psalm 25:5 “5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; I wait for you all day long.”

Psalm 51:6 “6 Surely you desire integrity in the inner self, and you teach me wisdom deep within.”

3 John 4 “4 I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth.”

Ephesians 6:14 “14 Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest,”

John 17:17 “17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

John 16:13 “13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.”

I hope I have painted a clear enough picture that we are to be people of truth because God is truth. This begins by remembering that God is Lord of all, including our minds, hearts, mouths, words, thoughts, desires, etc.

Being truthful is about integrity

Mean what you mean and stand by what you say. Mistakes happen and we forget or miss something. When we are spinning the proverbial plates and trying to keep them going, we often miss something.

But, the issue of lying comes down to integrity. Jesus has succinctly put it how our integrity shows in our words and keeping of promises.

A lying tongue that claims Christ does not depict the integrity of God. In fact, it hinders trust in Him.

Annanias and Sapharia were believers in the early church who has property they sold, claimed they were giving all of the proceeds to the church, but kept half for themselves. Why? They wanted to glory and recognition that other Christians had recieved.

In this moment they are lying and they have stolen. To claim something as they did for the Lord, but keeping it can be framed as stealing. In the end, both end up dead due to their sin as the Lord struck them so.

Why was this so serious?

The apostle Paul would later write to the Corinthian church about sinful activity they accepted. His words ring true for this moment with Annanias and Sapphira- “A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough.” Paul would tell them they gather under the name of Jesus and sin should grieve them.

The church is to be the pure and blameless bride of Christ. The integrity of Her matters deeply to the Lord. The integrity of each Christian as a part of the Church matters to the Lord.

Our integrity matters deeply as it represents before a lost world the integrity of God and His Word.

James said it this way, “Neither can a saltwater spring yield fresh water.” Thus, a lying tongue cannot represent truly the Lord and His Word.

How can the gospel truth be trusted if it comes from the mouth/life of someone who is not a truth teller and lives it?

Application

For a moment I want you to think about the greatest oath or saying yes you have if you are a believer in and follower of Jesus Christ.

You said yes to Jesus. You said I will follow you, I deny self, surrender to you my life. Can you say my yes is a yes?

If I’m being honest, there are moments when I realize my yes has limits. There are moments when in a failure or fall I did not present the new life of Jesus in that moment.

In those moments I have to cling to the gospel as my hope. Like a good cup of coffee early in the morning to help wake me up, I need to be reminded that Jesus sees me through my half-hearted yes’s, my areas of life that I haven’t fully said yes to Him.

Every day I have to say yes to Him as I learn to surrender and trust in Jesus. I like how author Jared Wilson put it,

By God’s grace, then, disciples of Jesus look for the places we have yet to surrender to Him, the placed we’ve given up ground, the tender spots we want to hide, the stubborn spaces we want to protect, and we ask Him humbly to help us. He will never say no to that. Bit by bit, day by day, turning and returning, we reorient the engine of our life around Jesus. The problem is the same every day, but the mercies are new, and the disciples of Jesus will plunder them with abandon.

Conclusion

As I wrap up this sermon I want to say that the heart of these last three commandments are about care of other people (their possesions) and care about truth.

The Christian’s ethic is to think of others before ourselves. To seek the good of fellow brothers and sisters and even humanity. It is to stand on and for the truth of God and reflect that in our lives.

As I wrap up this series, I want to note. This wasn’t about heaping up more law, more guilt, or more burden on us. It was meant to serve as a warning to the fickle heart that so often tries to find loopholes in the ethic God has laid out for His people.

Yes, Jesus died in our place for our failure to keep God’s standard-our sin. Yes, Jesus expounded the law to reveal the spirit of it. Yes, Jesus fulfilled the law completely where we could not. Yes, Jesus resurrected to grant unto us new life and new hearts that have the law written on them.

Our ethics as Christians begins and ends in Jesus. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is the anchor for our souls. God’s Word in its fullness is just pointing us to Him.