Lesson No. 41 

Lesson No. 41 Eighth Commandment

"Thou shall not steal". (Exodus chapter 20: verse 15).51

This divine commandment is equally related to love for our fellow beings in general.

Theft is a criminal act through which the perpetrator illegally appropriates another's property. This is another sin that has resulted in great tragedies for humanity throughout all its history.

Let us consider that, in most cases, those affected by theft have lost possessions they have acquired with much sacrifice. Generally, a person has worked many years sacrificing and refraining from satisfying many of their needs, to obtain with their savings that which is most desired or of higher priority for the family or for personal use. And then what happens is that someone comes, to whom it does not belong, and takes possession of their goods without it being possible to recover them, except through a new process of sacrifice and hard work. The same happens with the worker who has worked long and sacrificed workdays to bring sustenance to the home, while being watched by the wicked, his money is stolen. With what will he now buy the most necessary things for his family, like food and medicine? How will he supply his needs and pay his debts?

It also happens with the farmer who has worked all year to obtain the fruits of the earth, and what if before harvesting, thieves come and steal most of his crop? Who will now supply bread to his family? What happens if his ox or donkey or any of his little animals, obtained with much sacrifice, is stolen? With what will he now plow the land or carry his load?

Theft is also a criminal offense worthy of severe punishment, as it constantly brings suffering to humanity. It has been the cause of frequent acts of homicide, assaults, and severe aggressions. Entire families have been dispossessed of their goods through violence, entire nations have been looted and driven from their lands under the most violent and criminal forms known. And let's not even mention the theft of people or human trafficking, which is the greatest crime that can be committed in the specific case of theft. And what is the cause of all these evils but the interest in improperly appropriating what belongs to others?

This is a bad habit, of an encompassing character, that as our distinguished writer11 says, God prohibits even in the simplest or most subtle forms of its manifestations. It includes excessive profits in commerce, also requires the payment of debts and fair wages for the worker. God requires just measures and balances. In this regard, consider what the following biblical passage tells us:

Jeremiah chapter 22: verse 13: “Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work”.51

This concept of the Law of God is clearly specified in Leviticus chapter 19: verses 35 and 36, where it says: Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. 36Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.51

Every attempt to profit from the ignorance, weakness, or misfortune of others, our cited writer comments, as well as any skillful or deceitful form used to alter in our favor the price of an item at the time of buying or selling it, as well as any act of complicity related to the crime of theft, imply a violation of the eighth commandment and is recorded as fraud in the records of heaven.

We must, therefore, take very seriously the healthy advice of the apostle Paul according to the declaration of the following passage:

Ephesians chapter 4: verse 28: “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”.51