A LOVE LETTER TO THE THIEF AMONG US

'Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.' - Mark 10 vs 19

• Do not steal
• Defraud not

In this Bible passage, the Lord reminded us of the commandment which God gave to Moses; and we see clear instructions: Don't steal! Defraud not!

Okay. Before we continue, who is a thief? It doesn't seem to appear to many persons who a thief is. The word 'thief' appears bizarre to them, that even a thief doesn't think of himself as a thief. Another of such words is the word 'fool'. Someone can be a fool and not see himself as such, because that word 'fool' sounds bizarre to them, and it's not a word they want to be identified with. So even when they are fools (according to the definition of a fool), they don't seem to see their selves as fools. Lol. Funny right?

Okay. So, who's a thief? Le's see the English dictionary definition of a thief:

1. One who carries out a theft | theft means the act of stealing properties

2. One who steals another person's property, especially by stealth and without using force or violence.

Stealth means acting in secrecy, or in such a way that the actions are unnoticed or difficult to detect by others.

That's the definition of a thief. In simple terms, a thief is one who takes to himself what does not belong to him, or what was not giving to him willingly and in good will. Irrespective of the method that this act is achieved, that's a thief there.

In the Old Testament, God instructed against stealing! God instructed against defrauding people. Now let's look at that word 'defraud', what does it mean? Let's take a look at the English dictionary definition of the word defraud:

1. To obtain money or property from a person by fraud; to swindle | fraud means the crime of stealing or illegally obtaining money by use of deception tactics. Synonyms of the word fraud are: swindle, scam, deceit, grift

2. To deprive

To deprive means to take something away from someone and keep it away; to deny someone something.

So we've seen the meaning of the word 'defraud'. God warned against stealing, God warned against defrauding people. Let's keep looking into the Word to see more on this discourse.

'Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 

Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.' - 1 Corinthians 6 vs 9 - 10 {KING JAMES VERSION}

• Nor thieves

'Surely you must know that people who practice evil cannot possess God’s kingdom realm. Stop being deceived! People who continue to engage in sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, sexual perversion, homosexuality, 

fraud, greed, drunkenness, verbal abuse, or extortion—these will not inherit God’s kingdom realm.' - 1 Corinthians 6 vs 9 - 10 {THE PASSION TRANSLATION}

• fraud

From these passages we have read, it's clear that the thief (one who steals other people's money and properties; one who defrauds people) will not inherit the kingdom of God. It's important that you know that here the Apostle was addressing Believers! He is saying, people who have professed faith in Christ, yet continue to engage in these things will not inherit the KINGDOM; people who have professed faith in Christ, yet they make deliberate and intentional practices of these evil deeds, he says, they will not inherit the kingdom of God.

• people who practice evil
• People who continue to engage in...

The above highlighted words were used in the passages we read above. This shows to us that the Believer was not saved to remain the same, rather, he is saved unto newness of life. - Selah. We are not to continue in the former nature that we were saved from, but to now live in accordance to the new nature that we have in Christ. That is faith!

"If you truly believe that you have a new nature in Christ, if you truly believe this, living out that new nature will be natural to you."

'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 vs 28 {KJV}

'If you are a thief, quit stealing. Be honest and work hard, so you will have something to give to people in need.' - Ephesians 4 vs 28 {CEV}

'If you used to rob, you must stop robbing and start working, in order to earn an honest living for yourself and to be able to help the poor.' - Ephesians 4 vs 28 {GNB}

'If any one of you has stolen from someone else, never do it again. Instead, be industrious, earning an honest living, and then you’ll have enough to bless those in need.' - Ephesians 4 vs 28 {TPT}

The word of the Lord is flowing, ministering to you, instructing your heart! Don't harden your heart as you hear the rebuke of the Spirit in your heart. My friend, you don't want to go to hell! I tell you, you don't want to go there! Salvation in your heart is more than enough. Take your mind off riches! Take your desires off wanting to be rich! Start thinking serving the Lord, start thinking contentment! This is the posture of the heart of one in whom the Spirit of God dwells.

'But godliness with contentment is great gain. 

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 

And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.' - 1 Timothy 6 vs 6 - 8 {KING JAMES VERSION}

Raiment means clothing.

'We have a “profit” that is greater than theirs—our holy awe of God! To have merely our necessities is to have enough. 

Isn’t it true that our hands were empty when we came into the world, and when we leave this world our hands will be empty again? 

Because of this, food and clothing is enough to make us content.' - 1 Timothy 6 vs 6 - 8 {THE PASSION TRANSLATION}

Then the Apostle talks about those who desire to be rich. See it:

'But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.' - 1 Timothy 6 vs 9 - 10 {KING JAMES VERSION}

• THEY THAT WILL BE RICH

Meaning, those who desire to be rich! He shows us that these ones get into hurtful desires, which brings about ungodly actions, which ultimately sends them to hell. Read the verse carefully, you will get the point.

Then the next verse tells us that the love of money, the excessive desire for money is the root of all evil. Then he tells us that those who stretched themselves for it erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Uhmmm

To covet after money is to put your Salvation on the line, because such inordinate desire for money will always lead you to do things that are inconsistent with the righteousness of God, all because of money! You can't escape that trap if your desire is to be rich! This is the reason why we are thus admonished to be content with what we have. We came into this world with nothing, we will certainly leave it with nothing.

'But those who crave the wealth of this world slip into spiritual snares. They become trapped by the troubles that come through their foolish and harmful desires, driven by greed and drowning in their own sinful pleasures. And they take others down with them into their corruption and eventual destruction. 

Loving money is the first step toward all kinds of trouble. Some people run after it so much that they have given up their faith. Craving more money pushes them away from the faith into error, compounding misery in their lives!' - 1 Timothy 6 vs 9 - 10 {THE PASSION TRANSLATION}

• Some people run after money so much that they have given up their faith
• Craving more money pushes them away from the faith into error

You see... It's impossible to desire riches and not slip off the faith. Does this mean that Believers should be poor? No! That's not the point. The point is, desiring to have more money (riches) will cause you to fall into temptation, which will drown you in destruction and perdition. Rather, live in contentment! Grow with contentment! Earn money with contentment! Grow rich with contentment! No desires to have more! No desires to make wealth! No crave for more money! We are content with whatsoever we have at every point in our lives! No rush, no pressures, no excessive desires! Just Jesus and His kingdom established in the earth - this is our desire! Amen.

Hey friend! We won't be here for long. Hold on, we will soon be out of this world. May the Lord strengthen your heart with these words. Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

- Jenning U. Angel