Love that Edifies – The Kingdom Curriculum XII (4)

Love that Edifies

“You shall not steal.” Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:19

“If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.” Exodus 22:6

Building-up or patching-up?

The commandment prohibiting stealing sanctifies the property and wellbeing of each person. God alone bestows the good things of life, where and to whom He will, and in what measure. We have no right, either willfully or by neglect, to usurp the prerogative of God and steal – in any fashion – the property or wellbeing of our neighbor. If we do, and we are found out, we have a responsibility to restore what was taken.

If our neglect – say, in careless driving – causes an accident, we must make restitution. That’s why we’re required to have insurance. But what if the way we drive only causes our fellow passengers discomfort? Or leads them to think that fudging the speed limit is, hey, no big deal? How do we make restitution for that?

Or if by our constant complaining and carping we lead others to join us and thereby “steal” the virtuous use of their tongues? How do we restore that? These things can be complicated. It’s better to practice prayerful forethought and diligent attention to righteousness in all we do. That way, if we concentrate our words and deeds on building-up, we won’t have to fret so much about patching-up.

Loving our neighbors requires that we seek their wellbeing in all things, and that we guard against any ways of speaking or living that might discourage them from pursuing righteousness in all things. The goal of our obedience is always love, and love, Paul reminds us, builds others up (1 Cor. 8:1). We can steal from our neighbors a good many things besides their property, as we have seen. Here is a call for careful forethought concerning everything we do, lest in anything we fail to glorify God or cause our neighbor to stumble.

How can we use the Law of God to make wise ethical choices? Order your copy of The Ground for Christian Ethics today. Click on www.MyParuchia.com, then click Publications, Waxed Tablet.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore.

T.M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.