Ephesians 4:28

“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need”.

“Steal no more”: “Stealing is here intended to include all forms of getting something wrongfully, theft, cheating, and overreaching. Many Christians were slaves, and pagan slaves did not regard it as wrong to pilfer from their masters” (Lenski p. 579) (Titus 2:10).. low wage or salary, does not give one the right to steal from an employer. Just because one is making minimum wage, does not mean that God allows one to live at. minimum level of morality. God rejects the argument that the poor cannot afford to be moral or honest. The poor are accountable to the same ethical standard that the rich are under. Remember one can steal more than money or possessions. Coming in late, leaving early, taking excessive coffee-breaks or simply goofing off is also stealing from an employer. “It had and still has. wide application also to tax evasions and customs dodges which rob the government of their dues, to employers who oppress their workers, and to employees who give poor service” (Stott p. 187).. am convinced that many people steal because they feel that they "deserve" what they are taking, feeling “the world owes me this”. Hence stealing is often the result of human arrogance. “No more”: God has no tolerance for dishonesty and no situation ever justifies it. “But rather”: There is always. better way than stealing. “Let him labor”: Notice the word let. Freewill is written all over these verses. Putting on the new man is our own choice. God will not force us to change. “Labor”: To toil and be wearied. “With his hands”: There is nothing wrong with manual labor, yet even most "white collar" jobs include working with one's hands. Certainly the doctor works with his hands. The word rendered "labor", indicates "hard work". Christians are not to be lazy (Ephesians 6:6), and neither is hard work to be avoided. God has no use for the lazy man. Gambling not only violates the principle of good, honest work, but more importantly it violates one of the most basic commandments, “love your neighbor as yourself”. “Gambling is wrong because it operates on the principle that. may take from another on the basis of skill or chance. If my neighbor loses, it is just his tough luck” (Caldwell p. 217). “The thing that is good”: “At honest work” (TCNT). “At some honest vocation” (Wms). “To make an honest living” (Phi). Again, this means that. do not the right to take. job which will involve me in unethical behavior.

“That he may have whereof to give to him that hath need”: Notice the total transformation of the former thief. It's not enough to simply give up stealing. He must now "work" at an honest job, and then not merely to support himself or his own family, but he must also learn to give to those in legitimate need. “Instead of sponging on the community he will start contributing to it” (Stott p. 188). “Here is. new idea and. new ideal--that of working in order to give away. The Christian ideal is that we work, not to amass things (merely or solely), but to be able, if need be, to give them away” (Barclay p. 158). Hence the "thief" is seen to be. very selfish person because wants something for nothing or with little effort, not only is he unwilling to share with people, he even takes what they presently have, and he wants everyone else to "pay" the tab for his wants.