To steal is to wrongfully and selfishly take something that belongs to someone else and place it amongst one’s own possessions.
Any country led by men who understand the biblical role of government would enjoy a supernatural blessing experienced only by those following the will of God.
In every country, believers should be the most faithful and conscientious citizens. Believers are to do this, not for personal gain, but for the Lord’s sake.
The people of God are to be a people full of the love of God, and as such, they should place the utmost value upon the lives of the innocent.
Capital punishment is not confined to the Old Testament and is not done to the exclusion of God’s grace, but rather as an act of God’s just judgment.
Those with a broad understanding of scripture recognize that charity functions as the peak of Christianity (see 1 Corinthians 13:13). Yet, few students consider the fact that a good conscience is mentioned within the same context (1 Timothy 1:5). A good conscience was a key component of Paul’s charge to young Timothy (1 Timothy 1:18-19). It was also part of Peter’s admonition to the believers to whom he wrote (1 Peter 3:16). In Paul’s own life, it was one of his chief concerns to serve the Lord with a good or a pure conscience (1 Timothy 3:9; 2 Timothy 1:3). It may require work, but the early believers saw the importance of putting forth the effort to maintain a good conscience.
According to the Bible, a man’s conscience is worth protecting. So much so, that a man’s decisions in life should often be dictated by how his choices will affect his conscience as well as those who know of his decisions. Paul summed up this thought process when he said, “Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” Sometimes the emphasis placed upon a concern for one’s conscience moves an individual to submit himself to those who rule, perhaps even unworthily (Romans 13:5). Other times, it may cause a man to suffer wrongfully, enduring grief. Either way, a man who cares about the conscience will allow its well-being to change his life.
Authority resides upon those who have the right to rule; but, unfortunately, it is not always combined with the ability to rule wisely. In the most basic sense, authority is the right and responsibility to rule others as given to one individual by another. The centurion in Matthew 8:9 expressed this truth when he said that his authority gave him the right to issue commands to his soldiers. The apostle Paul referred to his authority to call for the arrest and persecution of Christians (Acts 9:14; Acts 26:10, 12). This truth was also taught in the parable of the nobleman and his servants where the reward given was authority to rule over cities (Luke 19:17). Unfortunately, this desire for authority over others has been the source of problems and troubles throughout history.
As time winds down, the need for sobriety increases. Temptations are seemingly escalating from every angle and source. Even if sin did not have the ability to lure away a believer, busyness and hobbies tug at his heart to steal away one’s time and strength. The Devil labours to keep the believer from working while it is day (John 9:4) knowing that a sober believer gets much more accomplished for the Lord. While men are spiritually asleep (Matthew 13:25), the enemy has free reign to disrupt and destroy the lives of others. The apostle Paul saw this dilemma and warned “that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Romans 13:11).
As the people had honoured the Lord, they had honoured Moses. When Moses placed his honour upon Joshua, he did so in order to encourage the people’s obedience and loyalty toward Joshua. Moses wanted the same loyalty that had been directed toward him now directed toward Joshua. God’s people could have risen up against Joshua thinking that he had not accomplished enough to merit their loyalty. Yet, the people respected the fact that Moses had directly placed his own honour upon his minister Joshua. The people emphatically accepted Moses’ message as reflected by their answer to Joshua: “According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses” (Joshua 1:17).
