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Be sober minded, keep watch, your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking to swallow up, whom you resist steadfast by the faith, intuitively knowing the same sufferings are being accomplished in the world by your brethren.
Stealing is taking something that belongs to another person that you have no right or permission to possess. It is a major theme in the world system. In many occupations, “theft” is seen as something acceptable. This can be done by overcharging, fake sale prices, getting others to pay for something they did not need, or selling them something that is not what it was presented to be. However, for Christians, stealing should not be a part of our lives.
The one stealing, let him steal no more, but rather labor, while working with his hand the good in order that he should have to give to the one having need – Ephesians 4:27-28
If we are going to suffer for something, let it be for doing what is right.
For let none of you suffer as a murderer, nor thief, nor wrong doer, nor as a busybody, but as Christians, not ashamed, and let him show a proper opinion of God in the midst of this – 1 Peter 4:15, 16
Ultimately stealing comes back to acting independently from God, which is exactly what Satan wants all of us to do. We are not looking at things as they really are and not paying attention to what God’s will is for our lives. Remember, that when we ask according to God’s will, He will give it to us. Therefore, stealing should not be apart of our lives because it is not taking God at His Word. We need to learn to be content within whatever situation God allows us to be in.
Not that according to need I speak, for I on my part have learned in which I am to be self-sufficient […]
What comes out of our mouth matters. It is not just about foul language, but any words that are rotten. Especially in today society the value of true, honest, and good words that are intended to build up and meet the need are of great value because what we listen to every day coming out of the mouths of our social medias, leaders, and news organizations is rotten. Words can help or words can hurt. Words can convey the truth or communicate lies. How we say things is really more important than a lot of times we realize. Rotten words are words that are likened to rotten fruit, they negatively impact everything they are around. These are not limited to foul language, but any word that seeks to corrupt. We often refer to this type of speech today as politically correct. Satan will take advantage of any situation to tempt a saint to use words that are rotten. Do we really want to give a place for the devil in our lives?
Stop letting every rotten word proceed out from your mouth, but what is good (beneficial) towards building up the need in order to give grace to the listener. – Ephesians 4:29
The way we should speak is with grace. Since grace is an attitude whereby we give a benefit without consideration of merit, we do not respond in kind to a person in the way we speak. Rather, we speak in a manner that reflects who we are in Christ, regardless of whether or not they deserve it.
Your words always in grace, seasoned with salt, to know how it is necessary to answer each one. – Colossians 4:6
Be slow to speak, […]
Among the saints, holding each other accountable for our actions is important. We are one body and when one part suffers, we all suffer. When you wrong one of the members, you wrong them all. Unfortunately, in this day and age of the Laodicean church which only serves God in name, many will not take this act of love and just move to another assembly that will not hold them accountable. However, for those who do accept the correction and repent (change their mind), we, as an assembly, need to be gracious to them.
In the first letter to the assembly in Corinth, Paul had to deal with a situation where the church was boasting about allowing one within their members that was doing something so heinous that even the Gentiles would not do – and that is setting the bar really low.
Actually, it is heard among you a fornicator and such a fornicator that would not even be named among the Gentiles, so that someone to have the wife of the father – 1 Corinthians 5:1
Paul rebukes that assembly for not dealing with this situation properly and even boasting about it.
And you are high-minded and not rather mourn in order that he should be taken out from your midst, the one doing this work – 1 Corinthians 5:2
Having followed Paul’s instructions and rebuking this one and not permitting him to assemble with them anymore, after this one repented – that is truly change the mind and therefore ceased the sin, they refused to allow him back. Paul then addresses this issue in the second letter to the assembly.
This punishment to such a one was sufficient, which [punishment] was by […]
Pride comes from being puffed up in one’s mind resulting in an opinion that is higher than reality, which produces arrogance and disdainful conduct due to this haughty attitude.
It was pride that caused Lucifer to fall from his position within God’s government
Ezekiel 28:17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you.
When it comes to pride within the Church it is a temptation that will be levied by Satan against a novice who is placed into a position of a Pastor within the assembly. In Paul’s letter to Timothy he warns him not to place a novice into a position of a pastor due to the likelihood that Satan will use pride against him.
not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. – 1 Timothy 3:6
Pride is also a characteristic of a false teacher. One who teaches doctrine that is contrary to godliness
If anyone teaches otherwise and does not come to healthy words, the [words] of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the teaching according to godliness, he is proud, standing upon nothing, but is diseased concerning disputes and arguments out from which come envy, strife, blasphemy, suspicious malignant evils, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose gain is godliness. From such withdraw yourself. Now godliness with contentment is great gain. – 1 Timothy 6:3-6
Pride will also be seen among the unbelievers who stay within the Church.
For men will exist as fond of themselves, […]