Exodus 20:15 “Thou shalt not steal.”
To steal means to take for yourself something that is not legally yours. This has deep spiritual implications and meaning. People “steal” with their heart when they want something that is not meant to be. There is a proper way of getting all that we need in this world, and it is not to take without “payment” what is not yours. And if it is not for sale, well then.
Matthew 6:31, 33 “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? ... But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Philippians 4:6, 11 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ... Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.”
The “Kingdom of God” is a place of pure contentment. When we seek God’s plan and trust in him we become content in that. And God’s plan is the “way” of the Kingdom which is happiness through contentment in the now. It is the way of getting without “want”. The act of giving up our worries and struggles for what we think we need right now and allowing God to give us what is rightfully ours via the way of the Kingdom is our “payment”; rather than “stealing” it or something else another way.
1 Timothy 6:5-7 “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out.”
Food and raiment can also be interpreted spiritually, but either way this verse is telling us something about being happy rather than anxious and worrisome about something we think we need now but don’t have. Because it says true “gain” is being content and not necessarily getting what we thing we want. There is power in this teaching it and helps us to “overcome the world”.
1 John 2:16-17 ”For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
It says that this world and the things we want here (lusts) “passeth away”. This implies that the world of “wants” because of the illusion of “lack” is not to be our true reality. The strong desire for things we don’t have (lusts) in this world and the pride in self-fulfillment are not from the “Father” but are of the world [of lack and need]. The world tells you that you are lacking something and that you (pride) need to go get it now, but this way of thinking is not of the “Father” who provides everything we need when we change our mode of thinking and feeling. God is trying to tell us we already have everything we need at this moment and that he will continue to provide all we need in his perfect timing. And this happens when we allow it THROUGH our contentment and faith in that. Again, our payment is our contentment via faith and our reward is a gift from God. When we realize the truth in this we smile and are happy. When you stop seeking the thing you want and start seeking way of God, the things you need come to you more quickly in ways you would not expect. It is not the prize we should be seeking, but God. The Kingdom is the true treasure. So “Rejoice evermore” (1 Thessalonians 5:16) in that.
Philippians 4:12-13, 19 “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ... But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Isaiah 5:20-21 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
In Philippians 4 above it says that we can learn to be content in whatsoever state we are in. Even when we are abased or low we are content and even happy, because we realize it is not our surroundings and the things happening to us that makes us content, but true contentment comes from Christ within. In 2 Corinthians 12 above it says we are to even “take pleasure” in the hardships in life. They teach us to trust and there is no other way so “rejoice” in this schooling. However, this world has taught us that bad is good and good is bad. It is all confused and backwards on what will make us happy and content. The world will pass away, so why should we set our highest hopes in it. Our truth is within us. If we trust and wait on God and the Christ within, we shall be shown the true riches (understanding) of everlasting habitations (Luke 16:9) and THAT will be greater than anything else we can obtain in the world; “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us… (Ephisians 3:20). When we realize the power is within us and not external we become content in ourselves knowing the external circumstance will “pass away”, when we let go of our negative thoughts, give God our worries, trust him to work it out, and enjoy each moment for what it is good or bad (i.e. be content). The understanding of that power is happiness and not the external circumstance itself. We are content in that and enjoy each moment in our life knowing it is all from God (flowing from the powers within us) regardless of the circumstance itself. When we understand the power of contentment we come to know it is our thoughts and feelings of contentment (or lack thereof) that create this external world anyway. We then become content in all situations because we live through Christ consciousness, not through the external world that fades and changes because of our own mind and heart. Remember we are IN this world but not OF this world (John 17:16). And through the Christ within we can overcome the world (John 16:33).
Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.”
Luke 11:2 “And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.”
Luke 17:21 “Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”
Colossians 1:27 “To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”
The Kingdom is within you. Heaven is within you. Christ is within you. As you think and feel, so will your earth reflect and produce. Changing our feelings and thought also changes the external world around us. We overcome the world through aligning our thoughts and feelings with Christ who through this knowledge is content and not anxious (2Cor10:5).
Again, it is through the distresses and hard times (2 Corinthians 12:9-10 above) that we can find our strength because they teach us to trust God who is to be our true strength, so we therefore “take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2Cor 12). When we weaken our grasp of this world and our “needs” in this world, we become strong through Christ.
Hebrews 13:5-6 “[Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Do we believe what the teachings in the Bible tell us to do? To release ourselves from our wants and allow what is to be. Because what is and what is to be comes from our very own mind and heart. We can either produce more contentment from being content, or more wants and needs from always wanting and needing something. To steal is to obtain without first the payment of contentment within our heart and mind. Is it the mystery and paradox of the powers within.