Exodus 22:2-3 says that the death penalty is appropriate for a thief. Proverbs 29:24 also says that if you partner with a thief, you hate your soul. You are not allowed to steal as a child of God. Stealing means taking that which does not belong to you without the permission of the owner or using that which is not yours as if it were.

When I was a lecturer, I wrote a personal letter and wanted to use an official envelope. Then, God said, “Don’t!”. I replied, “Why not?” He said, “That’s for official letters, not personal letters.” I responded, “Lord, how much does an envelope cost?” and He said, “If you know an envelope is that cheap, go and buy yours.”

Jeremiah 17:11 tells us:

As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

The scripture above is saying that if a person acquires wealth by fraudulent means, it will not last, and the fellow will eventually regret his or her actions. For example, in 2 Kings 5:20-27, Gehazi fraudulently sought to amass material possessions from Naaman but ended up becoming a leper.

Several years ago, I was chairman of a high school’s board of governors. I decided to help the school by building a boys’ and girls’ hostel, a school hall, and the principal’s quarters. The principal decided that it was also an opportunity for him to build a small house in his hometown with some of the resources provided for the school’s building project. So, as the school buildings were being constructed, he was also building his little mansion. When he finished, somebody surfaced and said, “Who built on my land?” He said, “I bought this land from so and so.” The real landowner replied, “You bought it from the wrong fellow.” The principal said, “Okay, let’s not argue, how much do you want for the land?” The man said he was not selling the land and asked him to remove his house. The house is still there today, uninhabited. The landowner didn’t bother using the land, he clearly didn’t even need it. All the principal’s efforts were wasted, and his dreams were dashed because the word of God is clear.

The life of a thief is a terrible one. His days are full of curses, and there is no peace for him at all. Beloved, it is only the blessing of God that comes without adding sorrow (Proverbs 10:22).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.