Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
Spoken by Christ Himself from the cloudy pillar through Moses to all Israel, the command calls all who receive Him to be holy because God is holy, with the same high standard taught in the New Testament. In plain terms it forbids stealing, dealing falsely, and lying to one another, placing honesty, truthful dealing, and respect for another's property among the duties owed to neighbors. It requires truthfulness in both word and deed even when truth brings suffering or death, condemning not only direct lies but prevarication, exaggeration, cunning, false pretenses, and embellished statements that lead others to expect more than the facts will bear. It belongs to practical love for others, governing care for the poor and stranger by leaving part of the harvest and vineyard, together with justice, fair treatment of workers and neighbors, and restraint from oppression, hatred, and all wrong to a brother. It applies directly to business, especially buying and selling land, where false representation, putting benefits in a strong light, and feverish speculation for quick gain must be cut loose so that every trade is done with an eye single to the glory of God.
Context and Meaning
The command was spoken by Christ Himself from the cloudy pillar through Moses to all the congregation of Israel, calling them to be holy because God is holy. The whole chapter is a lesson for future generations that sets the same high standard taught in the New Testament. It calls those who have received the Father's great gift in Christ to love one another as Christ has loved them.
The verse belongs to practical love for others, governing both care for people in need and honesty in dealings. Its setting requires justice in dealing with others and forbids any oppression of a brother or doing wrong to him in any way. God's gifts are to be shared, with part of the harvest, orchard, and vineyard left as the Lord's portion to relieve the necessities of the poor and the stranger. The same setting calls for fair treatment of workers and neighbors, impartial judgment, respect for others' property, and restraint from harm and hatred.
The verse forbids stealing, dealing falsely, and lying to one another, placing honesty, truthful dealing, and respect for others' property among duties owed to neighbors. These commands were given to guide God's people in holy living. Truthfulness is required in both word and deed, even when telling the truth brings suffering or death, and falsehood and deception in any form are sin against God, who is truth.
Dealing falsely and lying include prevarication and exaggeration as well as direct lies. They also include cunning, false pretenses, artful management, and eagerness for selfish personal gain without strict integrity in ways and means. They include self-praise, exaltation, embellishment, and exaggerated statements that cause others to think a person is what he is not and to hold too high an estimate of his capabilities that facts will disappoint. Such false dealing grows from selfish interests that wrong a neighbor to serve self, using a wisdom from beneath rather than wisdom from above, with deception and disguise that will be detected and exposed.
Truth must always be spoken because God is a God of truth, the Bible is a book of truth, Jesus is a faithful and true witness, the church is the pillar and ground of the truth, and every precept is true and righteous altogether. Perverted exaggerated statements stand condemned in the books of heaven, and not even life itself may be bought at the price of falsehood.
Holy Living and Honesty
The command not to steal, deal falsely, or lie to one another remains worthy of study and practice, and breaking it is unrighteous conduct that dishonors the truth professed. Lying under this command brings warning of judgment, while the law itself joins honesty in dealings with care for the poor and stranger, such as leaving part of harvest and vineyard for them.
Holiness like God's holiness is required to be accepted and approved by God. That holiness means practicing godliness in every circumstance, beginning with family members and then extending to fellow men and to all who need mercy and relief, not limiting faithfulness to one's own church group. It means loving neighbor as self, striving daily against selfishness and self-centeredness, and cultivating the attributes of Jesus, which are the attributes of God. It is learned in bearing responsibility at home as a blessing, in growing up to the full stature of Christ, and in salvation by individual union with Christ as personal Saviour rather than by membership in a particular church.
The command applies directly to business dealings, especially buying and selling real estate and land property, where stealing, false dealing, and lying are done in nearly all transactions. It forbids false representation and deceit, taking advantage of occasions and circumstances to make money in selling property. It forbids putting benefits in a strong light and asserting that property will rise or even double in value in a few months or years when this may or may not be so, for this is dealing falsely and lying. It likewise condemns cunning, false pretenses, artful management, and eagerness for selfish personal gain without strict integrity in ways and means, including feverish haste to become rich and the spirit of speculation to obtain money fast.
Those who continue in such dishonest dealing and speculation break the command and must cut loose from it before they can be considered healthful branches of the church. Keeping the command means doing every trade with an eye single to the glory of God. Then truth sanctifies life and character, banishes selfishness and ingratitude, and produces Christlike unity, increased love and confidence, and continuous daily growth in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Investing available means in land speculation instead of selling possessions to sustain God's cause takes from His treasury and advances Satan's purpose.
Spoken by Christ Himself from the cloudy pillar through Moses to all Israel, the command calls all who receive Him to be holy because God is holy, with the same high standard taught in the New Testament. In plain terms it forbids stealing, dealing falsely, and lying to one another, placing honesty, truthful dealing, and respect for another's property among the duties owed to neighbors. It requires truthfulness in both word and deed even when truth brings suffering or death, condemning not only direct lies but prevarication, exaggeration, cunning, false pretenses, and embellished statements that lead others to expect more than the facts will bear. It belongs to practical love for others, governing care for the poor and stranger by leaving part of the harvest and vineyard, together with justice, fair treatment of workers and neighbors, and restraint from oppression, hatred, and all wrong to a brother. It applies directly to business, especially buying and selling land, where false representation, putting benefits in a strong light, and feverish speculation for quick gain must be cut loose so that every trade is done with an eye single to the glory of God.
Context and Meaning
The command was spoken by Christ Himself from the cloudy pillar through Moses to all the congregation of Israel, calling them to be holy because God is holy. The whole chapter is a lesson for future generations that sets the same high standard taught in the New Testament. It calls those who have received the Father's great gift in Christ to love one another as Christ has loved them.
The verse belongs to practical love for others, governing both care for people in need and honesty in dealings. Its setting requires justice in dealing with others and forbids any oppression of a brother or doing wrong to him in any way. God's gifts are to be shared, with part of the harvest, orchard, and vineyard left as the Lord's portion to relieve the necessities of the poor and the stranger. The same setting calls for fair treatment of workers and neighbors, impartial judgment, respect for others' property, and restraint from harm and hatred.
The verse forbids stealing, dealing falsely, and lying to one another, placing honesty, truthful dealing, and respect for others' property among duties owed to neighbors. These commands were given to guide God's people in holy living. Truthfulness is required in both word and deed, even when telling the truth brings suffering or death, and falsehood and deception in any form are sin against God, who is truth.
Dealing falsely and lying include prevarication and exaggeration as well as direct lies. They also include cunning, false pretenses, artful management, and eagerness for selfish personal gain without strict integrity in ways and means. They include self-praise, exaltation, embellishment, and exaggerated statements that cause others to think a person is what he is not and to hold too high an estimate of his capabilities that facts will disappoint. Such false dealing grows from selfish interests that wrong a neighbor to serve self, using a wisdom from beneath rather than wisdom from above, with deception and disguise that will be detected and exposed.
Truth must always be spoken because God is a God of truth, the Bible is a book of truth, Jesus is a faithful and true witness, the church is the pillar and ground of the truth, and every precept is true and righteous altogether. Perverted exaggerated statements stand condemned in the books of heaven, and not even life itself may be bought at the price of falsehood.
Holy Living and Honesty
The command not to steal, deal falsely, or lie to one another remains worthy of study and practice, and breaking it is unrighteous conduct that dishonors the truth professed. Lying under this command brings warning of judgment, while the law itself joins honesty in dealings with care for the poor and stranger, such as leaving part of harvest and vineyard for them.
Holiness like God's holiness is required to be accepted and approved by God. That holiness means practicing godliness in every circumstance, beginning with family members and then extending to fellow men and to all who need mercy and relief, not limiting faithfulness to one's own church group. It means loving neighbor as self, striving daily against selfishness and self-centeredness, and cultivating the attributes of Jesus, which are the attributes of God. It is learned in bearing responsibility at home as a blessing, in growing up to the full stature of Christ, and in salvation by individual union with Christ as personal Saviour rather than by membership in a particular church.
The command applies directly to business dealings, especially buying and selling real estate and land property, where stealing, false dealing, and lying are done in nearly all transactions. It forbids false representation and deceit, taking advantage of occasions and circumstances to make money in selling property. It forbids putting benefits in a strong light and asserting that property will rise or even double in value in a few months or years when this may or may not be so, for this is dealing falsely and lying. It likewise condemns cunning, false pretenses, artful management, and eagerness for selfish personal gain without strict integrity in ways and means, including feverish haste to become rich and the spirit of speculation to obtain money fast.
Those who continue in such dishonest dealing and speculation break the command and must cut loose from it before they can be considered healthful branches of the church. Keeping the command means doing every trade with an eye single to the glory of God. Then truth sanctifies life and character, banishes selfishness and ingratitude, and produces Christlike unity, increased love and confidence, and continuous daily growth in grace and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Investing available means in land speculation instead of selling possessions to sustain God's cause takes from His treasury and advances Satan's purpose.