Re:Verse passage –Exodus 20:15 (day four)
“You shall not steal.”
Most people in this digital age are guilty of stealing music, movies, and other media. I confess that when Napster came out in the year 1999, I downloaded all of the music I wanted. It was made possible because of the Internet. Many in the world watch bootleg movies without paying a cent for them. The sin of stealing becomes less serious to the public if everyone cheats on a test or “shares” the music with a million other people.
How serious is this sin in your life? Do you really care what God thinks? This sin is what led me to true repentance when I was in college. “The law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Gal. 3:24).” When I looked into the mirror of the Ten Commandments I began to see my sin as serious and feared the Lord enough to ask Him for help. I saw myself for what I truly was: a thief.
Jesus came to my rescue and made me a new creation. I got rid of all that I had stolen and purchased what I truly needed. The chains of selfishness that led me to steal and sin against God fell away. I became a slave to righteousness. Let the law bring you to Christ so you can be set free.
Byron Pitts
Director of Community Missions & Evangelism
Great thoughts, Byron! Intellectual property is just as real as physical property; unauthorized copying of music and plagiarism are also theft. Technology has provided new ways of breaking this ancient commandment! Very convicting.