The objective of this lesson: to note the problem of stealing among the Ephesian Christians and to examine the significance of this statement in scripture.
Just today's text within itself is fascinating. It clearly indicates that the problem of stealing was ongoing in the Christian community at Ephesus. It declares the responsibility of work. It states a Christian ethic in earning. All three of those things contain surprises.
Note the three emphasizes in today's text.
First, consider the significance of the ongoing problem of stealing by Christians revealed in the words, "Let him who steals steal no longer."
The fact that the present tense is used definitely indicates it was a current and ongoing problem according to the NAS translation. Though translated in different words, the KJV, the Living Bible, The Message, the RSV, the TEV, the NIV, The Jerusalem Bible, and the NEB all state that the Christians who stole must stop stealing, thus indicating a continuing problem. A "before" conversion activity must not continue as an "after" conversion activity.
The attitudes of some congregations of Christians include these: (1) "When a believing, penitent person is baptized into Christ, he or she immediately ceases all ungodly behavior, all ungodly attitudes." (2) "If a baptized person does not immediately and abruptly begin behaving as a mature Christian after baptism, it is the church's responsibility to kick him/her out of the fellowship and keep the church pure." (3) "Everyone knows what is right! What is godly is self-evident to every person!"
Obviously, this "before" conversion activity had not stopped. Those who continued to steal had not grown spiritually to the point that they realized that their stealing contradicted their conversion. Paul does not seem to treat this as a rebellious act but as an act of ignorance.
Observation one for your consideration: Paul wrote about real problems to real people. If Paul clearly stressed a problem in a letter to a congregation, that congregation had that situation or problem. For example, when Paul wrote Romans 12-15, the Christians in Rome struggled with the problems of arrogance, proper treatment of others, proper attitudes toward government and its authorities, properly godly conduct, judging each other, and proper treatment of the weak. When Paul wrote Colossians 3-4, Colossian Christians struggled with keeping their focus on Christ, with behaving as God's community, with living in peace with each other, with appropriate family relationships, and with proper attitudes in owner-slave relationships as Christians. Paul did not discuss other congregations' problems--he discussed their problems!
For the sake of context, we need to understand these instructions were not written directly to us. Paul wrote to specific people in specific places. By understanding what Paul said to them in their situation, we can apply his instructions to our situation. If we do not understand that fact, we can come to conclusions that are in error. We can make some of Paul's instructions mean something Paul did not intend.
Observation two for your consideration: The people Paul wrote were first generation Christians who [for the vast majority] left generations of idolatrous behavior to enter Christian behavior. The people Paul wrote in the letters to congregations did not have Christian mothers and/or fathers or Christian aunts and/or uncles to learn from or to set examples for them. They were the first Christians in their families! They previously lived in idolatry! In the society they left, it was okay to get drunk; or to be what Christians called sexually immoral; or to use anger to dominate people; or to steal! For many of them, it was a major transition to go from a socially acceptable behavior to an evil behavior--when the behavior under consideration had not changed!
In most instances, these people had no Christian encouragement. They did not have good Christian examples to follow. At times what society considered good and what Christianity considered good were in direct opposition and contrast. Changing understandings of right and wrong, good and evil, or beneficial and bad are difficult!
This situation is increasingly a problem for today's congregations. We cannot convert people culturally different from us to Christ [whether it be from an inner-city environment or from an ethnic group with roots outside the USA] and refuse to let them be an active part of our faith community! We cannot look upon such people as second class Christians! The adjustment problems are as much "ours" as "theirs."
Years ago there were some communities that were primarily one culture communities. Such communities today are rare. When they exist they are often prejudicial and artificially preserved.
Perhaps the most striking statement Paul made is read in 1 Corinthians 7:21-24: "Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's slave. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called."
Paul in this context wrote to Christian slaves who were household slaves in non-Christian families. Non-Christian families often bought slaves for a dual role: (1) to work for the family the home and (2) to do sexual favors for members of the family. To refuse the requests of an owner could result in death. Paul said to Christian slaves (1) do not worry about existing as a slave with no rights. (2) You do not have to escape from slavery to be a Christian. (3) If you are able to be free, that is fine. If you are not able to be free, that is also fine. (4) In human circumstances you may be trapped in slavery, but the Lord regards you as free. That is not at all the attitude we would express today! It is easy to tell the rest of the world how they should act when we are not in their situation and do not confront their problems!
This passage and statement deserves careful consideration. While most of us have lived for generations in a situation where we are free to choose what we wish to do, that is not true for many people today [and in past generations] in this world. Many live in environments where they have no choice or say in what happens to them physically. Paul said a slave could be a Christian even if he or she lived in an environment that used him or her physically in ways he or she could not control. God is more tolerant than we are.
There were Christians at Ephesus who lived by stealing. Paul said stop! Stopping is your choice! God and Christ cannot be properly represented by people who use and exploit others! You cannot tell a person how much your God loves him or her while you steal from him or her! If God loves the person enough to forgive him or her, you must love him or her enough to care about the person instead of selfishly stealing from him or her.
The behavior of stealing was one over which the person had control. He or she was not stealing because he or she was forced to do so. He or she was stealing because he or she found that an easy way to provide for his or her needs. A concerned God cannot be represented by an unconcerned people.
Second, consider the responsibility of the Christian to work. Christians are to labor, personally involving themselves in doing things that are good [honorable]. Christians do what is good in God's eyes rather than society's eyes. Remember, society and culture were basically idolatrous. Christians do not do what is socially acceptable [in a godless society] or culturally tolerated [in a godless world]. They do what is good.
God's definition of "good" should determine how he or she worked. This person would not switch from the dishonorable pursuit of thief to another dishonorable pursuit. It was not a mere transition Paul sought. He sought a transition from something that did not represent God's values to something that did represent God's values.
In their world, the vast majority of labor involved agriculture or building. Labor was manpower intensive. Most honorable labor [by God's standards] involved physical exertion. Christians did not seek to escape labor by stealing, but embraced labor by physically investing themselves in their work.
"Working with his hand" does not restrict all Christian labor today to something physical. In the context of their times, it was the admonition to do honorable work.
Third, consider the objective of Christian work. Their dedication to work involved more than providing for themselves. Not only did they labor to provide for their own needs, but they worked in order to have something to share with those in need. God's people always have been devoted to helping those in need [as an example of this truth, read Deuteronomy 15:1-18 and 24:19-22]. Helping those in need is not "a responsibility of convenience and desire," but a Christian objective in his or her work. Being benevolent is not an option but a goal.
Among other reasons, the Christian works to help others. Consider 1 Thessalonians 1:8-12 and 2 Thessalonians 3:6-9. A Christian does not look at work as a means to be selfish. He or she looks at work as (1) a means for providing personal needs and (2) a means to help those who are in need.
For Thought and Discussion
"Let him who steals steal no more."
Paul wrote about real problems to real people.
Paul wrote to people who were first generation Christians who did not come from Christian environments.
We increasingly convert people from cultural backgrounds differing from the majority in our congregations.
Stop stealing!
They wanted to share with those in need.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 8