Living a Principled Life in an Unprincipled World, Part 3

Thou shalt not steal. Most everyone knows this from the Ten Commandments. But God expounds on an additional imperative in the New Covenant. He commands that we replace the sin of stealing with the godly principle of hard work for the benefit of others. This is the essence of genuine spiritual transformation, when we not only strive to break the sinful and selfish habits of the flesh, but actively replace them with a holy and selfless pattern of life. Christians are not to chase after pleasure and immediate gratification, whether through laziness and love of ease, or through the greedy pursuit of easy money. We are to work hard, as unto the Lord Himself, so that we may do good, especially to those who are of the household of the faith. We do this by constantly working to better ourselves so that we may provide for our families, and give liberally to the work of the Lord.