Exodus 22:1-31

God has placed a conscience within every man that allows him to distinguish between that which is right and that which is wrong.  God desires that men respond correctly to that conscience and live in a manner that is pleasing to Him.  However, man’s conscience has been negatively affected by the curse of sin.  Men are able to ignore their conscience or sear it to the point that it no longer accuses them.  God is so concerned that men know His standards that He has revealed His will to us in His Word.  God’s law is to help us know and understand God’s holiness and then demonstrate how far from that standard we have strayed.  These laws presume that men will sin and show how men are to respond when sin occurs.
THE SIN OF STEALING: We are fascinated by things.  The heart of man longs to possess things that do not belong to him.  This lusting after things will often lead to stealing.  God recognizes the right of man to own objects, animals and property.  When one man steals or damages the property of another man, God demands that restitution be made and/or that punishment occur.  It is interesting that the punishment for stealing was clearly identified as paying back that which was stolen and in most cases at least twice that which was stolen.  Those who steal are basically lustful and lazy.  It makes very little sense to take a lazy person and put that person in prison where he has nothing to do and yet is fed for free.  It seems far more logical that the person who steals would be required to work to pay back what was stolen.  This teaches him responsibility and restores the possession of the owner who was wronged.  There are instances when property is lost due to accidents or the actions of wild animals.  In these cases as long as there was not negligence blame is not to be assigned.  The key to avoiding this particular sin is to not allow things to fascinate us and take our focus away from the love of God.
ASSORTED SIN: God reveals a wide assortment of sins as well as the consequences of those sins.  It is clear that God wants His people to be pure sexually, responsible with their own property as well as the property of others, care for the needs of the poor and honor God with their words and goods.  Many of these sins were to be punished by death.  This punishment was meant to be a deterrent from sin as well as a means of purging God’s people of those who did not fear Him and practiced rampant sin.  Those who are no longer controlled by their conscience or by the law of God are to be removed because of the preciousness of the lives of other who will either lose the lives or be hurt by sinful men.  God shows us His will and His laws so that we might know His requirements and how to respond to sin but He also want to show us how sinful we truly are and how desperately we need Christ.  

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