Page 2 - Why Keep the Eighth Commandment?

TEEN Mini-Study
Why Keep the Eighth Commandment? [Originally from Youth Magazine – December 1984 – this copy edited by
the Bible Fund editors, April 2020]
Instructions: The format of these mini studies is similar to that of the Bible On-Line Study Course. Look up and read in your Bible the scripture references given in answer to the questions. Comments following the questions further explain the scriptures just read. That’s all there is to it! (These studies are based on the King James Version of the Bible, unless otherwise stated.)
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Has your wallet, purse or bicycle ever been stolen? Has your home been burglarized?
If so, you are not alone. For example, during 1983 in the United States alone, a theft occurred every five seconds. In 2019 the numbers for theft remain about the same.
If people everywhere could be trusted not to steal, there would no longer be a need for keys, locks, hidden television cameras, burglar alarms, guards or guard dogs. We would feel free to leave our belongings right in the open. And lost items would be returned to their rightful owners if at all possible.
Is such a world possible? Yes! Your Bible shows that a time of universal honesty is indeed coming in the near future.
In this study, we’ll learn about some of the ways people steal without realizing it. We’ll also learn some basic principles about the Eighth Commandment and discover the benefits that come from keeping it.
Before you begin this study, be sure to get your Bible, a pen or pencil and some paper. Look up, read and then write down the verses that answer each question. This will help you remember the important principles you’ll be learning.
1. What is the Eighth Commandment? Exodus 20:15. Did Jesus Christ teach obedience to the Ten Commandments? Matthew 19:17-19. Did He follow them Himself? John 15:10. And did Jesus’ apostles continue to teach obedience to God’s commandments after His crucifixion? 1 John 5:2-3; 2:4.
The Eighth Commandment – “You shall not steal” – is a law of God intended to protect all private property and possessions.