What should I never take? - Taking - TouchPoints
Leviticus 24:17Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death.
Genesis 9:5-6“And I will require the blood of anyone who takes another person’s life. If a wild animal kills a person, it must die. And anyone who murders a fellow human must die. If anyone takes a human life, that person’s life will also be taken by human hands. For God made human beings in his own image.
And murder is forbidden. Animals that kill people must die, and any person who murders must be killed. Yes, you must execute anyone who murders another person, for to kill a person is to kill a living being made in God’s image.
Psalm 119:73You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
Psalm 139:13-14
Philippians 1:6
God places a high value on human life. We must never murder,taking someone’s life without just cause. This applies to our own lives, as well. Your life is not ours to take—it is precious to God, and he has wonderful plans for blessing you and others through it. Many Biblical heroes experienced despair and depression—Elijah, Jeremiah, and Job all struggled with suicidal thoughts (1 Kings 19:4, Jeremiah 20:18, Job 3:11, Job 10:1). Yet in their times of darkest despair, God wasn’t finished with them. He comforted them, strengthened them, and used their lives to bless countless generations of believers (1 Kings 19:5-21, Job 42:10, Jeremiah 29:11). We can be confident that God is not finished with us yet, either.
Deuteronomy 5:21Do not covet your neighbor’s wife. Do not covet your neighbor’s house or land, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns.
Ezekiel 34:18-19Isn’t it enough for you to keep the best of the pastures for yourselves? Must you also trample down the rest? Isn’t it enough for you to drink clear water for yourselves? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? Why must my flock eat what you have trampled down and drink water you have fouled?
Is it not enough for you to keep the best of the pastures for yourselves? Must you also trample down the rest? Is it not enough for you to take the best water for yourselves? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? All that is left for my flock to eat is what you have trampled down. All they have to drink is water that you have fouled.
Ezekiel 46:18And the prince may never take anyone’s property by force. If he gives property to his sons, it must be from his own land, for I do not want any of my people unjustly evicted from their property.
Exodus 23:4If you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey that has strayed away, take it back to its owner.
2 Samuel 12:10From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
Micah 2:2When you want a certain piece of land, you find a way to seize it. When you want someone’s house, you take it by fraud and violence. No one’s family or inheritance is safe with you around!
1 Thessalonians 4:6Never cheat a Christian brother in this matter by taking his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before.
Matthew 5:27-28"You have heard the commandment that says, 'You must not commit adultery.' [28] But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Exodus 20:15"You must not steal.
We must never take what belongs to another person or desire what they have.. Even if we don’t act on such thoughts, coveting will take valuable things from us—our joy, our satisfaction, and our love for others.
Leviticus 19:11, 13Do not steal. Do not cheat one another. Do not lie . . . Do not cheat or rob anyone. Always pay your hired workers promptly.
Deuteronomy 25:16Those who cheat with dishonest weights and measures are detestable to the Lord your God.
Proverbs 11:1The Lord hates cheating, but he delights in honesty.
Amos 8:5You can’t wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless. You measure out your grain in false measures and weigh it out on dishonest scales.
Micah 6:10, 12Will there be no end of your getting rich by cheating? The homes of the wicked are filled with treasures gained by dishonestly measuring out grain in short measures . . . The rich among you have become wealthy through extortion and violence. Your citizens are so used to lying that their tongues can no longer tell the truth.
James 5:4For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The wages you held back cry out against you. The cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.
Psalm 62:10Don’t try to get rich by extortion or robbery. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the center of your life.
We must never take anything dishonestly. Even cutting off “just a little extra” for ourselves is a form of stealing.
Exodus 23:8Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see. A bribe always hurts the cause of the person who is in the right.
Isaiah 5:23They take bribes to let the wicked go free, and they punish the innocent.
Amos 5:12For I know the vast number of your sins and rebellions. You oppress good people by taking bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
Ecclesiastes 7:7Extortion turns wise people into fools, and bribes corrupt the heart.
We must never take bribes. Bribes twist our good desire to repay others into a motive for dishonesty or injustice. Even a seemingly innocent gift can cause a conflict of interests. Our integrity is at the heart of our self-worth. No amount of money or favors is worth that.
Genesis 25:29-34One day when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau arrived home from the wilderness exhausted and hungry. Esau said to Jacob, “I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!” (This is how Esau got his other name, Edom, which means “red.”) “All right,” Jacob replied, “but trade me your rights as the firstborn son.” “Look, I’m dying of starvation!” said Esau. “What good is my birthright to me now?” But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.
Leviticus 19:14“Do not insult the deaf or cause the blind to stumble. You must fear your God; I am the Lord.
Show your fear of God by treating the deaf with respect and by not taking advantage of the blind. I am the Lord.
Leviticus 25:14, 17When you make an agreement with a neighbor to buy or sell property, you must never take advantage of each other . . . Show your fear of God by not taking advantage of each other. I, the Lord, am your God.
Zechariah 7:10Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners, and poor people. And do not make evil plans to harm each other.
John 2:14-16In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; and he saw money changers behind their counters. Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and oxen, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Don’t turn my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
2 Timothy 3:5-6They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires.
They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that. They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by many desires.
Genesis 27:35-36But Isaac said, “Your brother was here, and he tricked me. He has carried away your blessing.” Esau said bitterly, “No wonder his name is Jacob, for he has deceived me twice, first taking my birthright and now stealing my blessing. Oh, haven’t you saved even one blessing for me?”
Romans 16:18Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people.
We must never take advantage of others. That kind of taking we can never give back.
Ezekiel 22:27Your leaders are like wolves who tear apart their victims. They actually destroy people’s lives for money!
Jeremiah 23:10For the land is full of adultery, and it lies under a curse. The land itself is in mourning—its pastures are dried up. For the prophets do evil and abuse their power.
Micah 7:3They go about their evil deeds with both hands. How skilled they are at using them! Officials and judges alike demand bribes. The people with money and influence pay them off, and together they scheme to twist justice.
Isaiah 3:14The leaders and the princes will be the first to feel the Lord’s judgment. “You have ruined Israel, which is my vineyard. You have taken advantage of the poor, filling your barns with grain extorted from helpless people.”
Nehemiah 5:15This was quite a contrast to the former governors who had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides a pound of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because of my fear of God, I did not act that way.
Power and authority offer many opportunities for abuse. We must never take advantage of these opportunities. Once we start down that path, our addiction to misusing power will only grow.