Does Stealing Involve Motive?

A gospel preacher (and a very nice young man; love him) wrote on Facebook on May 29, 2025 that “stealing involves motive.” What I think he meant by that is stealing is sometimes justified depending upon our motive (need?). But to the contrary, God’s prohibition against stealing is an absolute, it is always wrong, regardless of motive. Illustrations:

· Killing is always wrong under the law of Christ (Rom 13:9, I John 3:15). It is wrong to abort a baby even he was conceived through incest or rape.

· Adultery is always wrong (Gal 5:19-21, I Cor 6:9-10). It is even wrong if you are doing it to help your country (as a spy) win a war.

· Lying is always wrong (Col 3:9, Rev 21:8), even if you are trying to spare someone’s feelings.

Similarly, stealing is always wrong regardless of why you are doing it (motive) – Eph 4:28, Rom 2:21, I Pet 4:15. Consider what the Old Testament taught about stealing to satisfy hunger in Prov 6:30-31 – “People do not despise a thief If he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving.  Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; He may have to give up all the substance of his house.” (NKJV)  And as a matter of fact, if we really understand the nature of repentance, we will return anything we have stolen to its rightful owner (Acts 26:20, and illustrated by Luke 19:8).

It is never right to “do evil, that good may come” (Rom 3:8). Never.

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