"You shall not steal.” Exodus 20:15

At face value the eighth commandment is quite simple and not complicated at all. No one is to take what belongs to another. What thinking person cannot understand that? But there are other considerations that are behind the commandment prohibiting stealing. Here is one.

The commandment supports the right of private ownership of property and other assets. Economic and political ideologies that are opposed to the private ownership are therefore opposed to God’s Word and are wrong. These would include socialism, communism, and fascism.

Socialism says everything belongs to everyone equally.
Communism says everything belongs to, and is controlled by the government.
Fascism says people are allowed to own things, but the government dictates what people can do with what “belongs” to them.

Though these definitions are regrettably brief, I trust you can see that in each, people do not have the right to own, and do with what they own, as they will. These are in direct opposition to the right of private ownership, which is at the heart of the command not to take what belongs to another.

Next time: The right of private ownership carries with it the responsibility to work, and the reality that not all will have equal shares of wealth.