The 8th Commandment reflects the necessity of trust in society, but goes far beyond worrying about a pick-pocket. Tax policy, national debt, state lotteries, even seeking higher education all tie in. Lord’s Day 42 Q & A 110 Q. What does God forbid in the eighth commandment? A. God forbids not only outright theft and robbery, punishable by law. But in God’s sight theft also includes all scheming and swindling in order to get our neighbor’s goods for ourselves, whether by force or means that appear legitimate, such as inaccurate measurements of weight, size, or volume; fraudulent merchandising; counterfeit money; excessive interest; or any other means forbidden by God. In addition God forbids all greed and pointless squandering of his gifts. Q & A 111 Q. What does God require of you in this commandment? A. That I do whatever I can for my neighbor’s good, that I treat others as I would like them to treat me, and that I work faithfully so that I may share with those in need.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit threeformspodcast.substack.com