Ephesians 4:28
"Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."
Paul continues describing what a changed life looks like. A person who used to steal is told to stop. That part is clear enough. But there's more.
Notice the pattern throughout this section of Ephesians. Something old is put away, and something new takes its place. Instead of taking what belongs to others, the believer is to work—"working with his hands the thing which is good." This means honest labor.
And there's still more. Paul says we should work so that we "may have to give to him that needeth." Many people work only with themselves in mind. Scripture certainly teaches personal responsibility, but here we're instructed to look beyond ourselves.
God wants us to provide for our own needs—so as not to burden others, and He wants us to help others as we are able to (needy brethren first, then needy neighbors).
We see a progression here from stopping stealing, earning an honest living, and sharing your blessings with a brother or sister in need.
This reflects the change in us that Christ has made—that new life in Christ once we believe. In this example, instead of taking from others, we become people who are able to give. That is the kind of practical transformation we're taught throughout this chapter. And it isn't a work that we do to become saved, but a life that increasingly reflects the transforming power of Christ within us.
