Temptation to steal.

I an a government worker. I was just deployed to a dept where i have unfettered access to steal government money. People who were here before me are so angry that a born again like me was brought here and even the bosses who brought me here do steal and they expect me to cooperate. This is a test of my faith.
I am 47 years old. I have not built a house. I a parcel bought land since 3years ago which is still undeveloped and those who sold the land are troubling us to do something or they will sell it again. My wife is on my neck to cooperate since stealing is rampant in this office. I noticed that I can build three houses in a year. Please belive me, I have access to take any amount i want and write whatever i want. This matter is tearing my wife and I apart. According to her, this is God's time for our family, considering my present circumstance and my age.
If i am taken out of this place today, what assurance do i have that i can do well again? If I play ball, wont God forgive me later? After all, He says there is no sin he wont forgive if we repent. Millions of people have done this before. So why will mine be different?

Pastor John.


Pastor Wale's response.

The teaching of success and prosperity in Nigeria has been so distorted that it gives the impression that it does not matter how you “make it” as long as you “arrive”. But the good news is that God's standard remains the same. Don't be misled; remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it: a man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows! ( Galatians 6:7, TLB) In another place Jesus makes it clear that life is not measured by the things a man possesses and even wonders what profit a man makes if he gains the whole world and loses his soul. Temptation is not a sin but falling into it is dangerous. I encourage you to stand for God in your office and at home. Put your foot down. When Job's wife encouraged him to curse God, his reply was simple: ‘That is how a fool of a woman talks” Job 2:10 (NJB)

One cannot wilfully sin and expect God to forgive him later. That sounds like tempting God. Believers have NOT been instructed to follow the crowd. In fact Exodus 23:2 (NCV) declares “ You must not do wrong just because everyone else is doing it”. I pray that God's grace will be sufficient for you at a time like this to keep you from falling.