WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT COLLECTING MONEY UNDER FALSE PRETENCE (EXTORTION).

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT COLLECTING MONEY UNDER FALSE PRETENCE (EXTORTION).
Extortion is using force, threats, pretence, and position of power to take money or property from someone unfairly. 
The Bible condemns it repeatedly as theft or oppression.

1. It is Theft and Injustice, God calls it evil.

Read, Exodus 20:15: “You shall not steal.” Extortion is stealing by tricks, force, or pretence.
- Read, Lev.19:13, "You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning.” 
Withholding a Worker's pay through threat is extortion.
- Read, Micah 2:2. “They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.” 
God calls out powerful people taking from the weak, by force.
- Read, Isaiah 3:14-15. “The Lord will enter into judgment with the Elders and Princes of his people: ‘It is you who have devoured the vineyard, the spoil of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor?’”

2. Leaders and officials are held to a higher standard.

- Read, Ezekiel 22:12. “In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but me you have forgotten.” 
This is God’s indictment of Jerusalem’s Leaders.
- Read, Luke 3:14. John the Baptist tells soldiers: “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” Direct instruction to people with authority.
- Proverbs 28:16. “A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.”

3. Jesus’ teaching and example.

- Read Luke 19:8. Zacchaeus, the tax collector, says to Jesus: “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 
 Tax collectors were known for extortion. Repentance by the Law was to give back, and making restitution.
- Matthew 23:25. Jesus rebukes religious leaders: “You clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” 
Extortions often hide behind religion or legal authority.

4. New Testament instructions for believers.

- Read, 1 Cor. 6:10. "Neither thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor revilers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” Swindlers is same as extortioners in Greek harpax
- Read, Eph. 4:28. “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands.” 
The antidote to extortion is honest work.
- Read, Col. 3:5. “Put to death… covetousness, which is idolatry.” 
 Extortion grows from greed and replacing the love of God with the lust for money

5. What God promises about it.

- Read, Prov. 22:22-23 “Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate, for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life for those who rob them.”
- Read, Psalm 103:6. “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.”

Restitution, or Forgiveness principle.
a. Under the law, if you stole or extorted, you had to repay: Read, Lev. 6:4-5. “He shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth to it.” 
Zacchaeus goes beyond this with fourfold repayment in Luke 19:8.
b. Under the New Testament, one must repent from every sin, and pray for God for the forgiveness of the sin, perhaps God may forgive. 1John 1:9; 2:1-4; Heb. 2:17.

Summary.

Extortion is oppression of the vulnerable and a violation of God’s justice. It doesn’t matter if it’s a government official, employer, landlord, or religious leader. Power, or privilege must never be used to coerce nor to extort.

by Dr. Benson Omole.

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