In regard to if a man steals he is a thief... let's talk about this...
The Old Testament showed us the need for a Savior. Why? Because it told us what NOT to do. Here's the problem as soon as you read "Do Not Lie" you think, hmm, I must want to lie or else why would I be told not to do it? And then before you know it now you are lying by faith...
Okay so if someone steals something, do we still see them how Christ does or do we see them according to the flesh? Well, I'll say this the Biblical model is to see people as God does and that's IN CHRIST... if God didn't see us in Christ why would He put us in Him in the first place? But no, people have been taught to identify with their "flesh" (old man) more than with their "new man" so they do.
So the conversation becomes... you thief! You're just a sinner, you have try harder to not sin, or else you will be punished. And what happens to the guy who stole? He believes he is evil, he is a thief, and he has to TRY to be something different. And this is the whole problem with the OT. Doing something to be something. Why? Because the law didn't actually impart the ability follow it, what it's purpose was to show the need for a Savior and to reveal sin and lessen it to some degree so the world and the bloodline of Christ would not be overrun.
Okay so now, let's see things Biblically, hey buddy did you know you're not a thief? What do you mean I just stole something... I am a thief! And my parents have told me I was nothing and would amount to nothing and they were right! And those church people they don't understand me! All high and mighty, etc. etc. I'm sure you've heard these conversations before....? But we continue, I understand that's who they said you were, but the truth is you're not... you believe Christ right? Yeah, but I'm still a sinner... actually my friend you're not let me show you who you really are... do you see here in Eph 4... where it says as such WERE some of you? But you were washed, sanctified, justified, and in other passages it even says you were glorified. Has anyone taught you that? No. And then we begin to show him who he really is in Christ... this is renewing the mind...
Understanding this many Scriptures become more clear to us... for instance in 1 Co 14 it tells us if you are to desire any spiritual gifting it is prophesy... which is to build one another up... this is revealing the secrets of people's heart... they already know what's wrong with them... but what they don't know is what's right with them...
So what happens is people actually do holy things by faith because that's who they are... Instead of stealing and sinning by faith because that's who've they been told they are...
Matt 7:18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
Jesus set us free! We are now good trees that naturally bear good fruit. As our minds are renewed.
2 Co 5:
16Therefore from now on
we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
17Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Eph 5:8 For you were once darkness, but
now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.
The problem is the believers didn't know who they were, so the apostle had to continually explain to them who they were... this is actually the entire ministry of the 5 fold ministry and God's purpose for each person from the beginning, for those He foreknew He justified and glorified to be conformed into the image of His Son, the 5 fold ministry is for people to grow up in love (and light) so that they might walk in love and light. And reveal their Father to the world, as Christ has shown us.
Doing now comes from being. We don't do to be. We do because we now are. And it is not burdensome to us.
C.