If I were to ask the question – have you ever cheated on a test or homework – the answer would most likely be a resounding yes. In fact statistically about 80% of you don’t think that cheating is really a bad thing. The question is – do you think cheating is a problem at Red Lion Christian Academy? The answer again is YES! It is yes because many of you have made your teachers aware that there is a problem. Those of you who have told your teachers should be commended.
I am reminded every single year how easy cheating is. Every year I file my taxes with the IRS and I play with the numbers and think to myself, “boy, it would be so easy just to change a couple things around and add a little cash to my return. Who would know? The IRS doesn’t care about a little fish like me.” But then reality kicks in and I do the RIGHT thing. Now, whenever the telephone rings I don’t have to worry because I know that I did the right thing – Whenever the mailman comes I don’t have to worry about a letter from the government because I did the right thing - If I had cheated I would constantly be worried that someone would discover my wrong.
It’s much the same when you cheat on your tests and homework – when you do it you have to always be worried about getting caught – in the end wouldn’t it just be easier to study?
Enough about what I have to say – what does God have to say about cheating?
In the Ten Commandments he said, "You shall not steal" (Deuteronomy 5:19). And cheating is stealing—usually, it's stealing someone else's work.
In the New Testament, we're told to "put off falsehood" (Ephesians 4:25). Simply put: Don't lie. And cheating is lying; you're turning in work you're falsely claiming as your own.
But one of the Bible's strongest warnings against cheating can be found in Malachi, the last book in the Old Testament. The first chapter of Malachi says God was disappointed in the priests because they were cheating on the job.
How did they cheat? God had made it clear that all sacrifices to him had to be made with perfect animals. But these priests were cheating by sacrificing imperfect animals. (It's one thing to think you can get away with pulling a fast one on your teacher. But on God? What were these guys thinking?!?)
The Living Bible (Malachi 1:6-14) says the priests had "despised" God's name by offering "polluted sacrifices." Responding to this charge, the priests said, "Polluted sacrifices? When have we ever done a thing like that?"
God answered, "Every time you say, ‘Don't bother bringing anything very valuable to offer to God!' You tell the people, ‘Lame animals are all right to offer on the altar of the Lord—yes, even the sick and the blind ones.' And you claim this isn't evil?"
God goes on to tell the cheating priests, "My name shall be great among the nations. But you dishonor it, saying that my altar is not important, and encouraging people to bring cheap, sick animals to offer to me on it. …
"Cursed is that man who promises a fine ram from his flock, and substitutes a sick one to sacrifice to God. For I am a Great King, and my name is to be mightily revered among the Gentiles."
It might be tempting to think, OK, so some old priests cheated God more than 2,000 years ago. What's that got to do with somebody copying a few answers from somebody else's homework?
Well, a lot, actually. As Christians, we're "priests" too (see 1 Peter 2:5). And as "priests," we're supposed to give God our best work; he doesn't want any "polluted sacrifices." Instead, he wants us to be a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1).
At first glance, cheating on a quiz may not seem as big a deal as offering God a "polluted sacrifice." But as Christians, we should think of all of our actions—big or little, "religious" or not—as "living sacrifices" to God.
Everything we do—in church, in school, at home, everywhere—is ultimately done for (or against) God: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord. … It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Colossians 3:23-24).
The priests in Malachi's day were cheating because they weren't doing their best work. It's just the same when someone cheats in school; it's not their best work.
And like those old priests in Malachi, we're supposed to give God a good name. That's something we just can't do if we're wearing the name "Cheater."
It's clear that cheating smears God's name. But cheating affects more than our relationship with God. It affects our relationships with people, too.
When someone cheats—and doesn't get caught—he gets a grade he didn't earn. And that affects other students in several ways. They might get mad, because they studied hard, only to get a lower grade than somebody who cheated. They might be tempted to cheat too, just to keep up academically with the cheaters. And they might be put in a position where they feel they have to tell someone (a teacher, a counselor, a parent) about the cheating, and that's not a comfortable position.
Cheating can affect your relationship with adults. Maybe it's a teacher. Or a coach. Or the guidance counselor who's trying to help you get into the right college. Maybe it's a youth leader. Or maybe your parents. If you're caught cheating, you've broken your trust—not only between you and God, but between you and anyone who knows you.
But even if you don't get caught, you've violated a trust, and your conscience will tell you that. Maybe your teacher or your parents don't know, but by cheating, you're on your way to establishing a pattern of dishonesty that could grow to include lying and stealing too. Dishonesty ruins relationships, and cheating is just one symptom of an inner condition.
Finally, and most importantly, cheating simply isn't a good witness. If others know you're a Christian and they see you cheating, what does that tell them?
As Christians, we're called to be different in everything we do—at church, at home, at school. But we're not only called to be different, but to make a difference to those around us.
(All statistics courtesy Christian Life November/December 1999 issue vol. 58).
