People always ask, “What do you mean by a ‘bribe’ or ‘extortion.’” Those who ask this question may not be asking to know, but to justify their intention or action. Whichever way you see it, please read the Bible and hear from God. God’s commandment states that we should not take bribes or deny justice to a poor man. He stated the reason for this. “And you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the clearsighted and subverts the cause of the just” (Exodus 23:8). King David knew God would destroy bribe-takers, and hence, he prayed, “Do not take my soul away along with sinners, nor my life with men of bloodshed, in whose hands is a wicked scheme, and whose right hand is full of bribes” (Psalm 26:9-10).
The Bible says that those who take bribes are wicked. Why are they wicked? They pervert the ways of justice (Proverbs 17:23). Would you like to be addressed as a wicked man or woman? If your friend calls you wicked, you will not be happy with him because the Bible says that wicked people will be destroyed, and you would not like to be destroyed. Perhaps you are good, righteous in other aspects of life or religion. Will you take bribes to ruin you? The Bible calls those who take bribes “rebels” and “companions of thieves.” “Your rulers are rebels, and companions of thieves; every one loves a bribe and chases after rewards” (Isaiah 1:23).
Some people believe that through bribes or corrupt gifts or extortion they can achieve whatever they want—such as to build nice houses, eat better food, buy cars, etc. To them, bribes work like magic—it is a way of making quick wealth. Their actions and thoughts are recorded in Proverbs 17:8, “A bribe is a charm in the sight of its owner…”
My friend, no matter what gain you make with bribe money, it is cursed. The Bible says, “Bread obtained by falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel” (Proverbs 20:17).
Like God told the people of Israel, so it is today. “You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but not enough to be satisfied; you drink but never have your fill, you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns wages to put into a purse with holes” (Haggai 1:6).
The house you must rebuild today is repentance for you are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:19). Rebuild yourself! Repent and come to the true God via Christ. Stop standing on the wages of your fellow workers, for the cry of those whose wages you stand on has reached God. “Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out against you, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord… You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter” (James 5:4-5). “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it” (Proverbs 3:27).
The Bible records another curse to those who do evil, including bribes. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil… Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine… who justify the wicked for a bribe and take away the rights of the ones who are in the right” (Isaiah 5:20, 22-23).
You can buy your way to anywhere on earth, but be assured you can never buy your way to God’s kingdom! You can never buy God the Creator! Those who tried to buy the gift of God were cursed to hell. Simon the magician offered money to Peter and John, saying, “Give this power to me also” (Acts 8:18-24). The condemnation of God came upon him. “But Peter said to him, May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! …your heart is not right before God” (Acts 8:20-21). “For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great and mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality, nor take a bribe” (Deuteronomy 10:17).
What, then, must you do? You must repent of all your sins and follow Jesus Christ (Mark 10:21-22; 16:16).
