Here is a problem that I have been battling with quite heavily. I am about to graduate high school and am already admitted into the college I wish to attend. In the past I felt really guilty about cheating but realized it was all in the past and dropping out wouldn’t make sense even if I didn’t feel like I didn’t earn it. By that logic, I would have to deny my grade school’s education because of peeking at a neighbor’s paper! The main issue that I have come to terms with is a class that I am taking right now in my senior year. We are approaching the end of the third quarter of the school year and I have been utilizing what is called a “test bank”. A test bank is a collection of questions that is usually provided by the publisher as a foundation for test crafting. Basically the test bank is a tool for teacher’s use in insuring that their tests will cover the proper course material. I didn’t come back to my faith until just recently and have only just began to monitor my life for sinful behaviors. The fact that I had the test bank and others didn’t always seemed unfair because it made the class very easy while other kids had a hard time but I didn’t really care because I wanted an easy A. This issue is only just now being addressed and I am very confused as to what to do. Many I have asked have given me a wide array of advice (usually not fully supported by scripture) either move on, confess, drop the class, or even just drop out of high school to avoid reaping the benefits of ill gotten gain. I couldn’t find any teachings by Jesus that gave any advice on what to do with ill gotten gain. Even for thieves the new testament doesn’t instruct them to give restitution for their stolen things. No one has given me any instructional scripture (not from old jewish law) except for “read Ephesians and follow what it says”. I have read it and none of the principles can really be applied well to this particular issue. There is nothing (to my knowledge) that says that I should go confess or not confess. I understand that I should ask for forgiveness from my teacher if I have made him angry with me but I don’t believe I have. I also think my sin is more between myself and god than against my teacher because I am robbing myself of knowledge and he would never know. It doesn’t really affect him in any other way. I could really use some advice that is backed up by god’s word. Right now I am leaning towards just getting through the year and being an honest student from here on out. The AP test for the class is coming up and I believe that I can score well and prove to myself that I really didn’t need the test banks.
