The Tenth Commandment + Fulfilling The Great Commandment + Conclusion/How To Begin Series

THE TENTH COMMANDMENT

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:17 ESV)

This Commandment sums up the others because it addresses the attitude of the heart. Coveting is closely related to stealing. The word “covet” means to desire, long for, or lust after something that does not belong to you. Most often, self-interest (i.e., pride) motivates a person to break God’s Law.

The Bible reveals the true condition of every human heart.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV)

A person can keep the other nine commandments, but this one points to the root problem: the sin nature inherited from Adam and Eve at the Fall (Genesis 3:1-3). Jesus expands on this Commandment and includes desire and action (See Matthew 5:21-48).

“What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 20-23 ESV)

Covetousness includes undue concern for gaining and maintaining wealth.

“And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.” (Mark 10:17-22 ESV).

It is the Tenth Commandment that makes a person conscious of sin.

“What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” (Romans 7:7-12 ESV)

The root sin of Adam and Eve was pride, and it is the root cause of sin in every human being. Human beings worship the unholy trinity of me, myself, and I. Let your conduct be without covetousness.

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake.” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV)

Christians are to be content with Jesus, and they will find complete satisfaction in life because everything comes from Him. Coveting is a lack of trusting–faith in the Heavenly Father. Jesus wants them to entrust EVERYTHING to Him. They are to be content with Him alone.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

People always want more money because they need something better than what they have – things, fame, influence, appearance, power, possessions, etc.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:10 ESV)

God wants people to love Him and not “the world or the things in the world.” If a person “loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions - is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17 ESV)

Every Christian has “been raised with Christ,” and they are to “seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3 ESV). They are to: