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Commandment No 10

Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not Covet.

Text: Exodus 20:17 Thou shalt not Covet. (The word to "Covet" means to want or to yearn to possess (something, especially something belonging to another person or person's).

 

In the Tenth commandment, God specifically names our neighbour, the question of "who is my neighbour", was asked of Jesus, Luke 10:29 Jesus then went on to tell the parable of the "Good Samaritan," showing to us that our neighbour is everyone, not just those who live next door to us.

Exodus 20:17 'You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.'

This commandment forbids covetousness in general and in particular. It is lawful to use the world yes, and to desire so much of it as may keep us from the temptation of poverty. Proverbs 30:8-9.

The danger here is when the world gets into your heart. Water is useful for the sailing of the ship, but the danger raises when the water gets into the ship. So the ear here is when the world gets in the heart, is when covet begins.

What is covet?

Covet is the insatiable desire of getting the world, covet is also desiring more than enough. Below are some particulars when a man may be said to be given to covetousness:

        - When his thoughts are wholly taken up with the world. For we should know a good man's thoughts are in heaven. He should think o Christ's love and eternal recompense.

- When he gets more pain for getting earth than for getting heaven. He turn very stone, break his sleep, spare his time to acquire the world than to do the opposite of getting the heaven.

- When all his discourse is about the world. John 3:31, He that is of the earth, speakes of the earth.

- When you set your heart upon worldly things, for the love of them, thus parting with heavenly things. Matthew 19:21 Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'

- When you overload yourself with worldly business. When a man overcharges himself with the world and has no space for his soul like Marth, this person is under the power of covetousness.

Let us be a ware of covetousness Luke 12:15. For it is a direct breach of the tenth commandment.

      -   This sin is an enemy of grace

      - it is a sin with many excuses for itself

- it is a radical vice. The love of money is the root to evil. 1 Timothy 6:10

- it is dishonorable to religion. For men to say their hearts are up, but in the real sense they are down.

The cure of covetousness

1. Faith. 1John 5:4

2. Covet spiritual things 1John 3:9

3. Pray for a heavenly mind

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