We come to the 10th and last commandment which is found in Exodus 20:17: “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.”
It is said that the most common sin in our modern world is covetousness. But what is coveting? Covetousness is defined as an intense desire for anything (usually belonging to someone else) no matter what the cost. We see some simple points to further unpack this commandment.
1. Coveting Is Strictly Forbidden By God (Luke 12:15; Exodus 20:17)
2. Coveting Is Dangerous (James 1:14-15; James 4:1-2; Joshua 7:21; 2 Kings 5:20-27; 2 Samuel 11:1-4)
3. Coveting Must Be Conquered (Ecclesiastes 3:13 and 5:19; James 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:6-11; Philippians 4:11-13; Psalm 136:1; Proverbs 22:9; Psalm 51:10)
Apply
1) Coveting Is Strictly Forbidden By God
This theme of greed is something that Jesus also warned about (Luke 12:15). The 10th commandment in Exodus 20:17 is very specific on things we should not covet:
• Property: “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house.” Do you feel dissatisfied when you look at your neighbour’s bigger and more luxurious house? It used to be called “Keeping up with the Joneses”. It’s ok to want the best house for you and your family but when will you have enough and be satisfied? Are you always restless to have bigger and better property?
• People: “You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male or female servant.” This is a very specific instruction: don’t desire your neighbour's wife, children or family. You must not do this. Don’t compare your family to others!
• Possessions: “…his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.” Don’t desire your neighbour’s possessions: cars, latest phones, fancy gadgets, clothing, holidays - the list can go on. Today on social media, people are showcasing their possessions, holidays, food etc. When you spend a lot of time on these platforms, you start to compare your life to these supposedly “amazing” lives and feelings of dissatisfaction with your own life kick in. You get in a downward spiral of a constant desire to improve your body, experiences and possessions. This is serious stuff and a major contributor to mental health today - not just in young people but all ages. The fear of missing out (FOMO) is a widely recognized psychological phenomenon and can contribute to feelings of anxiety, stress, and dissatisfaction. This is what this commandment is warning us against.
2) Coveting Is Dangerous
Coveting develops into being a destructive force and start conflicts (James 1:14-15; James 4:1-2). The Bible shows us many different examples of the destructive nature of covetousness. When they entered Canaan, the Israelites were instructed not to take any plunder of the land for themselves. They successfully conquered the well-guarded city of Jericho. But then not long after they were totally beaten when they came to a much smaller place which they should have easily overcome, God told Joshua this was because some Israelites had sinned. Finally a man named Achan was found to be responsible. He admitted that in Jericho he saw a beautiful Babylonian robe, 200 shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold 50 shekels in weight that he “coveted,” took it all and hid it within his tent (Joshua 7:21). As Achan confesses his sin, he relates the process that led to his destruction: “I saw . . . I coveted . . . and took.” This is the same process that leads to many sins today. Other examples include Gehazi in 2 Kings 5:20-27 which resulted in him being struck with leprosy, and the great King David who caused himself, his family and nation great trouble which began when he coveted another man’s wife (2 Samuel 11:1-4). So as you can see in all these examples, covetousness has very real effects. It's highly destructive to individuals, to relationships and to our spiritual condition. It's very dangerous and this is why it is strictly forbidden by God.
3. Coveting Must Be Conquered
Coveting must be conquered, and it can be conquered. How? God gives us different remedies against covetousness in His word.
- Understand what is really important: What’s important in life is not striving for things of this world. They are meant to help us live but are not to be the reason for living. We should understand that God will reward you as you live and work for Him. What we are and have are gifts from God Himself (Ecclesiastes 3:13, and 5:19).
- By being content: To appreciate what we have and be content, we must remember that all that we have and all that we are comes from God (James 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:6-11). The apostle Paul suffered and went without the comforts of life more than most people could imagine yet he knew the secret of contentment (Philippians 4:11-13). Contentment can exist no matter what circumstance you are facing, but just like Paul you must learn to be content whether you have a lot or a little.
- By always thanking God for what you have: Be grateful to God for what you have and find satisfaction in those blessings. Be thankful to God for His constant goodness and everlasting love (Psalm 136:1). Thankfulness moves our focus moves off selfish desires and helps us remember that God is in control.
- By being a generous giver: Another way to avoid covetousness is to be a generous giver. That way money and possessions don’t stick to us. We hold them lightly and are prepared to part with them. The Bible is clear that the generous are remembered and rewarded (Proverbs 22:9). God is generous and expects us to follow His example, showing generosity to everyone as we have opportunity.
- By having a clean heart: If you have a covetous heart, today you can repent (Psalm 51:10). God makes our hearts clean. At the cross, the power that sin and rebellion had over us was broken and by the blood of Jesus and His blood carries constant purification and sanctification.
Today decide to ask for God’s help and not to ruin your life because of this sin of coveting. Decide to stop comparing, stop competing, stop striving and get your priorities right. Have a godly attitude to life. Don’t keep all the other commandments and fall down on this last one. With God’s help, you can keep all the commandments. And when you daily commit to living God’s way, which has been the big theme of this series, you will have the best life.
