Thou Shalt Not Covet

[Sojourner]

An interesting point was made to me the other day about the 10 Commandments that I would like to share for discussion.

The final commandment, Thou Shalt Not Covet, or as the KJV puts it in Exodus 20, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

The point was made that this is the only commandment that deals with "intent" as opposed to having committed a sin physically.

Hence it would seem that being intent on committing a sin is seen as no different to actually doing that sin physically. Could it be that having a crush on your neighbors wife is seen as no different to having actually committed an act of adultery. I believe that Jesus suggests as much in the New Testament.

Could it be in a modern sense that Coveting extends to your neighbors wide screen tv, motor car and so forth? Could it be that coveting material goods is in fact sinful?

Thoughts?

[Gail]

I agree- sin begins in the heart with intent. I believe you are on to something there

[CoAspen]

1: to wish for earnestly <covet an award>

2: to desire (what belongs to another) inordinately or culpably

intransitive verb

: to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another

I think it is 2. that we are talking about here. 1. probably does not fit the intent.

We can desire or want something w/o trying to fit it into a 'sin' mode. Not so sure if something is thought about, that a person has automaticly sinned.

INORDINATE

1archaic : disorderly, unregulated

2: exceeding reasonable limits

CULPABLE

1archaic : guilty, criminal

2: meriting condemnation or blame especially as wrong or harmful

[Gregory Matthews]

Covet: a That commandment is related to the commandment not to steal.

To covet something is more than wanting the same object. It involves wanting that which your neighbor has.

E.G. The command not to covet the wife next door is not a command not to wish for a wife. It is a command not to want the wife next door.

So, it is not a command not to wish for a 60" LED TV, it is a command not to wish for the 60" LED TV Next door.

[CoAspen]

[Tom Wetmore]

And lest anyone trying splitting hairs, Jesus also addressed the neighbor part when asked "Who is my neighbor?" It seems it includes those outside of the neighborhood, even those we may have low or little regard for.

I have also heard it said that since it doesn't say anything about coveting the neighbor's husband, women are off the hook!

But the sad reality is that the commandment reflects the culture of the day, everything listed was considered the property of the man, including his servants and his wife.

[phkrause]

Exactly Gregory

[phkrause]

Interesting thought Sojourner. Didn't Jesus also say that if we just think (intent) that we have already committed adultery.

[JoeMo]

Another thing I thought of was that the 10 Commandments might be just the minimum standard. The Commandment says "Thou shalt not kill". Jesus says if someone strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other cheek. He also says you might as well have committed murder just by calling your brother a fool. The commandment says "Thou shalt not steal". Jesus says if someone takes your cloak, offer him your tunic, also. The commandment says do not commit adultery. Jesus says don't even THINK about committing adultery. The OT says "an eye for an eye". Jesus says forgive others as you want to be forgiven.

And I thought the 10 Commandments were a high bar. Jesus' rules are even higher! I'm sure glad I have a Savior; so when the Father looks at me, He sees the righteousness of His Son, Jesus. If I didn't have such a gracious Savior, I'd be DOOMED! I am only saved by grace.

[LifeHiscost]

Another thing I thought of was that the 10 Commandments might be just the minimum standard. The Commandment says "Thou shalt not kill". Jesus says if someone strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other cheek. He also says you might as well have committed murder just by calling your brother a fool. The commandment says "Thou shalt not steal". Jesus says if someone takes your cloak, offer him your tunic, also. The commandment says do not commit adultery. Jesus says don't even THINK about committing adultery. The OT says "an eye for an eye". Jesus says forgive others as you want to be forgiven.

And I thought the 10 Commandments were a high bar. Jesus' rules are even higher! I'm sure glad I have a Savior; so when the Father looks at me, He sees the righteousness of His Son, Jesus. If I didn't have such a gracious Savior, I'd be DOOMED! I am only saved by grace.

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

Another thing I thought of was that the 10 Commandments might be just the minimum standard. The Commandment says "Thou shalt not kill". Jesus says if someone strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other cheek. He also says you might as well have committed murder just by calling your brother a fool. The commandment says "Thou shalt not steal". Jesus says if someone takes your cloak, offer him your tunic, also.

If someone steals your cloak, and then you ask him if he also wants your tunic, are you compounding his sin of stealing?

Or, alternatively, if you offer your tunic, are you then negating his stealing action into a gift from you to him?

[M. T. Cross]

So let me see if I get this......

So if you are tempted to sin, you think about the sin. Now by thinking about doing the sin its just the same thing as committing the sin. So even if you resist the temptation, you have still been tempted and thats just the same as not resisting.

So why would one resist?

[JoeMo]

One might be motivated to resist to maintain personal integrity, maintain relationships, or for self-preservation. I'm already a pretty jaded individual. If I had carried out my every temptation I've had in my past, I would have been dead by now.

You do bring up a point, though MT. When does that passing thought actually become the same as carrying out the actual deed.

? If I catch the eye of an attractive woman, I frequently think of how much fun we could have. Is that the same as dwelling on the details of all the fun we could have? I dunno. How far does a thought or fantasy have to go Before one goes too far? When I was a teenager, I used to wonder how long you could kiss a girl before you committed some kind of sin. Or how much beer you could drink before you were officially "drunk". How bad is too bad? How good is good enough? I still can't figure it out. That's one of the biggest reasons I need a Savior. I'm pretty sure I picked a good One.

[Gail]

[JoeMo]

Quote:

if you offer your tunic, are you then negating his stealing action into a gift from you to him?

That is a very cool concept. By changing his act of theft into your act of giving,it seems like you may be turning his sin and your loss into a gift for him and a blessing for yourself. Great idea! I like the way you think.

[Gail]

In God's world it's not all about getting but giving. In our sinful brains it is the opposite.

Good point!

[Sojourner]

Perhaps my own thoughts go along these lines, you meet your neighbours wife and find her attractive, you then begin to flirt with her, that to me becomes intent straight away and I feel that is the application of the sin of coveting because your intent is that you wish to take things further. If however you find your neighbours wife attractive, yet have no plans or desire to act further on that, then you have not coveted anything in my understanding.

In terms of material goods, perhaps there is a difference between jealousy and coveting? Your neighbour gets a brand new top model vehicle or has the biggest flat screen TV to watch 3ABN on in the street, is it fair to say that coveting those things is making plans to steal them? It seems to me that it is actual intent to steal something. Simply feeling Jealous however is not Coveting, yes it’s a different sin and is listed in the Bible as being sinful, yet it is not Coveting.

What I do wonder though is if there is a relationship between Coveting and unhealthy desire to have the same types of things that your neighbour has? Your neighbour has a new car, so you must have the same and better, the neighbours TV is 90i, so yours has to be 100i and so forth. There seems to be a lot of this in society and I do wonder if the jealousy that leads to it, has a relationship with Coveting?

[LifeHiscost]

Quote:

So if you are tempted to sin, you think about the sin. Now by thinking about doing the sin its just the same thing as committing the sin. So even if you resist the temptation, you have still been tempted and thats just the same as not resisting.

The logic of that does not fit the Savior Who gives the victory over sin. For one thing it is not the temptation to sin that is the sin. If it were, that would make Jesus the greatest sinner that ever lived and He would have had to die for His own sin.

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."Hebrews 4:14-16 KJV

It was quite a time after having accepted Jesus as Savior that I concluded that in order for Him to be Lord, I needed to "not want" that after which I lusted. And eventually He taught me there were only three things needing to be avoided,

the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life.

And finally, in order to find victory in those three areas, I found I couldn't accomplishment it on my own, but needed to depend upon His overruling power to do what I was powerless to accomplish on my own. And He only asked me to ask Him for the victory over those things, to prove to the adversary of souls that I freely chose Jesus to be my Master, and to prove to myself I wanted His will to be done in my life, whatever the cost.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."Ephesians 6:12 KJV

God cares! Jesus saves!

[JoeMo]

Awesome post, LHC!

[LifeHiscost]

Thanks JoeMo. Certainly no credit to me. However it's always nice to hear from others who have the same spirit as David.

"....David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’"Acts 13:22 NLT

God/Jesus cares!

[M. T. Cross]

The logic of that does not fit the Savior Who gives the victory over sin. For one thing it is not the temptation to sin that is the sin. If it were, that would make Jesus the greatest sinner that ever lived and He would have had to die for His own sin.

I agree, no logic to it at all, which was exactly my point.

[joeb]

Quote:

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: Colossians 3:5

Paul makes it clear how deadly the sin of coveting is. It's no different than worshipping a god other than God Himself. It's death, spiritually, for a Christian.