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| | ==The TENTH Commandment== | | ==The TENTH Commandment== |
| − | <p> "You shall not <strong>covet</strong> your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour." Exodus 20:17<br><br>
| + | ===There are amateur Christians who talk about Christ and lead their casual church lives. Then there are professional Christians, so to speak, who are struggling upward in the night as they seek Christ; seek Christ; seek Christ. It takes all the determination we possess if we are to keep up with the HolySpirit as He prepares us to be joined to Christ.=== |
| − | This commandment forbids covetousness in <em>general</em>, "You shall not covet;" and in <em>particular</em>, "Your neighbour's house, your neighbour's wife, etc.<br><br>
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| − | <strong>I. It forbids covetousness in GENERAL. </strong>"You shall not covet." It is lawful to use the world, yes, and to desire so much of it as may keep us from the temptation of poverty: "Give me not poverty, lest I steal, and take the name of my God in vain" (Proverbs 30:8, 9); and as may enable us to honour God with works of mercy. "Honour the Lord with your substance." Proverbs 3:9. But all the danger is, when the world gets into the heart. Water is useful for the sailing of the ship: all the danger is when the water gets into the ship. So the danger is, when the world gets into the heart. "You shall not covet."<br><br>
| + | There are householders who plant grass. This does not make them a farmer. |
| − | <strong>[1] What is it to covet?</strong><br><br>
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| − | There are two words in the Greek which set forth the nature of covetousness. <em>Pleonexia</em>, which signifies an "insatiable desire of getting the world." Covetousness is a dry dropsy. Augustine defines covetousness, "to desire more than enough;" to aim at a great estate; to be like the daughter of the horse-leech, crying, "Give, give." Proverbs 30:15. The other word is <em>Philarguria</em>, which signifies an "inordinate love of the world." The world is the idol. It is so loved, that a man will not part with it for any price. He may be said to be covetous not only who gets the world unrighteously—but who loves it inordinately.<br><br>
| + | There are people who cook dinner. But this does not make them a chef. |
| − | For a more full answer to the question, "What is it to covet?" I shall show in six particulars, when a man may be said to be given to covetousness:<br><br>
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| − | <strong>(1) A man may be said to be given to covetousness, when his thoughts are wholly taken up with the world.</strong> A godly man's thoughts are in heaven; he is thinking of Christ's love and eternal recompense. "When I awake I am still with you," that is, in divine contemplation. Psalm 139:18. A covetous man's thoughts are in the world; his mind is wholly taken up with it; he can think of nothing but his shop or farm. The imagination is a mint-house, and most of the thoughts in a covetous man's mint are worldly. He is always plotting and projecting about worldly things; like a virgin whose thoughts all centre upon her suitor. "Their mind is on earthly things." Philippians 3:19<br><br>
| + | There are individuals who know first aid. But this does not make them a doctor. |
| − | <strong>(2) A man may be said to be given to covetousness, when he takes more pains for getting earth than for getting heaven.</strong> He will turn every stone, break his sleep, take many a weary step for the world; but will take no pains for Christ or heaven. After the Gauls, who were an ancient people of France, had tasted the sweet wine of the Italian grape, they inquired after the country, and never rested until they had arrived at it; so a covetous man, having had a relish of the world, pursues after it, and never ceases until he has got it; but he neglects the things of eternity. He would be content if salvation were to drop into his mouth, as a ripe fig into the mouth of the eater (Nahum 3:12); but he is loath to put himself to too much sweat or trouble to obtain Christ or salvation. He <em>hunts </em>for the world—but he only <em>wishes </em>for heaven.<br><br>
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| − | <strong>(3) A man may be said to be given to covetousness, when all his discourse is about the world. </strong>"He who is of the earth, speaks of the earth." John 3:31. It is a sign of godliness to be speaking of heaven, to have the tongue tuned to the language of Canaan. "The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious;" he speaks as if he had been already in heaven. Eccl. 10:12. So it is a sign of a man given to covetousness to speak always of secular things, of his wares and business. A covetous man's breath, like a dying man's, smells strong of the earth. As it was said to Peter, "Your speech betrays you;" so a covetous man's speech betrays him. Matt 26:73. He is like the fish in the gospel, which had a piece of money in its mouth. Matt 17:27. "The words are the looking-glass of the heart," they show what is within. "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." Luke 6:45<br><br>
| + | All of us can do many things. But the professional is someone whose life is focused on one area of expertise. It is his livelihood, and he has spent many hours disciplining himself so he can make a success of his chosen vocation. |
| − | <strong>(4) A man is given to covetousness when he so sets his heart upon worldly things, that for the love of them, he will part with heaven.</strong> For the "wedge of gold," he will part with the "pearl of great price." When Christ said to the young man in the gospel, "Sell all, and come and follow me." "He went away sorrowful." Matt 19:22. He would rather part with Christ than with all his earthly possessions. Cardinal Bourbon said, he would forego his part in paradise, if he might keep his cardinalship in Paris. When it comes to the critical point that men must either relinquish their estate or Christ, and they will rather part with Christ and a good conscience than with their estate, it is a clear case that they are possessed with the demon of covetousness! "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world." 2 Timothy 4:10<br><br>
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| − | <strong>(5) A man is given to covetousness, when he overloads himself with worldly business.</strong> He has many irons in the fire; he takes so much business upon him, that he cannot find time to serve God; he has scarcely time to eat his food—but no time to pray. When a man overcharges himself with the world, and as Martha, cumbers himself about many things, that he cannot have time for his soul, he is under the power of covetousness.<br><br>
| + | The same applies to the Christian life. |
| − | <strong>(6) He is given to covetousness whose heart is so set upon the world, that, to get it, he cares not what unlawful means he uses.</strong> He will have the world by fair means or foul; he will wrong and defraud, and raise his estate upon the ruins of another. "The balances of deceit are in his hand, he loves to oppress. . . . Ephraim said, "Yet I am become rich." Hos 12:7, 8. Pope Sylvester II sold his soul to the devil for a popedom.<br><br>
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| − | <strong>Use. </strong>"Take heed and beware of covetousness." Luke 12:15. It is a direct breach of the tenth commandment. It is a moral vice, it infects and pollutes the whole soul.<br><br>
| + | There are amateur Christians. |
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| | + | They usually (but not always) are members of a church. |
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| | + | They sing Christian songs. |
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| | + | They talk Christian talk. |
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| | + | They go to church on Sunday morning and listen to the Pastor hold forth on a subject that is close to his heart. |
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| | + | Among these amateur Christians there are a few professionals. |
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| | + | They often are church members. |
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| | + | They sing Christian songs. |
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| | + | They talk Christian talk. |
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| | + | They go to church on Sunday morning and listen to the Pastor. |
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| | + | But such activities are the least part of their commitment to Jesus Christ. |
| | + | They are like the Apostle Paul. They forget what is behind. They press, press, press forward with all their might. Day and night they are consumed with the Lord Jesus. |
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| | + | They always are praying, always are thinking about the Word of God. |
| | + | You know, there are rewards for such intense diligence of which the amateur Christians understand little. There are thrones to be gained - thrones that one day will govern all the works of God's hands. |
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| | + | There is a body to be received at the Day of Resurrection, a body like that of the Lord Jesus. The amateur Christians suppose because of their token commitment they will be arrayed in royal splendor. The Bible does not promise this. |
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| | + | There are people to inherit. We speak of streets of gold and backyards full of diamonds. This is nonsense. Money and mineral wealth will have little value in the world to come. Loving relationship are what make Heaven heavenly. |
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| | + | Best of all, there is a place in the Center of God's Person that is "home" to the fervent saint. This is where Jesus always is, along with all who have forsaken all to follow Him. |
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| | + | The amateur Christian may be spared Hell and be permitted to be a citizen of the new eternal world of righteousness that will be created in the future. But he or she will never comprehend the wealth of God that has been promised to the overcomer. |
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| | + | And so the professionals struggle upward in the night while most of the Christians are tending to their fleshly pursuits. |
| | + | He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. (Revelation 21:7)[[Category:Christianity]] |
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| | '''To Continue [[(The TENTH Commandment) |Click Here]]''' | | '''To Continue [[(The TENTH Commandment) |Click Here]]''' |
