Loving Our Neighbor With Our Desires
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
9/25/2011 AM
|
Text:
|
Romans 7;
Lord's Day 44
|
Psalters: |
257, 97, 204, 7 |
- The sin.
- To "covet" is to judge something to be desirable, and then to long for it in order to possess it.
- Before the fall coveting was good.
- After the fall into sin, coveting is often a sin.
- Coveting is wrong and sinful when ...
- the good thing we desire belongs to my neighbor: a talent, a possession, an inheritance, a vacation, etc.
- my coveting of a good thing is immoderate (too much so we are not content) - called a ?lust.?
- Covetousness is powerfully addictive.
- God condemns sin that takes place deep within.
- God condemns the very first motions of sin deep within our wills.
- The seriousness of this sin is evidenced in a variety of ways.
- Scripture calls it ?idolatry? (Eph. 5:5) and says it leads to hell (I Tim. 6:9).
- It is a mother sin, giving rise to many other evils within and without (a ?root of evil? I Tim. 6:10).
- Sinful coveting leads to lead to instability and disloyalty.
- This sin is very offensive to God.
- Covetousness damages love for God.
- The things of God are not desired (Matt. 13:22).
- Covetousness destroys relationships with jealousy, so we cannot love our neighbor.
- Our calling is to do all we can to avoid this sin?
- Crucify ?the flesh with the affections and the lusts? (Gal. 5:24).
- Be grateful for what God has given and for what He has not given.
- Seek the things above, cultivating your interest in God?s Word and in the hope of eternal glory.