The Evil Of Coveting

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: I Timothy 6; Lord's Day 44
Psalters: 256, 326, 96, 7
  1. The sin.
    1. To "covet" is to judge something to be desirable, and then longing for it with a view to possessing it.
      1. To covet is a natural activity of man as a creature, and it is not per se sinful.
      2. After the fall into sin, coveting can be either right or wrong.
    2. Coveting is wrong and sinful in the following situations.
      1. When the good thing we desire belongs to my neighbor.
      2. When my coveting is immoderate (too much so we are not content) - called a A lust. @
      3. When we make the ?high? we experience when we obtain it becomes the focus of our desire.
  2. God condemns sin as it begins deep within us: in the imagination of the thoughts of our heart (Gen. 6:5).
    1. God condemns the very first motions of sin deep within our wills.
    2. The seriousness of this sin is evidenced in a variety of ways.
      1. Scripture speaks of it as A idolatry @ (Eph. 5:5) and says it leads to hell (I Tim. 6:9).
      2. It is a deceitful sin, for it is called a ?cloke? (I Thess. 2:5).
      3. And it is a mother sin, giving rise to many other evils within and without (a A root of evil @ I Tim. 6:10).
    3. This sin is deeply offensive to God.
      1. Covetousness damages love for God.
      2. Covetousness is the act of worshiping earthly things rather than Him.
      3. The things of God are not desired (Matt. 13:22) when we are overrun by desire, greed, and jealousy.
      4. Covetousness destroys relationships with jealousy, so we cannot love our neighbor.
  3. The positive calling.
    1. Salvation in Jesus Christ means forgiveness for all of our coveting, and also freedom from having to covet.
    2. Rejoice at your neighbor?s prosperity and good, seeing God as the Giver (instead of selfishly bitter).
    3. Perform the spiritual exercises which help us to resist this sin.