Loving God With Our Desires
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 11/8/2009 AM |
Text: | Galatians 5:16,24; Lord's Day 44 |
- The description.
- To "covet" is to judge something to be desirable, and then to long for it in order to possess it.
- It is a natural activity for a creature and it is not in itself sinful.
- After the fall into sin, coveting can be either right or wrong.
- Coveting is wrong and sinful when ...
- When what we desire does not harmonize with seeking the highest Good.
- When we continue to desire a good thing which God shows us we are not to have it.
- When the good thing we desire belongs to my neighbor.
- When my coveting of a good thing is immoderate - called a “lust.”
- God promises punishment.
- The seriousness of this sin.
- It is called “idolatry” (Eph. 5:5) and it leads to hell (I Tim. 6:9).
- It is a mother sin, giving rise to many other evils.
- Coveting is especially serious for those in positions of authority (I Tim. 3:3).
- This sin is very offensive to God.
- Man was made to know and enjoy God, filled with love for Him.
- Covetousness is an act of worshiping earthly things rather than Him.
- Covetousness can take over the heart of the redeemed momentarily or for a while.
- Covetousness destroys relationships with jealousy.
- What do we do to avoid this sin?
- Learn from Israel’s coveting in the wilderness (I Cor. 10:6).
- There are spiritual exercises which help us resist this sin.
- Seek the things above, cultivating your interest in God’s Word and in the hope of eternal glory.
- Consider the poverty of the things of the earth.
- Crucify “the flesh with the affections and the lusts” (Gal. 5:24).
- Salvation in Christ means forgiveness of our coveting and freedom from having to covet.