The Evil Of Coveting
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 3/10/2013 AM |
Text: | I Timothy 6; Lord's Day 44 |
Psalters: | 256, 326, 96, 7 |
- The sin.
- To "covet" is to judge something to be desirable, and then longing for it with a view to possessing it.
- To covet is a natural activity of man as a creature, and it is not per se sinful.
- After the fall into sin, coveting can be either right or wrong.
- Coveting is wrong and sinful in the following situations.
- When the good thing we desire belongs to my neighbor.
- When my coveting is immoderate (too much so we are not content) - called a A lust. @
- When we make the ?high? we experience when we obtain it becomes the focus of our desire.
- To "covet" is to judge something to be desirable, and then longing for it with a view to possessing it.
- God condemns sin as it begins deep within us: in the imagination of the thoughts of our heart (Gen. 6:5).
- 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 speaks of it as A idolatry @ (Eph. 5:5) and says it leads to hell (I Tim. 6:9).
- It is a deceitful sin, for it is called a ?cloke? (I Thess. 2:5).
- And it is a mother sin, giving rise to many other evils within and without (a A root of evil @ I Tim. 6:10).
- This sin is deeply offensive to God.
- Covetousness damages love for God.
- Covetousness is the act of worshiping earthly things rather than Him.
- The things of God are not desired (Matt. 13:22) when we are overrun by desire, greed, and jealousy.
- Covetousness destroys relationships with jealousy, so we cannot love our neighbor.
- The positive calling.
- Salvation in Jesus Christ means forgiveness for all of our coveting, and also freedom from having to covet.
- Rejoice at your neighbor?s prosperity and good, seeing God as the Giver (instead of selfishly bitter).
- Perform the spiritual exercises which help us to resist this sin.