[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Thou shalt nor covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not cover thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]We may say that covetous desire plunged the human race into sin. We can trace the river back from age to age until we get to its rise in Eden. When Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was good for food and that it was desirable to the eyes, she partook of it, and Adam with her. They were not satisfied with alt that God had showered upon them, but coveted the wisdom of gods which Satan deceitfully told them might be obtained by eating the fruit. She saw, she desired, then she took! Three steps from innocence into sin.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]GOD'S THOUGHTS ABOUT COVETOUSNESS
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Co 6:9-10).
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" (Eph 5:5). [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens" (Ex 18:21). [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Isn't it extraordinary that Jethro, the man of the desert, should have given this advice to Moses? How did he learn to beware of covetousness? We honor men today if they are wealthy and covetous. We elect them to office in church and state. We often say that they will make better treasurers just because we know them to be covetous. But in God's sight a covetous man is as vile and black as any thief or drunkard. David said: "The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth" (Ps 10:3). I am afraid that many who profess to have put away wickedness also speak well of the covetous. [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A ROOT EXTRACTOR [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]No one but God can rid us of it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It destroys faith and spirituality, turning men's minds and hearts away from God. It disturbs the peace of the community by prompting to acts of wrong.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]HOW TO OVERCOME
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]You ask me how you are to cast this unclean spirit out of your heart?
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In the first place, make up your mind that by the grace of God you will overcome the spirit of selfishness. You must overcome it, or it will overcome you. Paul said: "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience" (Col 3:5-6).
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ONE LAW, NOT TEN[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] These Ten Commandments are not ten different laws; they are one law. If I am being held up in the air by a chain with ten links and I break one of them, down I come, just as surely as if I break the whole ten. If I am forbidden to go out of an enclosure, it makes no difference at what point I break through the fence. "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (la 2: 10). The golden chain of obedience is broken if one link is missing.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]DO NOT DESPAIR
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]If we had to live forever with our sins in the handwriting of God on the wall, it would be hell on earth. But thank God for the Gospel we preach! If we repent, our sins will all be blotted out. "You, being dead in your sins . . . hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross" (Col 2:13-14). [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] LOVE, THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW If the love of God is shed abroad in your heart, you will be able to fulfill the law. Paul reduced the commandments to one: Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Ro 13:10).
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]We may say that covetous desire plunged the human race into sin. We can trace the river back from age to age until we get to its rise in Eden. When Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was good for food and that it was desirable to the eyes, she partook of it, and Adam with her. They were not satisfied with alt that God had showered upon them, but coveted the wisdom of gods which Satan deceitfully told them might be obtained by eating the fruit. She saw, she desired, then she took! Three steps from innocence into sin.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]GOD'S THOUGHTS ABOUT COVETOUSNESS
[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Co 6:9-10).
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God" (Eph 5:5). [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]"Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens" (Ex 18:21). [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] Isn't it extraordinary that Jethro, the man of the desert, should have given this advice to Moses? How did he learn to beware of covetousness? We honor men today if they are wealthy and covetous. We elect them to office in church and state. We often say that they will make better treasurers just because we know them to be covetous. But in God's sight a covetous man is as vile and black as any thief or drunkard. David said: "The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth" (Ps 10:3). I am afraid that many who profess to have put away wickedness also speak well of the covetous. [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]A ROOT EXTRACTOR [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]No one but God can rid us of it. [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It destroys faith and spirituality, turning men's minds and hearts away from God. It disturbs the peace of the community by prompting to acts of wrong.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]HOW TO OVERCOME
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]You ask me how you are to cast this unclean spirit out of your heart?
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In the first place, make up your mind that by the grace of God you will overcome the spirit of selfishness. You must overcome it, or it will overcome you. Paul said: "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience" (Col 3:5-6).
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]ONE LAW, NOT TEN[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] These Ten Commandments are not ten different laws; they are one law. If I am being held up in the air by a chain with ten links and I break one of them, down I come, just as surely as if I break the whole ten. If I am forbidden to go out of an enclosure, it makes no difference at what point I break through the fence. "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (la 2: 10). The golden chain of obedience is broken if one link is missing.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]DO NOT DESPAIR
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]If we had to live forever with our sins in the handwriting of God on the wall, it would be hell on earth. But thank God for the Gospel we preach! If we repent, our sins will all be blotted out. "You, being dead in your sins . . . hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross" (Col 2:13-14). [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] LOVE, THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW If the love of God is shed abroad in your heart, you will be able to fulfill the law. Paul reduced the commandments to one: Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Ro 13:10).
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