The Ten Commandments

Promises of The Law - Part 20

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Biblical Law

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2019-06-20

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver expounds the Tenth Commandment, 'Thou shalt not covet,' showing that covetousness is a strong desire for what belongs to another, rooted in lust and idolatry. He surveys Hebrew and Greek terms to define the sin, warns of its seriousness by linking it to exclusion from God's kingdom, and presents biblical contentment as the positive promise: godliness with contentment is great gain. The lecture calls believers to trust God's providence, cease murmuring, and live satisfied with His allotment.

[John Weaver] Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor's. Covetousness is a sin that most Christians never really consider. Since we do not consider it, we do not understand it, and consequently, we engage in it quite often. And we tend to think that covetousness is normal and natural. And of course, obviously, it is normal and natural for those who are unconverted, for those who've never known the grace and the mercy of God. But for the child of God, he wants to live a life in obedience and holiness, and he wants to please his Heavenly Father. So, as you can see from our text in Deuteronomy 5 and verse 21, covetousness is exceedingly broad because he talks about your neighbor's wife, your neighbor's house, his field, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his ass, or anything that is a neighbor's. If you look back to the book of Exodus chapter 20 and verse 17 you will see the same Tenth Commandment.

[John Weaver] But notice if you would it is worded just a little differently, not much. thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."

[John Weaver] Now when you compare these two scriptures, and we are going to look at them in a little better detail just momentarily. But when you compare these two scriptures you can see readily that covetousness is a strong desire to have something. But it's a strong desire to have something that belongs to someone else. It's not that you desire to have one like it. You want the one that your neighbor has. And so this is where you get into covetousness. So covetousness then extends to many things.

[John Weaver] The husbands, wives, children, land, houses, buildings, it doesn't matter. So what I want to do at the beginning is I want to give you a quick overview of the Hebrew and the Greek words that are used to teach about covetousness, so I hope it will enlarge our understanding. So if you look back in the book of Exodus chapter 20 and verse 17, He says it like this, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. Now the word covet here is the Hebrew word shamad, and it literally means to desire, to covet, to delight in, to lust after, and it talks about delectable things. In other words, you're finding pleasure someone or in something that does not belong to you. So when you look in Deuteronomy 5 and verse 21 the word desire there when he says, neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's wife. The word desire is the same Hebrew word as covet in Exodus chapter 20 and verse 17. However, the word covet is verse 21 of Deuteronomy 5 is a different word. It is the word of all, which means to desire, to lust, to long after, and to covet.

[John Weaver] In other words, it is something then that indicates that one is craving, really desiring, and really wanting something that does not belong to them. Those are the two main Hebrew words. But I want you to turn in your Bibles if you would to Luke chapter 16 and 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 2. So if you look in Luke chapter 16 first and then we'll go to 2 Timothy chapter 2 or chapter 3 it is. Luke chapter 16 and verse 14. Luke 16 and verse 14.

[John Weaver] And notice if you would what is being said here. In fact I will come back to this verse just momentarily. Notice if you would Luke chapter 16 and verse 14. The Bible says, and the Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him. Note if you would please the Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things, and they derided him." Then if you will look in 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 2, there the Bible says, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.

[John Weaver] Now the reason I read those two verses together is because the word covetous there is the same identical Greek word. It is actually the word philogoros and actually it is translated covetous these two times. It is the word that we actually get our word avarish from which means a love of money. Basically speaking, it's made up of two Greek words, philophs, which means love, and arguros, which is silver. So it is a love or a lust for silver or a love or lust for money. It means to love money or to love silver in such a way that you are greedy and vain and you're willing to do whatever is necessary to acquire it. Now, there's another Greek word, if you will look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 5, 1st Corinthians chapter 5 and Notice if you would please beginning there with verse 9 1st Corinthians 5 and verse 9 Just showing you the different words that are used to express this particular sin Pleionectes is the Greek word. Look at it in verse 9.

[John Weaver] He says, I wrote an epistle not to company with fornicators, yet not altogether with fornicators of this world, or with the covetous. it is, or extortioners, or with idolaters, for then must you needs go out of the world.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask that you turn right over to 2 Peter, and notice if you would please chapter 2 and verse 14. We will come back to this passage a little bit later as well. But look in 2 Peter 2 and verse 14 because you have basically the same word. Notice if you would 2nd Peter 2 in verse 14 He says having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls a heart may have exercised with covetous practices cursed Children, so this word actually occurs four times in the New Testament And it refers to someone who is really eager

[John Weaver] to have more, especially that which belongs to others. So it really refers to individuals who happen to be greedy of gain in various forms.

[John Weaver] Now, when we talk about a negative, don't have to turn there but it is 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 3. The Bible is laying down some qualifications for a pastor, for a bishop, for an elder, whatever you want to call him. And one of the qualifications is that he is not to be greedy, a filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous. Now the word covetous is negative word.

[John Weaver] You remember I told you earlier that this word philo or gruos is made up of two Greek words philos love and a gruos silver. Well this one is a philo gruos. So when you put an A or an alpha in front of a word it negates that word, it makes it a negative. And so therefore what he is saying is the pastor is not to be someone who is a lover of money, someone who is not to be a lover of silver, words he is not to be what we would call an avaricious man. His life is not to be one that is greedy of gain. He is not to be someone who is just striving to get anything and everything that he can probably get.

[John Weaver] Now, even it talks about deacons in verse 8 in that passage it says, not greedy of filthy lucre be basically the same. But there is another word I want you to see it. I want you to turn to Acts chapter 20 Acts chapter 20. And look if you would please at verse 33. Acts 20 and verse 33. I want you to see how broad this is and how interconnected sins really are. In Acts chapter 20 and verse 33 you remember Paul has from Miletus he is sent to Ephesus and he has called the elders of the church and he is speaking to them And he says in Acts chapter 20 and verse 33 to them, I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. Now, the word coveted here is actually the Greek word epithumeo. Literally what he is saying, I have not lusted after any man's silver or gold or apparel.

[John Weaver] So, the point I'm trying to make is this, your lust is whatever you set your passion upon. Epithumeo, epi is a preposition which means upon, and thumos is the noun which means passion. So, whatever you set your passion upon that is your lust.

[John Weaver] Now, what I want you to see is this, that lusting and covetousness go hand in hand. Paul said, I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. I have lusted after no man's silver or gold or apparel. So obviously, when we lust, when we're desiring that which is not ours, it turns into covetousness, which we're going to see is indeed a very serious sin. Now, you must remember that any sin is serious enough to bring you into judgment. But I want you to turn back to 1 Corinthians 6, or turn over, I should say. We were in 1 Corinthians 6 earlier, or chapter 5, I guess it was. But look in chapter 6, and notice if you would, beginning there with verse 9, just trying to show you the seriousness of the sin of covetousness. 1 Corinthians 6, look in verse 9, The Apostle makes this statement, know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. So he said this is something you should know, the unrighteous are not going to inherit the Kingdom of God.

[John Weaver] Then he says this, be not deceived. So if you think in some way that the unrighteous is going to inherit the Kingdom of God, he says you are deceived. So I don't want you to be deceived. 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." And I want you to note, if you would please, that the covetous individual, the man that is consumed with covetousness, is linked then with the man who is consumed with drunkenness, The one who's consumed with adultery, idolatry, sodomy, all of these things. So he's saying if your life is a life that is eaten up with covetousness, then obviously you're not converted at all and you're deceived if you think you are.

[John Weaver] Now, look if you would please at verse 11, because he goes on to say this, and such were, that's past tense, and such were some of you. But you're washed but you're sanctified but you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God So obviously the Apostle is telling us that covetousness is indeed a very grievous sin If you would turn over to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and look if you would please at verse 5 and Ephesians 5 and verse 5 just in case you did not understand 1st Corinthians chapter 6 He makes it even easier to understand in Ephesians 5 in verse 5 Look what he says for this you know have to have this understanding.

[John Weaver] For this you 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." And I'm going to point this out later, and I've pointed it out in times past, but he says that covetousness is idolatry. Now, It would be painful enough, I would think, for a covetous person to be grouped together with the Pharisees, who were notorious haters of Jesus Christ. You remember that passage we quoted earlier in Luke 16 and verse 14, and the Pharisees, who also were covetous, heard all these things and they derided Him. So, the Pharisees hated Jesus Christ. They mocked Jesus Christ. They derided Jesus Christ. And they were covetous. So, a covetous man is now grouped and linked together with the Pharisees.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand that covetousness actually becomes a lifestyle. It becomes a habit and a practice that will actually consume you. So if you will go back in your Bibles to 2nd Peter we were there earlier 2nd Peter chapter 2 but this time I Want to begin reading a little earlier 2nd Peter chapter 2 And let's begin reading there with verse 12 2nd Peter 2 in verse 12 Because you can see there. He's talking about certain individuals 2nd Peter 2 verse 12 But these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime.

[John Weaver] Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you." Now look at verse 14. having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls and heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed children now let me point out the fact he says in verse 14 having eyes full of adultery and then he says it cannot cease from sin In other words it is

[John Weaver] impossible for them to stop sinning. May I remind you of Matthew chapter 5 where our Lord said,"...whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

[John Weaver] Now He says having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin. And then He adds this,"...beguiling unstable souls." That is someone who has no understanding, No foundation, no stability, or easily beguiled. And then he makes this statement, a heart they have exercised with covetous practices. Cursed children. Now, the interesting thing is the word exercised. A heart they have exercised with covetous practices. The word exercise is from the Greek word gymnazo, It is where we get our English word gymnasium or gymnastics. Someone sent me just recently a little video of one young woman who was a gymnast.

[John Weaver] And watching her would make your mouth fall open because the girl was standing still, did a back flip, hit the floor, did a front flip all the way down to the end of the building. And when she got to the end of the building, she twirled her body sideways in the air before she hit the floor. Then came back the same way that she went down doing those flips and when she got back where she started in the air She turned her body sideways like that and then hit on both feet You think Wow, how can anybody do anything like that?

[John Weaver] Well, let me just tell you she didn't start yesterday doing that she practiced she Worked at it. She Gymnasticized herself so that she could reach that level now that is exactly what God is saying here that these people have Gymnasticized their hearts with covetous practices That's why he said their eyes are full of adultery that cannot cease from sin. They have exercised their heart they've exercised their eyes to the point that all of the sin, and all the rebellion, and all the wickedness, and all the disobedience is normal and natural for them.

[John Weaver] They do it without thinking. They are addicted to it. They cannot stop it. It's like pornography. You remember I told you that the word pornography, porne is the Greek word for fornication. Graphe is the Greek word for writing. Pornography is just fornication writing is all it is. And there are people that have gotten hooked on pornography They can't stop and once they can't stop It gets worse and worse and becomes more and more gross because now it takes something More perverted to excite them and to stimulate them in and they're just absolutely destroyed so obviously they have exercised or

[John Weaver] gymnasticized themselves under that wickedness now and talking about thou shalt not covet. There is a dire warning given to us by our Lord in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and I want you to turn there if you would please. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and notice if you would please verse 10. We will come back to this passage a little bit later. But notice if you would 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 10. 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 10. He says, For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. Now the word coveted in this passage is a different Greek word, oregomai. The word actually means to covet after and to desire.

[John Weaver] However, it is a stronger word and it literally means to stretch oneself out to the nth degree in order to grasp something, to take hold of it, to reach after it. I got tickled at myself this morning because I had some feed buckets in the cow pen and I didn't want to get in. So I was reaching through the fence trying to reach that feed bucket and I was stretching to the nth degree And I could just barely touch it and I thought to myself how silly Let me just turn around and pick up this stick and bring the bucket to me and that's it But that's exactly what this word means. It means that you've stretched yourself out to the exact limit you are you are so covetous that you want this more than anything else and Now, there are several truths that are very plainly given to us right here.

[John Weaver] The first one is this. It is not money that is the root of all evil. It's the love of money. It's the love of money. Now, the truth is everybody needs money. Everybody wants money. Everyone desires money. I tell people I have to pay for my groceries exactly the way you have to pay for your groceries. Don't walk in the store. They say oh, you're the pastor.

[John Weaver] We're just gonna give it all to you. It doesn't work like that You know I have to buy tires the way you have to buy tires, but the difference is this There's an understanding that you need money and there's an understanding that you must use money to But that's quite different than stretching yourself out for it and and trying to get it every breath that you breathe and every time your eyebrow Or your eyelids bat you in the words You're not consumed with it. And what first Timothy chapter 6 in verse 10 is actually doing is telling us we are not to be consumed with this thing. And it is the love of money that will indeed destroy us.

[John Weaver] But note what else he said, look in verse 10 he said, which some have coveted after and they have earned from the faith. Once you begin to covet in this way that you stretch yourself out for every little bit that you can get inevitably you are going to earn from the faith. Why? Because if you want it that badly you are going to lie, you are going to steal, you are going to cheat, you are going to defraud, you are going to do whatever is necessary to get it. But look at this, he says in verse 10, not only have you heard from the faith, you've pierced themselves through with many sorrows. The Greek word for pierce here literally means to pierce through, and metaphorically speaking means to torture one's soul with sorrows.

[John Weaver] So it's like taking a sharp arrow or a sharp knife and you're jabbing yourself over and over with it. Well that's what you're doing to your spirit, that's what you're doing to your soul.

[John Weaver] Now, So he says it is the love of money that is the root of all evil. And when you have this inordinate love obviously you are going to err from the faith and you are going to pierce yourself through with many sorrows. So here is the materialistic age expounded and saying this is the result of it.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to go back in your Bibles to Luke chapter 12 Because I want you to see the warning that our Lord gives us in Luke chapter 12 and verse 15 Luke 12 verse 15 Look at what he says Luke 12 verse 15 And he said unto them take heed and beware of covetousness for a man's life Consistent not in the abundance of things which he possesseth." Isn't that amazing? And he said to them, take heed. In other words, you better pay attention and you better beware of covetousness. Why? For a man's life does not consist in the abundance of things which he possesses. And this verse is absolutely, totally contradictory to the materialistic age in which we live.

[John Weaver] Everybody wants a bigger house bigger cars more TVs I mean anything that you can get the philosophy is get all you can and get all you can get And all of us have basically seen the bumper stickers one of them. I saw this red like this He who dies with the most toys wins Which is ridiculous and I saw one on another car it was a lady's car it just simply said I She who dies with the most material wins. She was a seamstress. Well, you know That's the difference I guess between men and women but I'm just simply saying that our Lord is saying look The truth is this whatever you possess.

[John Weaver] I don't care how great it is. I don't care how valuable it is I don't care how beautiful it is You're gonna die and leave it You're not taking it with you. It's just that simple. I Now, we have to understand something else about covetousness. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter 2. 2 Peter 2, if you would, please. 2 Peter 2, because I want you to see that covetousness drives some men to make merchandise out of others. 2nd Peter chapter 2 Let's begin reading there with verse 1 But there were false prophets also among the people Even as there shall be false teachers among you who privately shall bring in damnable heresies Even denying the Lord that brought them bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

[John Weaver] I and many shall follow their pernicious or wicked ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of and through covetousness shall they with fain words make merchandise of you whose judgment now of a long time lingers not and their damnation slumbers not but note if you would who through covetousness and with fain words shall make merchandise of you And he's talking about false prophets. He's talking about false teachers. He's talking about people who are willing to do whatever is necessary and destroy whomever is necessary to destroy in order to acquire more for themselves.

[John Weaver] I did not get to read the article, or at least not all of it. I did glance it. I just looked at an article just yesterday where a journalist was interviewing a man, I suppose, who was a sex trafficker. And he was trafficking young girls. And he was asked, well, could he sell all the young girls? No, not all. Well, what do you do with those that you cannot sell since you have them? I kill them." And he confessed to murdering from four to five hundred girls.

[John Weaver] You talking about making merchandise? Well, it's not only true in the secular world, it's also true in what you and I would call the religious world as well. Through feigned hypocritical Purposeful deceit and lies They make merchandise of people They get what they can from them Whether they destroy them, it's immaterial. They just take what they can take now If you will turn back in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 just to show you how serious Covetousness really is In the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 3, look at what he says, Ephesians 5 and verse 3. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness that it not be once named among you as becometh saints. Ain't that interesting? He puts fornication and uncleanness covetousness together and he says let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints if you would turn right on over a few pages to the book of Colossians chapter 3 and look if you would please at verse 5 Colossians 3 in verse 5 he says mortified

[John Weaver] therefore your members which are upon the earth and fornication uncleanness nor defection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry Now it's interesting that again he says that covetousness is idolatry It's also interesting that he said let this not be once named among you as becometh Saints Want you to go back in your Bibles to 1st Corinthians chapter 5 and let me show you something 1st Corinthians chapter 5 we started reading it earlier 1st Corinthians chapter 5 verse 9 And I'm just going to point this out There are a lot of Christians And I'm not condemning them when I say this. I'm just pointing it out. There are a lot of Christians that will say I Well, I'm not going to buy from that company because they support Transgenderism or sodomy or whatever and you know, I understand that and I have no problem with it And the truth of the matter is I probably wouldn't buy from them either But There are so many companies that support everything that you and I stand against that it's almost, well it's not almost, it is impossible not to do business with some of them.

[John Weaver] Let me show you. Look what the Apostle Paul said, 1 Corinthians chapter 5, he said, I wrote unto you in an epistle not to accompany with fornicators, yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, Or with the covetous or extortioners or with idolaters for then must you needs go out of the world So if i'm going to try to find a man or company to do business with That's not involved in covetousness or extortion or fornication. He says I got to go out of the world Because everybody's a sinner But let's go on look what he says in verse 11, but now I've written it to you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother a brother I've written to you not to keep company of any man that's called a brother be a fornicator or Covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such in one no not deed. I Paul says if you're gonna boycott anybody you boycott a professing believer who does these things Because he should know better I'm just simply pointing out the fact covetousness is Everywhere you turn in the world now if God condemns covetousness and forbids it which he does and How is that to affect our

[John Weaver] lives? If covetousness is not to be once named among the saints, how then are we to live? If we cease from the sin of covetousness, what will we become? Well, I've been nailing, I hope, the negative of the 10th commandment, thou shalt not covet. But I want to deal with the positive. with the implied promise of the Tenth Commandment and I'm going to tell you that the positive and the implied promise are basically one and the same if You learn to live without covetousness You will not only be obeying the positive side of the Tenth Commandment you will also be developing a biblical So,

[John Weaver] let's go back in our Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6 and let's begin reading there with verse 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 6. Watch carefully. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 6. He says, but godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be there with content.

[John Weaver] But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and to many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." Now note what he said, but godliness with contentment is great gain. You know what a contentment is? Contentment is a state of mind it refers to a calm and satisfied understanding Which delivers us from a spirit of murmuring and complaining and So he says that godliness with contentment is great gain piety godliness and And contentment then will enable us to acquiesce or bow to God's allotment in our lives. True godliness will always be contented regardless of one's state or predicament. Godliness will always rejoice in its portion whether it be a little or a lot.

[John Weaver] Now the Apostle Paul had something to say on this. So if you will turn your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 4 and let's begin reading there with verse 11 Philippians chapter 4 And watch verse 11 It requires very little of this world's goods to satisfy a man Who believes himself to be a citizen of another country? and he learns whatever state he is in therewith to be content. So look in Philippians chapter four with verse 11. The Apostle Paul said this, Philippians four, verse 11. Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.

[John Weaver] I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I'm instructed both to be full and to be hungry Both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me now notice if you would please pause that I've learned how to abound and I've also learned how to be abased I've learned how to be full and I've also learned how to be hungry. I've learned to have plenty. I've learned to suffer need.

[John Weaver] The truth of the matter is, usually in our lives, as one man says, it's always usually feast or famine. You either have plenty or you don't have plenty. And it's interesting, usually when you think you have plenty, sudden you get more bills than you ever had before in your life, or things tear up. In other words something is going to destroy that plenty.

[John Weaver] Now, here is the thing that I want to point out, look if you would please what the Apostle Paul said in verse 11, not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. Contentment is a learning experience. He said, I have actually learned it. Adam Clark said it like this, I am so satisfied with the wise providence and goodness of God that I know whatever he determines is the best and therefore I am perfectly contented that he should govern the world in the way which seems best to his godly wisdom. A contented mind is a continual feast.

[John Weaver] What do we get by murmuring and complaining? So, biblical contentment means this, Lord, you're wise, and in your providence, you send me what I need. You send me things when I need to abound. You take those things when I need to be abased. When I need to be hungry, you allow that. When I need to be full, you allow that. is that God is sovereign and that God is on the throne.

[John Weaver] I remember reading years ago an incident in the life of Martin Luther the Reformer. Philip Melanchthon worked with Luther, in fact he took over after Luther died. Luther was sitting in his desk reading and studying and things were not going well for the Reformation. I mean there was persecution and there was trouble arising on about every hand. And Philip Melanchthon was walking back and forth in the room wringing his hands saying, oh, Luther, Luther what shall we do?

[John Weaver] This is happening here, this is happening there. Oh, Luther, Luther what shall we do? Finally Martin Luther looked up from his desk and said, let Philip Melanchthon cease to rule the world and all shall be well. And that's true. And that's true. When we look at the situation that we're in in this country, the only thing we can say is God has everything under control and everything is going wrong just right.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 13. I'm still trying to tie this together for you. The positive side of the 10th commandment, thou shalt not covet, that we are to be contented and we're to be satisfied so in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 5 Look what he says let your conversation be without covetousness and Be content with such things as you have For he has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Now when he says, let your conversation be without covetousness, that doesn't mean that Effie and I are talking and I was saying, oh, I'd like to have a new Maserati or I'd like to have a new BMW. No, no, no. That's not what he's talking about. Well, of course, your conversation would involve your words. But the word conversation here means your lifestyle. It means your life. It means your deportment. It means how you live. It's your walk. So he says, let everything about you be without covetousness. And then he says, be content with such things as you have.

[John Weaver] The word conversation here is the Greek word tropos, which means a manner, a way, a fashion of life, one's character, one's deportment. So, godliness then will enable us to walk without covetousness.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just say this, When he says, be content with such things as you have, that does not mean that you cannot plan. It does not mean that you cannot work. It does not mean that you cannot say, well, I'd like to achieve this goal sometime in the next three months or sometime within the next year. But what it does mean is this. Whenever we have fulfilled all of our responsibilities, all of our obligations, we've done everything that we possibly can do what do we do we stop and we rest and we leave it in his hands and Just let him work it out and whatever he works it out and however, he works it out. It's gonna be fine with us now he says Let your conversation your life be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have now watch Here's why you can be content with a little or a lot of Because He has said, I will never leave thee, nor will I forsake thee.

[John Weaver] In other words, it doesn't matter if you're feasting or if you have famine. He's there. He's going to take care of us. He's never going to leave us. He's never going to forsake us. So we can be content in whatever state we find ourselves. Every time I read Hebrews 13, 5, I think of an incident that happened sometime back Alice came to me and she said, I need some new dresses.

[John Weaver] I have nothing to wear. She has an old closet full of nothing to wear. But so I told her, I said, well, we're Christians. I said, we need to go by the scripture, don't we? She said, well, of course. Well, I opened my Bible, Hebrews 13, verse five, and I read, be content with such things as you have. And she was content for about two minutes. And she was even more content after she got her new dresses.

[John Weaver] So it doesn't mean that you can't strive. It doesn't mean that you can't plan. It doesn't mean that you can't work. It doesn't mean that you can't acquire. But you know, if she had been unable to purchase those dresses, she would have had to been content with what she had. That's what it means. Do you understand that contentment is the opposite of covetousness? Think about this. If I am content, then I'm not going to covet. Why would I desire anything else if I was really content? If I'm contented with my wife, why would I desire another man's wife? If I'm contented with my automobile, why would I desire anybody else's automobile? If I'm contented with my clothes, why would I desire someone else's clothes? You see what I'm saying? So contentment is absolutely the opposite then of covetousness. So what the promise is, if we learn to live without covetousness, we learn to live with contentment and satisfaction. Apostle said that godliness with contentment is great gain. He didn't say godliness with a lot of houses, and property, and silver and gold are great gain.

[John Weaver] No. Godliness with contentment is great gain. So let me show you how the Lord says it. Look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 6. Matthew chapter 6. Matthew chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 25. Matthew 6 and verse 25. Watch, if you would, how our Lord tells us once again that we are not to be covetous, and why. Matthew 6, verse 25, look at it.

[John Weaver] Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, Or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, what you shall put on, is not life more than meat, and the body than raiment. Now look at the illustration that he gives. Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather in the barns. We do all that, but they don't. Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.

[John Weaver] Are you not much better than they? Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit into his stature? And why take you thought for remit? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, here's what you should understand, if God so clothed the grass of the field which today is, and tomorrow's cast in the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed?

[John Weaver] For after all these things do the Gentiles, or the unsaved, seek. For your Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. Now watch, And all these things shall be added unto you." All the food we need, all the ramen we need, everything else we need, if we seek Him first, all this is going to be added unto us.

[John Weaver] This is why He said, He will never leave us nor forsake us. Therefore we can be content with whatever we have The truth of the matter is this We waste our breath We waste our energy. We waste our time on seeking things That are gonna be left behind when we die I Remember reading about an exceedingly rich man who died in And as the pallbearers were carrying his casket to the burying place, one of the pallbearers looked at the other and whispered under his breath, how much did he leave? The other one responded, he left it all. And that's a fact. No matter how wealthy we are, we will lose it all and leave it all.

[John Weaver] Now I want to leave you with another scripture want you to listen to this one very carefully 2nd Corinthians chapter 9 and verse 8 and God is able to make all grace abound towards you that you always having all sufficiency in all things May abound under every good work God has promised if we seek him first and He's able to give us all sufficiency in all things that we may be able to abound in every good work. Two very quick applications. The first one is covetousness is idolatry.

[John Weaver] So when we lust after something, when we covet something, it's far more than just simply desiring something that's not ours. Covetousness actually dethrones God and enthrones ourselves and we say we don't care what God says and we don't care who God is we want what we want and we'll do whatever we need to do to get it. That is why covetousness is idolatry. If you and I learn the biblical contentment as did the Apostle Paul We will be the gainers.

[John Weaver] You have to remember that all murmuring and complaining and whining and bellyaching is that which brought judgment upon the children of Israel in the wilderness. It provokes God. It still provokes God. And obviously it challenges God's wisdom. It challenges his love. It challenges his providence. It's an insult to him. So if we learn to live without covetousness, we can learn to be content and satisfied with whatever God brings into our life, because we know that he's too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. And we know that whatever he does, he will do for our good and for his glory. So if we learn to live a life without covetousness, we'll learn to live a life of contentment and satisfaction.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. And Father, help us to understand and help us to obey. Thou shalt not covet. But Lord, not just the negative, but Lord, may we learn the positive. And may we learn biblical contentment and biblical trust in thee, because we know that thou art too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. And we know that your sovereign providence will always bring us that which is for our good and that which is for your glory. Give us grace that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In thy name we pray, amen. ♪ ♪ you

Promises of The Law - Part 20

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	YViEJsB7dFg
Subject	Biblical Law
Course	The Ten Commandments
Genre	Sermon
Date	2019-06-20
Dictation Name
Book	Book 005: Promises Of The Law — Chapter 20
Source Timed Segments	65

Formatted Transcript

Introduction to the Tenth Commandment

Covetousness is a sin often overlooked by Christians, yet it is broad, covering any desire for a neighbor's possessions, as seen in Deuteronomy 5:21 and Exodus 20:17.

Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor's. Covetousness is a sin that most Christians never really consider. Since we do not consider it, we do not understand it, and consequently, we engage in it quite often. And we tend to think that covetousness is normal and natural. And of course, obviously, it is normal and natural for those who are unconverted, for those who've never known the grace and the mercy of God. But for the child of God, he wants to live a life in obedience and holiness, and he wants to please his Heavenly Father. So, as you can see from our text in Deuteronomy 5 and verse 21, covetousness is exceedingly broad because he talks about your neighbor's wife, your neighbor's house, his field, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his ass, or anything that is a neighbor's. If you look back to the book of Exodus chapter 20 and verse 17 you will see the same Tenth Commandment.

But notice if you would it is worded just a little differently, not much. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's." Now when you compare these two scriptures, and we are going to look at them in a little better detail just momentarily. But when you compare these two scriptures you can see readily that covetousness is a strong desire to have something. But it's a strong desire to have something that belongs to someone else. It's not that you desire to have one like it. You want the one that your neighbor has. And so this is where you get into covetousness. So covetousness then extends to many things.

Hebrew and Greek Words for Covetousness

An overview of key terms: Hebrew chamad and avah (desire, lust), Greek philarguros (love of money), pleonektes (greedy for more), and epithumeo (lust), showing the breadth of the sin.

The husbands, wives, children, land, houses, buildings, it doesn't matter. So what I want to do at the beginning is I want to give you a quick overview of the Hebrew and the Greek words that are used to teach about covetousness, so I hope it will enlarge our understanding. So if you look back in the book of Exodus chapter 20 and verse 17, He says it like this, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house." Now the word covet here is the Hebrew word chamad, and it literally means to desire, to covet, to delight in, to lust after, and it talks about delectable things. In other words, you're finding pleasure in someone or in something that does not belong to you. So when you look in Deuteronomy 5 and verse 21 the word desire there when he says, "Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's wife." The word desire is the same Hebrew word as covet in Exodus chapter 20 and verse 17. However, the word covet in verse 21 of Deuteronomy 5 is a different word. It is the word avah, which means to desire, to lust, to long after, and to covet.

In other words, it is something then that indicates that one is craving, really desiring, and really wanting something that does not belong to them. Those are the two main Hebrew words. But I want you to turn in your Bibles if you would to Luke chapter 16 and 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 2. So if you look in Luke chapter 16 first and then we'll go to 2 Timothy chapter 2 or chapter 3 it is. Luke chapter 16 and verse 14. Luke 16 and verse 14. And notice if you would what is being said here. In fact I will come back to this verse just momentarily. Notice if you would Luke chapter 16 and verse 14. The Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Luke 16:14

"And the Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him."

Note if you would please the Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things, and they derided him. Then if you will look in 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 2, there the Bible says, "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy."

Now the reason I read those two verses together is because the word covetous there is the same identical Greek word. It is actually the word philarguros and actually it is translated covetous these two times. It is the word that we actually get our word avarice from which means a love of money. Basically speaking, it's made up of two Greek words, philos, which means love, and arguros, which is silver. So it is a love or a lust for silver or a love or lust for money. It means to love money or to love silver in such a way that you are greedy and vain and you're willing to do whatever is necessary to acquire it. Now, there's another Greek word, if you will look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 5, 1st Corinthians chapter 5 and Notice if you would please beginning there with verse 9 1st Corinthians 5 and verse 9 Just showing you the different words that are used to express this particular sin Pleonektes is the Greek word. Look at it in verse 9.

He says, "I wrote an epistle not to company with fornicators, yet not altogether with fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters, for then must you needs go out of the world." Now, let me ask that you turn right over to 2 Peter, and notice if you would please chapter 2 and verse 14. We will come back to this passage a little bit later as well. But look in 2 Peter 2 and verse 14 because you have basically the same word. Notice if you would 2nd Peter 2 in verse 14 He says having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls a heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed children, So this word actually occurs four times in the New Testament And it refers to someone who is really eager

to have more, especially that which belongs to others. So it really refers to individuals who happen to be greedy of gain in various forms. Now, when we talk about a negative, don't have to turn there but it is 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 3. The Bible is laying down some qualifications for a pastor, for a bishop, for an elder, whatever you want to call him. And one of the qualifications is that he is not to be greedy of filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous. Now the word covetous is a negative word. You remember I told you earlier that this word philarguros is made up of two Greek words philos love and arguros silver. Well this one is aphilarguros. So when you put an A or an alpha in front of a word it negates that word, it makes it a negative. And so therefore what he is saying is the pastor is not to be someone who is a lover of money, someone who is not to be a lover of silver, in other words he is not to be what we would call an avaricious man. His life is not to be one that is greedy of gain. He is not to be someone who is just striving to get anything and everything that he can probably get.

Now, even it talks about deacons in verse 8 in that passage it says, not greedy of filthy lucre be basically the same. But there is another word I want you to see it. I want you to turn to Acts chapter 20 Acts chapter 20. And look if you would please at verse 33. Acts 20 and verse 33. I want you to see how broad this is and how interconnected sins really are. In Acts chapter 20 and verse 33 you remember Paul has from Miletus he is sent to Ephesus and he has called the elders of the church and he is speaking to them And he says in Acts chapter 20 and verse 33 to them,

Scripture Reading — Acts 20:33

"I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel."

Now, the word coveted here is actually the Greek word epithumeo. Literally what he is saying,

Scripture Reading — Acts 20:33

"I have not lusted after any man's silver or gold or apparel."

So, the point I'm trying to make is this, your lust is whatever you set your passion upon. Epithumeo, epi is a preposition which means upon, and thumos is the noun which means passion. So, whatever you set your passion upon that is your lust. Now, what I want you to see is this, that lusting and covetousness go hand in hand. Paul said, "I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. I have lusted after no man's silver or gold or apparel." So obviously, when we lust, when we're desiring that which is not ours, it turns into covetousness, which we're going to see is indeed a very serious sin. Now, you must remember that any sin is serious enough to bring you into judgment. But I want you to turn back to 1 Corinthians 6, or turn over, I should say. We were in 1 Corinthians 6 earlier, or chapter 5, I guess it was. But look in chapter 6, and notice if you would, beginning there with verse 9, just trying to show you the seriousness of the sin of covetousness. 1 Corinthians 6, look in verse 9, The Apostle makes this statement, "Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God." So he said this is something you should know, the unrighteous are not going to inherit the Kingdom of God.

The Seriousness of Covetousness

Covetousness is grouped with grave sins like fornication and idolatry; the covetous will not inherit God's kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:5).

Then he says this, "Be not deceived." So if you think in some way that the unrighteous is going to inherit the Kingdom of God, he says you are deceived. So I don't want you to be deceived. "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." And I want you to note, if you would please, that the covetous individual, the man that is consumed with covetousness, is linked then with the man who is consumed with drunkenness, The one who's consumed with adultery, idolatry, sodomy, all of these things. So he's saying if your life is a life that is eaten up with covetousness, then obviously you're not converted at all and you're deceived if you think you are.

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 5:3,5

Now, look if you would please at verse 11, because he goes on to say this, "And such were," that's past tense, "and such were some of you. But you're washed but you're sanctified but you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." So obviously the Apostle is telling us that covetousness is indeed a very grievous sin. If you would turn over to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and look if you would please at verse 5 and Ephesians 5 and verse 5 just in case you did not understand 1st Corinthians chapter 6 He makes it even easier to understand in Ephesians 5 in verse 5 Look what he says for this you know have to have this understanding. "For this you 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." And I'm going to point this out later, and I've pointed it out in times past, but he says that covetousness is idolatry. Now, It would be painful enough, I would think, for a covetous person to be grouped together with the Pharisees, who were notorious haters of Jesus Christ. You remember that passage we quoted earlier in Luke 16 and verse 14, "And the Pharisees, who also were covetous, heard all these things and they derided Him." So, the Pharisees hated Jesus Christ. They mocked Jesus Christ. They derided Jesus Christ. And they were covetous. So, a covetous man is now grouped and linked together with the Pharisees.

Covetousness as a Lifestyle and Addiction

Covetousness becomes a practiced habit, exercising the heart like a gymnast, leading to an inability to cease from sin (2 Peter 2:14).

Now, I want you to understand that covetousness actually becomes a lifestyle. It becomes a habit and a practice that will actually consume you. So if you will go back in your Bibles to 2nd Peter we were there earlier 2nd Peter chapter 2 but this time I Want to begin reading a little earlier 2nd Peter chapter 2 And let's begin reading there with verse 12 2nd Peter 2 in verse 12 Because you can see there. He's talking about certain individuals 2nd Peter 2 verse 12

Scripture Reading — 2 Peter 2:12-14

"But these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime." "Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you."

Now look at verse 14.

Scripture Reading — 2 Peter 2:12-14

"Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls and heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed children."

Now let me point out the fact he says in verse 14 having eyes full of adultery and then he says it cannot cease from sin In other words it is

impossible for them to stop sinning. May I remind you of Matthew chapter 5 where our Lord said, "...whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Now He says having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin. And then He adds this, "...beguiling unstable souls." That is someone who has no understanding, No foundation, no stability, or easily beguiled. And then he makes this statement, "A heart they have exercised with covetous practices. Cursed children." Now, the interesting thing is the word exercised. A heart they have exercised with covetous practices. The word exercise is from the Greek word gumnazo, It is where we get our English word gymnasium or gymnastics. Someone sent me just recently a little video of one young woman who was a gymnast.

And watching her would make your mouth fall open because the girl was standing still, did a back flip, hit the floor, did a front flip all the way down to the end of the building. And when she got to the end of the building, she twirled her body sideways in the air before she hit the floor. Then came back the same way that she went down doing those flips and when she got back where she started in the air She turned her body sideways like that and then hit on both feet You think Wow, how can anybody do anything like that? Well, let me just tell you she didn't start yesterday doing that she practiced she Worked at it. She Gymnasticized herself so that she could reach that level now that is exactly what God is saying here that these people have Gymnasticized their hearts with covetous practices That's why he said their eyes are full of adultery that cannot cease from sin. They have exercised their heart they've exercised their eyes to the point that all of the sin, and all the rebellion, and all the wickedness, and all the disobedience is normal and natural for them.

They do it without thinking. They are addicted to it. They cannot stop it. It's like pornography. You remember I told you that the word pornography, porne is the Greek word for fornication. Graphe is the Greek word for writing. Pornography is just fornication writing is all it is. And there are people that have gotten hooked on pornography They can't stop and once they can't stop It gets worse and worse and becomes more and more gross because now it takes something More perverted to excite them and to stimulate them in and they're just absolutely destroyed so obviously they have exercised or

The Love of Money and Its Consequences

The love of money is the root of all evil; those who stretch themselves to grasp it err from the faith and pierce themselves with sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10).

gymnasticized themselves under that wickedness now and talking about thou shalt not covet. There is a dire warning given to us by our Lord in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and I want you to turn there if you would please. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and notice if you would please verse 10. We will come back to this passage a little bit later. But notice if you would 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 10. 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 10. He says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 6:10

"For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Now the word coveted in this passage is a different Greek word, oregomai. The word actually means to covet after and to desire.

However, it is a stronger word and it literally means to stretch oneself out to the nth degree in order to grasp something, to take hold of it, to reach after it. I got tickled at myself this morning because I had some feed buckets in the cow pen and I didn't want to get in. So I was reaching through the fence trying to reach that feed bucket and I was stretching to the nth degree And I could just barely touch it and I thought to myself how silly Let me just turn around and pick up this stick and bring the bucket to me and that's it But that's exactly what this word means. It means that you've stretched yourself out to the exact limit you are you are so covetous that you want this more than anything else and Now, there are several truths that are very plainly given to us right here.

The first one is this. It is not money that is the root of all evil. It's the love of money. It's the love of money. Now, the truth is everybody needs money. Everybody wants money. Everyone desires money. I tell people I have to pay for my groceries exactly the way you have to pay for your groceries. Don't walk in the store. They say oh, you're the pastor.

We're just gonna give it all to you. It doesn't work like that You know I have to buy tires the way you have to buy tires, but the difference is this There's an understanding that you need money and there's an understanding that you must use money to But that's quite different than stretching yourself out for it and and trying to get it every breath that you breathe and every time your eyebrow Or your eyelids bat you in the words You're not consumed with it. And what first Timothy chapter 6 in verse 10 is actually doing is telling us we are not to be consumed with this thing. And it is the love of money that will indeed destroy us.

But note what else he said, look in verse 10 he said, "Which some have coveted after and they have erred from the faith." Once you begin to covet in this way that you stretch yourself out for every little bit that you can get inevitably you are going to err from the faith. Why? Because if you want it that badly you are going to lie, you are going to steal, you are going to cheat, you are going to defraud, you are going to do whatever is necessary to get it. But look at this, he says in verse 10, not only have you erred from the faith, you've pierced themselves through with many sorrows. The Greek word for pierce here literally means to pierce through, and metaphorically speaking means to torture one's soul with sorrows.

So it's like taking a sharp arrow or a sharp knife and you're jabbing yourself over and over with it. Well that's what you're doing to your spirit, that's what you're doing to your soul. Now, So he says it is the love of money that is the root of all evil. And when you have this inordinate love obviously you are going to err from the faith and you are going to pierce yourself through with many sorrows. So here is the materialistic age expounded and saying this is the result of it.

Warnings Against Covetousness

Jesus warns to beware of covetousness because life does not consist in possessions (Luke 12:15); false teachers exploit others through covetousness (2 Peter 2:1-3).

Now I want you to go back in your Bibles to Luke chapter 12 Because I want you to see the warning that our Lord gives us in Luke chapter 12 and verse 15 Luke 12 verse 15 Look at what he says Luke 12 verse 15

Scripture Reading — Luke 12:15

"And he said unto them take heed and beware of covetousness for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth."

Isn't that amazing? And he said to them, take heed. In other words, you better pay attention and you better beware of covetousness. Why? For a man's life does not consist in the abundance of things which he possesses. And this verse is absolutely, totally contradictory to the materialistic age in which we live. Everybody wants a bigger house bigger cars more TVs I mean anything that you can get the philosophy is get all you can and get all you can get And all of us have basically seen the bumper stickers one of them. I saw this red like this He who dies with the most toys wins Which is ridiculous and I saw one on another car it was a lady's car it just simply said I She who dies with the most material wins. She was a seamstress. Well, you know That's the difference I guess between men and women but I'm just simply saying that our Lord is saying look The truth is this whatever you possess.

I don't care how great it is. I don't care how valuable it is I don't care how beautiful it is You're gonna die and leave it You're not taking it with you. It's just that simple. I Now, we have to understand something else about covetousness. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter 2. 2 Peter 2, if you would, please. 2 Peter 2, because I want you to see that covetousness drives some men to make merchandise out of others. 2nd Peter chapter 2 Let's begin reading there with verse 1 "But there were false prophets also among the people Even as there shall be false teachers among you who privately shall bring in damnable heresies Even denying the Lord that brought them bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

"And many shall follow their pernicious or wicked ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you whose judgment now of a long time lingers not and their damnation slumbers not." But note if you would who through covetousness and with feigned words shall make merchandise of you And he's talking about false prophets. He's talking about false teachers. He's talking about people who are willing to do whatever is necessary and destroy whomever is necessary to destroy in order to acquire more for themselves. I did not get to read the article, or at least not all of it. I did glance it. I just looked at an article just yesterday where a journalist was interviewing a man, I suppose, who was a sex trafficker. And he was trafficking young girls. And he was asked, well, could he sell all the young girls? No, not all. Well, what do you do with those that you cannot sell since you have them? "I kill them." And he confessed to murdering from four to five hundred girls.

The Positive Promise: Contentment

The opposite of covetousness is contentment; godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6-8). Paul learned to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13).

let's go back in our Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6 and let's begin reading there with verse 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 6. Watch carefully. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 6. He says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 6:6-9

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content."

"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and to many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." Now note what he said, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." You know what a contentment is? Contentment is a state of mind it refers to a calm and satisfied understanding Which delivers us from a spirit of murmuring and complaining and So he says that godliness with contentment is great gain piety godliness and And contentment then will enable us to acquiesce or bow to God's allotment in our lives. True godliness will always be contented regardless of one's state or predicament. Godliness will always rejoice in its portion whether it be a little or a lot.

Now the Apostle Paul had something to say on this. So if you will turn your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 4 and let's begin reading there with verse 11 Philippians chapter 4 And watch verse 11 It requires very little of this world's goods to satisfy a man Who believes himself to be a citizen of another country? and he learns whatever state he is in therewith to be content. So look in Philippians chapter four with verse 11. The Apostle Paul said this, Philippians four, verse 11.

Scripture Reading — Philippians 4:11-13

"Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content." "I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I'm instructed both to be full and to be hungry Both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me"

now notice if you would please pause that I've learned how to abound and I've also learned how to be abased I've learned how to be full and I've also learned how to be hungry. I've learned to have plenty. I've learned to suffer need.

The truth of the matter is, usually in our lives, as one man says, it's always usually feast or famine. You either have plenty or you don't have plenty. And it's interesting, usually when you think you have plenty, sudden you get more bills than you ever had before in your life, or things tear up. In other words something is going to destroy that plenty.

Now, here is the thing that I want to point out, look if you would please what the Apostle Paul said in verse 11, "Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content." Contentment is a learning experience. He said, I have actually learned it. Adam Clark said it like this, "I am so satisfied with the wise providence and goodness of God that I know whatever he determines is the best and therefore I am perfectly contented that he should govern the world in the way which seems best to his godly wisdom. A contented mind is a continual feast." What do we get by murmuring and complaining? So, biblical contentment means this, Lord, you're wise, and in your providence, you send me what I need. You send me things when I need to abound. You take those things when I need to be abased. When I need to be hungry, you allow that. When I need to be full, you allow that. is that God is sovereign and that God is on the throne.

I remember reading years ago an incident in the life of Martin Luther the Reformer. Philip Melanchthon worked with Luther, in fact he took over after Luther died. Luther was sitting in his desk reading and studying and things were not going well for the Reformation. I mean there was persecution and there was trouble arising on about every hand. And Philip Melanchthon was walking back and forth in the room wringing his hands saying, "Oh, Luther, Luther what shall we do?"

Living Without Covetousness

Believers are to let their lifestyle be without covetousness and be content with what they have, trusting God's promise never to leave or forsake them (Hebrews 13:5).

Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 13. I'm still trying to tie this together for you. The positive side of the 10th commandment, thou shalt not covet, that we are to be contented and we're to be satisfied so in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 5 Look what he says

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 13:5

"Let your conversation be without covetousness and Be content with such things as you have For he has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee"

Now when he says, let your conversation be without covetousness, that doesn't mean that Effie and I are talking and I was saying, oh, I'd like to have a new Maserati or I'd like to have a new BMW. No, no, no. That's not what he's talking about. Well, of course, your conversation would involve your words. But the word conversation here means your lifestyle. It means your life. It means your deportment. It means how you live. It's your walk. So he says, let everything about you be without covetousness. And then he says, be content with such things as you have.

The word conversation here is the Greek word tropos, which means a manner, a way, a fashion of life, one's character, one's deportment. So, godliness then will enable us to walk without covetousness. Now, let me just say this, When he says, be content with such things as you have, that does not mean that you cannot plan. It does not mean that you cannot work. It does not mean that you cannot say, well, I'd like to achieve this goal sometime in the next three months or sometime within the next year. But what it does mean is this. Whenever we have fulfilled all of our responsibilities, all of our obligations, we've done everything that we possibly can do what do we do we stop and we rest and we leave it in his hands and Just let him work it out and whatever he works it out and however, he works it out. It's gonna be fine with us now he says Let your conversation your life be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have now watch Here's why you can be content with a little or a lot of Because He has said, "I will never leave thee, nor will I forsake thee."

In other words, it doesn't matter if you're feasting or if you have famine. He's there. He's going to take care of us. He's never going to leave us. He's never going to forsake us. So we can be content in whatever state we find ourselves. Every time I read Hebrews 13, 5, I think of an incident that happened sometime back Alice came to me and she said, "I need some new dresses."

I have nothing to wear. She has an old closet full of nothing to wear. But so I told her, I said, well, we're Christians. I said, we need to go by the scripture, don't we? She said, well, of course. Well, I opened my Bible, Hebrews 13, verse five, and I read, "Be content with such things as you have." And she was content for about two minutes. And she was even more content after she got her new dresses.

Seeking God's Kingdom First

Jesus teaches not to worry about material needs but to seek God's kingdom first, and all these things will be added (Matthew 6:25-33).

"Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, Or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, what you shall put on, is not life more than meat, and the body than raiment." Now look at the illustration that he gives. "Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather in the barns." We do all that, but they don't. "Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them." "Are you not much better than they? Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit into his stature? And why take you thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, here's what you should understand, if God so clothed the grass of the field which today is, and tomorrow's cast in the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed?"

"For after all these things do the Gentiles, or the unsaved, seek. For your Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness." Now watch, "And all these things shall be added unto you." All the food we need, all the raiment we need, everything else we need, if we seek Him first, all this is going to be added unto us.

Applications and Conclusion

Covetousness is idolatry because it dethrones God; learning contentment brings gain and honors God's providence. Trust that God is too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake.

So when we lust after something, when we covet something, it's far more than just simply desiring something that's not ours. Covetousness actually dethrones God and enthrones ourselves and we say we don't care what God says and we don't care who God is we want what we want and we'll do whatever we need to do to get it. That is why covetousness is idolatry. If you and I learn the biblical contentment as did the Apostle Paul We will be the gainers. You have to remember that all murmuring and complaining and whining and bellyaching is that which brought judgment upon the children of Israel in the wilderness. It provokes God. It still provokes God. And obviously it challenges God's wisdom. It challenges his love. It challenges his providence. It's an insult to him. So if we learn to live without covetousness, we can learn to be content and satisfied with whatever God brings into our life, because we know that he's too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. And we know that whatever he does, he will do for our good and for his glory. So if we learn to live a life without covetousness, we'll learn to live a life of contentment and satisfaction.

Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. And Father, help us to understand and help us to obey. Thou shalt not covet. But Lord, not just the negative, but Lord, may we learn the positive. And may we learn biblical contentment and biblical trust in thee, because we know that thou art too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. And we know that your sovereign providence will always bring us that which is for our good and that which is for your glory. Give us grace that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In thy name we pray, amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Definition and Breadth of Covetousness

Summary: Covetousness is a strong desire for something belonging to another, extending to any possession, and is rooted in lust.

Evidence: Pastor Weaver explains the Hebrew and Greek words, noting that covetousness is 'a strong desire to have something that belongs to someone else' and 'extends to many things' (Deuteronomy 5:21; Exodus 20:17).

Covetousness as Idolatry

Summary: Covetousness is equated with idolatry because it replaces God with self and material desires.

Evidence: Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5 are cited: 'covetousness which is idolatry.' The pastor states, 'Covetousness actually dethrones God and enthrones ourselves.'

Seriousness and Consequences of Covetousness

Summary: Covetousness is listed among sins that exclude from God's kingdom and leads to erring from the faith and self-inflicted sorrows.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1 Timothy 6:10 are used to show that the covetous will not inherit the kingdom and pierce themselves with many sorrows.

Covetousness as a Practiced Habit

Summary: Covetousness becomes an exercised, addictive lifestyle that makes sin normal and ceaseless.

Evidence: 2 Peter 2:14 describes those who 'have exercised their heart with covetous practices,' using the Greek gumnazo (gymnasticize).

Contentment as the Opposite of Covetousness

Summary: Biblical contentment is a learned state of satisfaction with God's provision, directly opposing covetousness.

Evidence: 1 Timothy 6:6 says 'godliness with contentment is great gain.' Paul learned to be content in all states (Philippians 4:11-13).

Trust in God's Providence

Summary: Contentment is possible because God promises never to leave or forsake His people and will provide all needs when His kingdom is sought first.

Evidence: Hebrews 13:5 and Matthew 6:25-33 are cited to show that God feeds the birds and clothes the lilies, and will much more care for His children.

Key Arguments

Covetousness is a sin often ignored by Christians

Summary: Many believers do not consider covetousness a serious sin, yet it is broad and pervasive.

Evidence: Pastor Weaver states, 'Covetousness is a sin that most Christians never really consider... we engage in it quite often.'

Covetousness is linked to lust and idolatry

Summary: The Greek word epithumeo shows that coveting is lusting after what belongs to another, and Scripture calls it idolatry.

Evidence: Acts 20:33 uses epithumeo for coveting; Ephesians 5:5 says a covetous man is an idolater.

Covetousness excludes from God's kingdom

Summary: The unrighteous, including the covetous, will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Evidence: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 lists covetous among those who will not inherit the kingdom.

Covetousness becomes an addictive practice

Summary: Through repeated exercise, covetousness becomes a lifestyle that cannot cease from sin.

Evidence: 2 Peter 2:14 says they 'have exercised their heart with covetous practices,' using gumnazo (gymnasticize).

The love of money leads to ruin

Summary: Loving money causes one to err from the faith and brings many sorrows.

Evidence: 1 Timothy 6:10 warns that those who covet after money pierce themselves through with many sorrows.

Contentment is learned and is great gain

Summary: Paul learned to be content in all circumstances; godliness with contentment is true wealth.

Evidence: Philippians 4:11-13 and 1 Timothy 6:6 show that contentment is a learned state and great gain.

God's provision enables contentment

Summary: Because God promises never to leave or forsake us, we can be content with what we have.

Evidence: Hebrews 13:5 commands a lifestyle without covetousness and contentment, based on God's promise.

Seeking God's kingdom first ensures provision

Summary: When we prioritize God's kingdom, He adds all necessary material things.

Evidence: Matthew 6:33 promises that all these things will be added when we seek first the kingdom.

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 5:21

Context: The Tenth Commandment as given in Deuteronomy, listing things not to covet.

Exodus 20:17

Context: The Tenth Commandment in Exodus, with slightly different wording.

Luke 16:14

Context: The covetous Pharisees derided Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:2

Context: Men will be covetous in the last days.

1 Corinthians 5:9-11

Context: Instructions not to keep company with covetous professing believers.

2 Peter 2:14

Context: Eyes full of adultery, hearts exercised with covetous practices.

1 Timothy 3:3

Context: A bishop must not be covetous (aphilarguros).

Acts 20:33

Context: Paul coveted no man's silver, gold, or apparel (epithumeo).

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Context: The unrighteous, including the covetous, will not inherit the kingdom; but some were washed.

Ephesians 5:3,5

Context: Covetousness not to be named among saints; a covetous man is an idolater.

2 Peter 2:12-14

Context: False teachers with eyes full of adultery, hearts exercised in covetousness.

Matthew 5:28

Context: Whoever looks at a woman to lust has committed adultery in his heart.

1 Timothy 6:10

Context: The love of money is the root of all evil; some have erred from the faith and pierced themselves with sorrows.

Luke 12:15

Context: Take heed and beware of covetousness; life does not consist in possessions.

2 Peter 2:1-3

Context: False teachers through covetousness make merchandise of people.

Colossians 3:5

Context: Mortify covetousness, which is idolatry.

1 Timothy 6:6-9

Context: Godliness with contentment is great gain; those who desire to be rich fall into temptation.

Philippians 4:11-13

Context: Paul learned to be content in all circumstances through Christ who strengthens him.

Hebrews 13:5

Context: Let your lifestyle be without covetousness; be content with what you have, for God will never leave you.

Matthew 6:25-33

Context: Do not worry about material needs; seek first God's kingdom and all these things will be added.

Historical References

Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon

Context: An incident where Melanchthon worried about the Reformation, and Luther told him to cease trying to rule the world, illustrating trust in God's sovereignty.

Adam Clarke's commentary on contentment

Context: Quoted as saying, 'I am so satisfied with the wise providence and goodness of God... A contented mind is a continual feast.'

Important Quotes

Covetousness is a sin that most Christians never really consider. Since we do not consider it, we do not understand it, and consequently, we engage in it quite often.

Significance: Highlights the overlooked nature of covetousness among believers.

Covetousness is a strong desire to have something. But it's a strong desire to have something that belongs to someone else.

Significance: Defines the essence of covetousness.

Covetousness actually dethrones God and enthrones ourselves and we say we don't care what God says and we don't care who God is we want what we want and we'll do whatever we need to do to get it.

Significance: Explains why covetousness is idolatry.

Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Significance: The key positive promise of the Tenth Commandment.

I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.

Significance: Paul's testimony of learned contentment.

Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

Significance: The command and promise enabling a covetous-free life.

He's too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake.

Significance: Summary of trust in God's character that undergirds contentment.

Discussion Questions

Why do you think covetousness is a sin that many Christians overlook or consider normal?

Context: Pastor Weaver states that most Christians never really consider covetousness and engage in it often.

How does understanding the original Hebrew and Greek words for covetousness deepen your understanding of this sin?

Context: The lecture surveys chamad, avah, philarguros, pleonektes, and epithumeo.

In what ways is covetousness a form of idolatry, and how does that change your view of its seriousness?

Context: Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5 equate covetousness with idolatry.

What does it mean to 'exercise' or 'gymnasticize' one's heart with covetous practices, and how can we guard against this?

Context: 2 Peter 2:14 uses gumnazo to describe practiced covetousness.

How can the love of money cause someone to err from the faith and pierce themselves with sorrows?

Context: 1 Timothy 6:10 warns of these consequences.

What practical steps can help a believer learn contentment in every circumstance?

Context: Paul said he learned to be content; the lecture emphasizes trusting God's providence.

How does the promise 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee' enable a lifestyle without covetousness?

Context: Hebrews 13:5 links contentment to this promise.

What does it look like to seek first the kingdom of God in a materialistic culture?

Context: Matthew 6:33 is presented as the antidote to worry and covetousness.

Applications

Examine your heart for covetous desires

Summary: Recognize that covetousness is often overlooked; ask God to reveal any strong desires for what belongs to others.

Evidence: Pastor Weaver says, 'Covetousness is a sin that most Christians never really consider... we engage in it quite often.'

View covetousness as idolatry

Summary: Understand that coveting dethrones God and enthrones self; repent of any desire that competes with God's rightful place.

Evidence: He states, 'Covetousness actually dethrones God and enthrones ourselves.'

Guard against the love of money

Summary: Avoid stretching yourself to grasp wealth; recognize that loving money leads to spiritual ruin and sorrow.

Evidence: 1 Timothy 6:10 is cited: 'the love of money is the root of all evil... pierced themselves through with many sorrows.'

Learn contentment through trust in God's providence

Summary: Practice being satisfied with what God provides, knowing He is sovereign and will never forsake you.

Evidence: Philippians 4:11-13 and Hebrews 13:5 are used to teach contentment as a learned trust.

Seek God's kingdom first

Summary: Prioritize God's righteousness and kingdom over material pursuits, trusting Him to add needed things.

Evidence: Matthew 6:33 is quoted: 'seek ye first the kingdom of God... and all these things shall be added.'

Cease murmuring and complaining

Summary: Stop whining about circumstances; such attitudes provoke God and challenge His wisdom and love.

Evidence: Pastor Weaver warns, 'all murmuring and complaining... provokes God... challenges His wisdom... It's an insult to him.'

Evaluate your lifestyle for covetousness

Summary: Let your entire manner of life be free from covetousness, not just your words.

Evidence: Hebrews 13:5 says, 'Let your conversation [lifestyle] be without covetousness.'

Rest in God's character

Summary: Trust that God is too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake, so you can be content in any state.

Evidence: The closing prayer affirms, 'thou art too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T22:03:17Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T22:39:22Z

Clean Transcript

Promises of The Law - Part 20

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbor's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is thy neighbor's. Covetousness is a sin that most Christians never really consider. Since we do not consider it, we do not understand it, and consequently, we engage in it quite often. And we tend to think that covetousness is normal and natural. And of course, obviously, it is normal and natural for those who are unconverted, for those who've never known the grace and the mercy of God. But for the child of God, he wants to live a life in obedience and holiness, and he wants to please his Heavenly Father. So, as you can see from our text in Deuteronomy 5 and verse 21, covetousness is exceedingly broad because he talks about your neighbor's wife, your neighbor's house, his field, his manservant, his maidservant, his ox, his ass, or anything that is a neighbor's. If you look back to the book of Exodus chapter 20 and verse 17 you will see the same Tenth Commandment.
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But notice if you would it is worded just a little differently, not much. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's."
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Now when you compare these two scriptures, and we are going to look at them in a little better detail just momentarily. But when you compare these two scriptures you can see readily that covetousness is a strong desire to have something. But it's a strong desire to have something that belongs to someone else. It's not that you desire to have one like it. You want the one that your neighbor has. And so this is where you get into covetousness. So covetousness then extends to many things.
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The husbands, wives, children, land, houses, buildings, it doesn't matter. So what I want to do at the beginning is I want to give you a quick overview of the Hebrew and the Greek words that are used to teach about covetousness, so I hope it will enlarge our understanding. So if you look back in the book of Exodus chapter 20 and verse 17, He says it like this, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house." Now the word covet here is the Hebrew word chamad, and it literally means to desire, to covet, to delight in, to lust after, and it talks about delectable things. In other words, you're finding pleasure in someone or in something that does not belong to you. So when you look in Deuteronomy 5 and verse 21 the word desire there when he says, "Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor's wife." The word desire is the same Hebrew word as covet in Exodus chapter 20 and verse 17. However, the word covet in verse 21 of Deuteronomy 5 is a different word. It is the word avah, which means to desire, to lust, to long after, and to covet.
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In other words, it is something then that indicates that one is craving, really desiring, and really wanting something that does not belong to them. Those are the two main Hebrew words. But I want you to turn in your Bibles if you would to Luke chapter 16 and 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 2. So if you look in Luke chapter 16 first and then we'll go to 2 Timothy chapter 2 or chapter 3 it is. Luke chapter 16 and verse 14. Luke 16 and verse 14.
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And notice if you would what is being said here. In fact I will come back to this verse just momentarily. Notice if you would Luke chapter 16 and verse 14. The Bible says, "And the Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him." Note if you would please the Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things, and they derided him. Then if you will look in 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 2, there the Bible says, "For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy."
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Now the reason I read those two verses together is because the word covetous there is the same identical Greek word. It is actually the word philarguros and actually it is translated covetous these two times. It is the word that we actually get our word avarice from which means a love of money. Basically speaking, it's made up of two Greek words, philos, which means love, and arguros, which is silver. So it is a love or a lust for silver or a love or lust for money. It means to love money or to love silver in such a way that you are greedy and vain and you're willing to do whatever is necessary to acquire it. Now, there's another Greek word, if you will look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 5, 1st Corinthians chapter 5 and Notice if you would please beginning there with verse 9 1st Corinthians 5 and verse 9 Just showing you the different words that are used to express this particular sin Pleonektes is the Greek word. Look at it in verse 9.
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He says, "I wrote an epistle not to company with fornicators, yet not altogether with fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters, for then must you needs go out of the world."
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Now, let me ask that you turn right over to 2 Peter, and notice if you would please chapter 2 and verse 14. We will come back to this passage a little bit later as well. But look in 2 Peter 2 and verse 14 because you have basically the same word. Notice if you would 2nd Peter 2 in verse 14 He says having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls a heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed children, So this word actually occurs four times in the New Testament And it refers to someone who is really eager
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to have more, especially that which belongs to others. So it really refers to individuals who happen to be greedy of gain in various forms.
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Now, when we talk about a negative, don't have to turn there but it is 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 3. The Bible is laying down some qualifications for a pastor, for a bishop, for an elder, whatever you want to call him. And one of the qualifications is that he is not to be greedy of filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous. Now the word covetous is a negative word.
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You remember I told you earlier that this word philarguros is made up of two Greek words philos love and arguros silver. Well this one is aphilarguros. So when you put an A or an alpha in front of a word it negates that word, it makes it a negative. And so therefore what he is saying is the pastor is not to be someone who is a lover of money, someone who is not to be a lover of silver, in other words he is not to be what we would call an avaricious man. His life is not to be one that is greedy of gain. He is not to be someone who is just striving to get anything and everything that he can probably get.
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Now, even it talks about deacons in verse 8 in that passage it says, not greedy of filthy lucre be basically the same. But there is another word I want you to see it. I want you to turn to Acts chapter 20 Acts chapter 20. And look if you would please at verse 33. Acts 20 and verse 33. I want you to see how broad this is and how interconnected sins really are. In Acts chapter 20 and verse 33 you remember Paul has from Miletus he is sent to Ephesus and he has called the elders of the church and he is speaking to them And he says in Acts chapter 20 and verse 33 to them, "I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel." Now, the word coveted here is actually the Greek word epithumeo. Literally what he is saying, "I have not lusted after any man's silver or gold or apparel."
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So, the point I'm trying to make is this, your lust is whatever you set your passion upon. Epithumeo, epi is a preposition which means upon, and thumos is the noun which means passion. So, whatever you set your passion upon that is your lust.
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Now, what I want you to see is this, that lusting and covetousness go hand in hand. Paul said, "I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. I have lusted after no man's silver or gold or apparel." So obviously, when we lust, when we're desiring that which is not ours, it turns into covetousness, which we're going to see is indeed a very serious sin. Now, you must remember that any sin is serious enough to bring you into judgment. But I want you to turn back to 1 Corinthians 6, or turn over, I should say. We were in 1 Corinthians 6 earlier, or chapter 5, I guess it was. But look in chapter 6, and notice if you would, beginning there with verse 9, just trying to show you the seriousness of the sin of covetousness. 1 Corinthians 6, look in verse 9, The Apostle makes this statement, "Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God." So he said this is something you should know, the unrighteous are not going to inherit the Kingdom of God.
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Then he says this, "Be not deceived." So if you think in some way that the unrighteous is going to inherit the Kingdom of God, he says you are deceived. So I don't want you to be deceived. "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." And I want you to note, if you would please, that the covetous individual, the man that is consumed with covetousness, is linked then with the man who is consumed with drunkenness, The one who's consumed with adultery, idolatry, sodomy, all of these things. So he's saying if your life is a life that is eaten up with covetousness, then obviously you're not converted at all and you're deceived if you think you are.
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Now, look if you would please at verse 11, because he goes on to say this, "And such were," that's past tense, "and such were some of you. But you're washed but you're sanctified but you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." So obviously the Apostle is telling us that covetousness is indeed a very grievous sin. If you would turn over to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and look if you would please at verse 5 and Ephesians 5 and verse 5 just in case you did not understand 1st Corinthians chapter 6 He makes it even easier to understand in Ephesians 5 in verse 5 Look what he says for this you know have to have this understanding.
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"For this you 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." And I'm going to point this out later, and I've pointed it out in times past, but he says that covetousness is idolatry. Now, It would be painful enough, I would think, for a covetous person to be grouped together with the Pharisees, who were notorious haters of Jesus Christ. You remember that passage we quoted earlier in Luke 16 and verse 14, "And the Pharisees, who also were covetous, heard all these things and they derided Him." So, the Pharisees hated Jesus Christ. They mocked Jesus Christ. They derided Jesus Christ. And they were covetous. So, a covetous man is now grouped and linked together with the Pharisees.
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Now, I want you to understand that covetousness actually becomes a lifestyle. It becomes a habit and a practice that will actually consume you. So if you will go back in your Bibles to 2nd Peter we were there earlier 2nd Peter chapter 2 but this time I Want to begin reading a little earlier 2nd Peter chapter 2 And let's begin reading there with verse 12 2nd Peter 2 in verse 12 Because you can see there. He's talking about certain individuals 2nd Peter 2 verse 12 "But these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime."
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"Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you." Now look at verse 14. "Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls and heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed children." Now let me point out the fact he says in verse 14 having eyes full of adultery and then he says it cannot cease from sin In other words it is
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impossible for them to stop sinning. May I remind you of Matthew chapter 5 where our Lord said, "...whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."
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Now He says having eyes full of adultery that cannot cease from sin. And then He adds this, "...beguiling unstable souls." That is someone who has no understanding, No foundation, no stability, or easily beguiled. And then he makes this statement, "A heart they have exercised with covetous practices. Cursed children." Now, the interesting thing is the word exercised. A heart they have exercised with covetous practices. The word exercise is from the Greek word gumnazo, It is where we get our English word gymnasium or gymnastics. Someone sent me just recently a little video of one young woman who was a gymnast.
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And watching her would make your mouth fall open because the girl was standing still, did a back flip, hit the floor, did a front flip all the way down to the end of the building. And when she got to the end of the building, she twirled her body sideways in the air before she hit the floor. Then came back the same way that she went down doing those flips and when she got back where she started in the air She turned her body sideways like that and then hit on both feet You think Wow, how can anybody do anything like that?
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Well, let me just tell you she didn't start yesterday doing that she practiced she Worked at it. She Gymnasticized herself so that she could reach that level now that is exactly what God is saying here that these people have Gymnasticized their hearts with covetous practices That's why he said their eyes are full of adultery that cannot cease from sin. They have exercised their heart they've exercised their eyes to the point that all of the sin, and all the rebellion, and all the wickedness, and all the disobedience is normal and natural for them.
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They do it without thinking. They are addicted to it. They cannot stop it. It's like pornography. You remember I told you that the word pornography, porne is the Greek word for fornication. Graphe is the Greek word for writing. Pornography is just fornication writing is all it is. And there are people that have gotten hooked on pornography They can't stop and once they can't stop It gets worse and worse and becomes more and more gross because now it takes something More perverted to excite them and to stimulate them in and they're just absolutely destroyed so obviously they have exercised or
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gymnasticized themselves under that wickedness now and talking about thou shalt not covet. There is a dire warning given to us by our Lord in 1 Timothy chapter 6 and I want you to turn there if you would please. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and notice if you would please verse 10. We will come back to this passage a little bit later. But notice if you would 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 10. 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 10. He says, "For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." Now the word coveted in this passage is a different Greek word, oregomai. The word actually means to covet after and to desire.
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However, it is a stronger word and it literally means to stretch oneself out to the nth degree in order to grasp something, to take hold of it, to reach after it. I got tickled at myself this morning because I had some feed buckets in the cow pen and I didn't want to get in. So I was reaching through the fence trying to reach that feed bucket and I was stretching to the nth degree And I could just barely touch it and I thought to myself how silly Let me just turn around and pick up this stick and bring the bucket to me and that's it But that's exactly what this word means. It means that you've stretched yourself out to the exact limit you are you are so covetous that you want this more than anything else and Now, there are several truths that are very plainly given to us right here.
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The first one is this. It is not money that is the root of all evil. It's the love of money. It's the love of money. Now, the truth is everybody needs money. Everybody wants money. Everyone desires money. I tell people I have to pay for my groceries exactly the way you have to pay for your groceries. Don't walk in the store. They say oh, you're the pastor.
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We're just gonna give it all to you. It doesn't work like that You know I have to buy tires the way you have to buy tires, but the difference is this There's an understanding that you need money and there's an understanding that you must use money to But that's quite different than stretching yourself out for it and and trying to get it every breath that you breathe and every time your eyebrow Or your eyelids bat you in the words You're not consumed with it. And what first Timothy chapter 6 in verse 10 is actually doing is telling us we are not to be consumed with this thing. And it is the love of money that will indeed destroy us.
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But note what else he said, look in verse 10 he said, "Which some have coveted after and they have erred from the faith." Once you begin to covet in this way that you stretch yourself out for every little bit that you can get inevitably you are going to err from the faith. Why? Because if you want it that badly you are going to lie, you are going to steal, you are going to cheat, you are going to defraud, you are going to do whatever is necessary to get it. But look at this, he says in verse 10, not only have you erred from the faith, you've pierced themselves through with many sorrows. The Greek word for pierce here literally means to pierce through, and metaphorically speaking means to torture one's soul with sorrows.
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So it's like taking a sharp arrow or a sharp knife and you're jabbing yourself over and over with it. Well that's what you're doing to your spirit, that's what you're doing to your soul.
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Now, So he says it is the love of money that is the root of all evil. And when you have this inordinate love obviously you are going to err from the faith and you are going to pierce yourself through with many sorrows. So here is the materialistic age expounded and saying this is the result of it.
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Now I want you to go back in your Bibles to Luke chapter 12 Because I want you to see the warning that our Lord gives us in Luke chapter 12 and verse 15 Luke 12 verse 15 Look at what he says Luke 12 verse 15 "And he said unto them take heed and beware of covetousness for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth." Isn't that amazing? And he said to them, take heed. In other words, you better pay attention and you better beware of covetousness. Why? For a man's life does not consist in the abundance of things which he possesses. And this verse is absolutely, totally contradictory to the materialistic age in which we live.
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Everybody wants a bigger house bigger cars more TVs I mean anything that you can get the philosophy is get all you can and get all you can get And all of us have basically seen the bumper stickers one of them. I saw this red like this He who dies with the most toys wins Which is ridiculous and I saw one on another car it was a lady's car it just simply said I She who dies with the most material wins. She was a seamstress. Well, you know That's the difference I guess between men and women but I'm just simply saying that our Lord is saying look The truth is this whatever you possess.
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I don't care how great it is. I don't care how valuable it is I don't care how beautiful it is You're gonna die and leave it You're not taking it with you. It's just that simple. I Now, we have to understand something else about covetousness. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter 2. 2 Peter 2, if you would, please. 2 Peter 2, because I want you to see that covetousness drives some men to make merchandise out of others. 2nd Peter chapter 2 Let's begin reading there with verse 1 "But there were false prophets also among the people Even as there shall be false teachers among you who privately shall bring in damnable heresies Even denying the Lord that brought them bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
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"And many shall follow their pernicious or wicked ways by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you whose judgment now of a long time lingers not and their damnation slumbers not." But note if you would who through covetousness and with feigned words shall make merchandise of you And he's talking about false prophets. He's talking about false teachers. He's talking about people who are willing to do whatever is necessary and destroy whomever is necessary to destroy in order to acquire more for themselves.
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I did not get to read the article, or at least not all of it. I did glance it. I just looked at an article just yesterday where a journalist was interviewing a man, I suppose, who was a sex trafficker. And he was trafficking young girls. And he was asked, well, could he sell all the young girls? No, not all. Well, what do you do with those that you cannot sell since you have them? "I kill them." And he confessed to murdering from four to five hundred girls.
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You talking about making merchandise? Well, it's not only true in the secular world, it's also true in what you and I would call the religious world as well. Through feigned hypocritical Purposeful deceit and lies They make merchandise of people They get what they can from them Whether they destroy them, it's immaterial. They just take what they can take now If you will turn back in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 just to show you how serious Covetousness really is In the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 3, look at what he says, Ephesians 5 and verse 3. "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not be once named among you as becometh saints." Ain't that interesting? He puts fornication and uncleanness covetousness together and he says let it not be once named among you as becometh Saints if you would turn right on over a few pages to the book of Colossians chapter 3 and look if you would please at verse 5 Colossians 3 in verse 5 he says mortified
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therefore your members which are upon the earth and fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is idolatry Now it's interesting that again he says that covetousness is idolatry It's also interesting that he said let this not be once named among you as becometh Saints Want you to go back in your Bibles to 1st Corinthians chapter 5 and let me show you something 1st Corinthians chapter 5 we started reading it earlier 1st Corinthians chapter 5 verse 9 And I'm just going to point this out There are a lot of Christians And I'm not condemning them when I say this. I'm just pointing it out. There are a lot of Christians that will say I Well, I'm not going to buy from that company because they support Transgenderism or sodomy or whatever and you know, I understand that and I have no problem with it And the truth of the matter is I probably wouldn't buy from them either But There are so many companies that support everything that you and I stand against that it's almost, well it's not almost, it is impossible not to do business with some of them.
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Let me show you. Look what the Apostle Paul said, 1 Corinthians chapter 5, he said, "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to accompany with fornicators, yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, Or with the covetous or extortioners or with idolaters for then must you needs go out of the world" So if i'm going to try to find a man or company to do business with That's not involved in covetousness or extortion or fornication. He says I got to go out of the world Because everybody's a sinner But let's go on look what he says in verse 11, "But now I've written it to you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother a brother I've written to you not to keep company of any man that's called a brother be a fornicator or Covetous or an idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such in one no not deed." Paul says if you're gonna boycott anybody you boycott a professing believer who does these things Because he should know better I'm just simply pointing out the fact covetousness is Everywhere you turn in the world now if God condemns covetousness and forbids it which he does and How is that to affect our
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lives? If covetousness is not to be once named among the saints, how then are we to live? If we cease from the sin of covetousness, what will we become? Well, I've been nailing, I hope, the negative of the 10th commandment, thou shalt not covet. But I want to deal with the positive. with the implied promise of the Tenth Commandment and I'm going to tell you that the positive and the implied promise are basically one and the same if You learn to live without covetousness You will not only be obeying the positive side of the Tenth Commandment you will also be developing a biblical So,
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let's go back in our Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6 and let's begin reading there with verse 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 6. Watch carefully. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 6. He says, "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content."
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"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and to many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." Now note what he said, "But godliness with contentment is great gain." You know what a contentment is? Contentment is a state of mind it refers to a calm and satisfied understanding Which delivers us from a spirit of murmuring and complaining and So he says that godliness with contentment is great gain piety godliness and And contentment then will enable us to acquiesce or bow to God's allotment in our lives. True godliness will always be contented regardless of one's state or predicament. Godliness will always rejoice in its portion whether it be a little or a lot.
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Now the Apostle Paul had something to say on this. So if you will turn your Bibles to the book of Philippians chapter 4 and let's begin reading there with verse 11 Philippians chapter 4 And watch verse 11 It requires very little of this world's goods to satisfy a man Who believes himself to be a citizen of another country? and he learns whatever state he is in therewith to be content. So look in Philippians chapter four with verse 11. The Apostle Paul said this, Philippians four, verse 11. "Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content."
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"I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I'm instructed both to be full and to be hungry Both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" now notice if you would please pause that I've learned how to abound and I've also learned how to be abased I've learned how to be full and I've also learned how to be hungry. I've learned to have plenty. I've learned to suffer need.
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The truth of the matter is, usually in our lives, as one man says, it's always usually feast or famine. You either have plenty or you don't have plenty. And it's interesting, usually when you think you have plenty, sudden you get more bills than you ever had before in your life, or things tear up. In other words something is going to destroy that plenty.
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Now, here is the thing that I want to point out, look if you would please what the Apostle Paul said in verse 11, "Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content." Contentment is a learning experience. He said, I have actually learned it. Adam Clark said it like this, "I am so satisfied with the wise providence and goodness of God that I know whatever he determines is the best and therefore I am perfectly contented that he should govern the world in the way which seems best to his godly wisdom. A contented mind is a continual feast."
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What do we get by murmuring and complaining? So, biblical contentment means this, Lord, you're wise, and in your providence, you send me what I need. You send me things when I need to abound. You take those things when I need to be abased. When I need to be hungry, you allow that. When I need to be full, you allow that. is that God is sovereign and that God is on the throne.
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I remember reading years ago an incident in the life of Martin Luther the Reformer. Philip Melanchthon worked with Luther, in fact he took over after Luther died. Luther was sitting in his desk reading and studying and things were not going well for the Reformation. I mean there was persecution and there was trouble arising on about every hand. And Philip Melanchthon was walking back and forth in the room wringing his hands saying, "Oh, Luther, Luther what shall we do?"
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This is happening here, this is happening there. Oh, Luther, Luther what shall we do? Finally Martin Luther looked up from his desk and said, "Let Philip Melanchthon cease to rule the world and all shall be well." And that's true. And that's true. When we look at the situation that we're in in this country, the only thing we can say is God has everything under control and everything is going wrong just right.
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Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Hebrews chapter 13. I'm still trying to tie this together for you. The positive side of the 10th commandment, thou shalt not covet, that we are to be contented and we're to be satisfied so in Hebrews chapter 13 and verse 5 Look what he says "Let your conversation be without covetousness and Be content with such things as you have For he has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" Now when he says, let your conversation be without covetousness, that doesn't mean that Effie and I are talking and I was saying, oh, I'd like to have a new Maserati or I'd like to have a new BMW. No, no, no. That's not what he's talking about. Well, of course, your conversation would involve your words. But the word conversation here means your lifestyle. It means your life. It means your deportment. It means how you live. It's your walk. So he says, let everything about you be without covetousness. And then he says, be content with such things as you have.
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The word conversation here is the Greek word tropos, which means a manner, a way, a fashion of life, one's character, one's deportment. So, godliness then will enable us to walk without covetousness.
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Now, let me just say this, When he says, be content with such things as you have, that does not mean that you cannot plan. It does not mean that you cannot work. It does not mean that you cannot say, well, I'd like to achieve this goal sometime in the next three months or sometime within the next year. But what it does mean is this. Whenever we have fulfilled all of our responsibilities, all of our obligations, we've done everything that we possibly can do what do we do we stop and we rest and we leave it in his hands and Just let him work it out and whatever he works it out and however, he works it out. It's gonna be fine with us now he says Let your conversation your life be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have now watch Here's why you can be content with a little or a lot of Because He has said, "I will never leave thee, nor will I forsake thee."
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In other words, it doesn't matter if you're feasting or if you have famine. He's there. He's going to take care of us. He's never going to leave us. He's never going to forsake us. So we can be content in whatever state we find ourselves. Every time I read Hebrews 13, 5, I think of an incident that happened sometime back Alice came to me and she said, "I need some new dresses."
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I have nothing to wear. She has an old closet full of nothing to wear. But so I told her, I said, well, we're Christians. I said, we need to go by the scripture, don't we? She said, well, of course. Well, I opened my Bible, Hebrews 13, verse five, and I read, "Be content with such things as you have." And she was content for about two minutes. And she was even more content after she got her new dresses.
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So it doesn't mean that you can't strive. It doesn't mean that you can't plan. It doesn't mean that you can't work. It doesn't mean that you can't acquire. But you know, if she had been unable to purchase those dresses, she would have had to been content with what she had. That's what it means. Do you understand that contentment is the opposite of covetousness? Think about this. If I am content, then I'm not going to covet. Why would I desire anything else if I was really content? If I'm contented with my wife, why would I desire another man's wife? If I'm contented with my automobile, why would I desire anybody else's automobile? If I'm contented with my clothes, why would I desire someone else's clothes? You see what I'm saying? So contentment is absolutely the opposite then of covetousness. So what the promise is, if we learn to live without covetousness, we learn to live with contentment and satisfaction. Apostle said that godliness with contentment is great gain. He didn't say godliness with a lot of houses, and property, and silver and gold are great gain.
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No. Godliness with contentment is great gain. So let me show you how the Lord says it. Look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 6. Matthew chapter 6. Matthew chapter 6. And let's begin reading there with verse 25. Matthew 6 and verse 25. Watch, if you would, how our Lord tells us once again that we are not to be covetous, and why. Matthew 6, verse 25, look at it.
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"Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, Or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body, what you shall put on, is not life more than meat, and the body than raiment." Now look at the illustration that he gives. "Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather in the barns." We do all that, but they don't. "Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them."
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"Are you not much better than they? Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit into his stature? And why take you thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, here's what you should understand, if God so clothed the grass of the field which today is, and tomorrow's cast in the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewithal shall we be clothed?"
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"For after all these things do the Gentiles, or the unsaved, seek. For your Heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness." Now watch, "And all these things shall be added unto you." All the food we need, all the raiment we need, everything else we need, if we seek Him first, all this is going to be added unto us.
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This is why He said, He will never leave us nor forsake us. Therefore we can be content with whatever we have The truth of the matter is this We waste our breath We waste our energy. We waste our time on seeking things That are gonna be left behind when we die I Remember reading about an exceedingly rich man who died in And as the pallbearers were carrying his casket to the burying place, one of the pallbearers looked at the other and whispered under his breath, "How much did he leave?" The other one responded, "He left it all." And that's a fact. No matter how wealthy we are, we will lose it all and leave it all.
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Now I want to leave you with another scripture want you to listen to this one very carefully 2nd Corinthians chapter 9 and verse 8 "And God is able to make all grace abound towards you that you always having all sufficiency in all things May abound under every good work" God has promised if we seek him first and He's able to give us all sufficiency in all things that we may be able to abound in every good work. Two very quick applications. The first one is covetousness is idolatry.
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So when we lust after something, when we covet something, it's far more than just simply desiring something that's not ours. Covetousness actually dethrones God and enthrones ourselves and we say we don't care what God says and we don't care who God is we want what we want and we'll do whatever we need to do to get it. That is why covetousness is idolatry. If you and I learn the biblical contentment as did the Apostle Paul We will be the gainers.
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You have to remember that all murmuring and complaining and whining and bellyaching is that which brought judgment upon the children of Israel in the wilderness. It provokes God. It still provokes God. And obviously it challenges God's wisdom. It challenges his love. It challenges his providence. It's an insult to him. So if we learn to live without covetousness, we can learn to be content and satisfied with whatever God brings into our life, because we know that he's too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. And we know that whatever he does, he will do for our good and for his glory. So if we learn to live a life without covetousness, we'll learn to live a life of contentment and satisfaction.
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Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to thee this day. We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. And Father, help us to understand and help us to obey. Thou shalt not covet. But Lord, not just the negative, but Lord, may we learn the positive. And may we learn biblical contentment and biblical trust in thee, because we know that thou art too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. And we know that your sovereign providence will always bring us that which is for our good and that which is for your glory. Give us grace that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In thy name we pray, amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T22:03:17Z

Promises of The Law - Part 20

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver expounds the Tenth Commandment, 'Thou shalt not covet,' showing that covetousness is a strong desire for what belongs to another, rooted in lust and idolatry. He surveys Hebrew and Greek terms to define the sin, warns of its seriousness by linking it to exclusion from God's kingdom, and presents biblical contentment as the positive promise: godliness with contentment is great gain. The lecture calls believers to trust God's providence, cease murmuring, and live satisfied with His allotment.

Introduction to the Tenth Commandment

Covetousness is a sin often overlooked by Christians, yet it is broad, covering any desire for a neighbor's possessions, as seen in Deuteronomy 5:21 and Exodus 20:17.

Hebrew and Greek Words for Covetousness

An overview of key terms: Hebrew chamad and avah (desire, lust), Greek philarguros (love of money), pleonektes (greedy for more), and epithumeo (lust), showing the breadth of the sin.

Scripture Reading — Luke 16:14

"And the Pharisees also who were covetous heard all these things and they derided him."

Scripture Reading — Acts 20:33

"I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel."

Now, the word coveted here is actually the Greek word epithumeo. Literally what he is saying,

Scripture Reading — Acts 20:33

"I have not lusted after any man's silver or gold or apparel."

The Seriousness of Covetousness

Covetousness is grouped with grave sins like fornication and idolatry; the covetous will not inherit God's kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:5).

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 5:3,5

Now, look if you would please at verse 11, because he goes on to say this, "And such were," that's past tense, "and such were some of you. But you're washed but you're sanctified but you're justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." So obviously the Apostle is telling us that covetousness is indeed a very grievous sin. If you would turn over to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and look if you would please at verse 5 and Ephesians 5 and verse 5 just in case you did not understand 1st Corinthians chapter 6 He makes it even easier to understand in Ephesians 5 in verse 5 Look what he says for this you know have to have this understanding. "For this you 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." And I'm going to point this out later, and I've pointed it out in times past, but he says that covetousness is idolatry. Now, It would be painful enough, I would think, for a covetous person to be grouped together with the Pharisees, who were notorious haters of Jesus Christ. You remember that passage we quoted earlier in Luke 16 and verse 14, "And the Pharisees, who also were covetous, heard all these things and they derided Him." So, the Pharisees hated Jesus Christ. They mocked Jesus Christ. They derided Jesus Christ. And they were covetous. So, a covetous man is now grouped and linked together with the Pharisees.

Covetousness as a Lifestyle and Addiction

Covetousness becomes a practiced habit, exercising the heart like a gymnast, leading to an inability to cease from sin (2 Peter 2:14).

Scripture Reading — 2 Peter 2:12-14

"But these as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption, and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime." "Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you."

Now look at verse 14.

Scripture Reading — 2 Peter 2:12-14

"Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls and heart they have exercised with covetous practices cursed children."

Now let me point out the fact he says in verse 14 having eyes full of adultery and then he says it cannot cease from sin In other words it is

The Love of Money and Its Consequences

The love of money is the root of all evil; those who stretch themselves to grasp it err from the faith and pierce themselves with sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10).

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 6:10

"For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

Now the word coveted in this passage is a different Greek word, oregomai. The word actually means to covet after and to desire.

Warnings Against Covetousness

Jesus warns to beware of covetousness because life does not consist in possessions (Luke 12:15); false teachers exploit others through covetousness (2 Peter 2:1-3).

Scripture Reading — Luke 12:15

"And he said unto them take heed and beware of covetousness for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth."

The Positive Promise: Contentment

The opposite of covetousness is contentment; godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6-8). Paul learned to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13).

let's go back in our Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 6 and let's begin reading there with verse 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 6. Watch carefully. 1 Timothy chapter 6 and verse 6. He says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 6:6-9

"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment, let us be therewith content."

Scripture Reading — Philippians 4:11-13

"Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content." "I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I'm instructed both to be full and to be hungry Both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me"

Living Without Covetousness

Believers are to let their lifestyle be without covetousness and be content with what they have, trusting God's promise never to leave or forsake them (Hebrews 13:5).

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 13:5

"Let your conversation be without covetousness and Be content with such things as you have For he has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee"

Seeking God's Kingdom First

Jesus teaches not to worry about material needs but to seek God's kingdom first, and all these things will be added (Matthew 6:25-33).

Applications and Conclusion

Covetousness is idolatry because it dethrones God; learning contentment brings gain and honors God's providence. Trust that God is too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake.

Promises of The Law - Part 20

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	YViEJsB7dFg
Subject	Biblical Law
Course	The Ten Commandments
Genre	Sermon
Date	2019-06-20
Dictation Name
Book	Book 005: Promises Of The Law — Chapter 20
Source Timed Segments	65

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction to the Tenth Commandment: Covetousness is a sin often overlooked by Christians, yet it is broad, covering any desire for a neighbor's possessions, as seen in Deuteronomy 5:21 and Exodus 20:17.
Hebrew and Greek Words for Covetousness: An overview of key terms: Hebrew chamad and avah (desire, lust), Greek philarguros (love of money), pleonektes (greedy for more), and epithumeo (lust), showing the breadth of the sin.
The Seriousness of Covetousness: Covetousness is grouped with grave sins like fornication and idolatry; the covetous will not inherit God's kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Ephesians 5:5).
Covetousness as a Lifestyle and Addiction: Covetousness becomes a practiced habit, exercising the heart like a gymnast, leading to an inability to cease from sin (2 Peter 2:14).
The Love of Money and Its Consequences: The love of money is the root of all evil; those who stretch themselves to grasp it err from the faith and pierce themselves with sorrows (1 Timothy 6:10).
Warnings Against Covetousness: Jesus warns to beware of covetousness because life does not consist in possessions (Luke 12:15); false teachers exploit others through covetousness (2 Peter 2:1-3).
The Positive Promise: Contentment: The opposite of covetousness is contentment; godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6-8). Paul learned to be content in all circumstances (Philippians 4:11-13).
Living Without Covetousness: Believers are to let their lifestyle be without covetousness and be content with what they have, trusting God's promise never to leave or forsake them (Hebrews 13:5).
Seeking God's Kingdom First: Jesus teaches not to worry about material needs but to seek God's kingdom first, and all these things will be added (Matthew 6:25-33).
Applications and Conclusion: Covetousness is idolatry because it dethrones God; learning contentment brings gain and honors God's providence. Trust that God is too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Covetousness is a sin often ignored by Christians

Many believers do not consider covetousness a serious sin, yet it is broad and pervasive.

Pastor Weaver states, 'Covetousness is a sin that most Christians never really consider... we engage in it quite often.'

Covetousness is linked to lust and idolatry

The Greek word epithumeo shows that coveting is lusting after what belongs to another, and Scripture calls it idolatry.

Acts 20:33 uses epithumeo for coveting; Ephesians 5:5 says a covetous man is an idolater.

Covetousness excludes from God's kingdom

The unrighteous, including the covetous, will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 lists covetous among those who will not inherit the kingdom.

Covetousness becomes an addictive practice

Through repeated exercise, covetousness becomes a lifestyle that cannot cease from sin.

2 Peter 2:14 says they 'have exercised their heart with covetous practices,' using gumnazo (gymnasticize).

The love of money leads to ruin

Loving money causes one to err from the faith and brings many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:10 warns that those who covet after money pierce themselves through with many sorrows.

Contentment is learned and is great gain

Paul learned to be content in all circumstances; godliness with contentment is true wealth.

Philippians 4:11-13 and 1 Timothy 6:6 show that contentment is a learned state and great gain.

God's provision enables contentment

Because God promises never to leave or forsake us, we can be content with what we have.

Hebrews 13:5 commands a lifestyle without covetousness and contentment, based on God's promise.

Seeking God's kingdom first ensures provision

When we prioritize God's kingdom, He adds all necessary material things.

Matthew 6:33 promises that all these things will be added when we seek first the kingdom.

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 5:21: The Tenth Commandment as given in Deuteronomy, listing things not to covet.
Exodus 20:17: The Tenth Commandment in Exodus, with slightly different wording.
Luke 16:14: The covetous Pharisees derided Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:2: Men will be covetous in the last days.
1 Corinthians 5:9-11: Instructions not to keep company with covetous professing believers.
2 Peter 2:14: Eyes full of adultery, hearts exercised with covetous practices.
1 Timothy 3:3: A bishop must not be covetous (aphilarguros).
Acts 20:33: Paul coveted no man's silver, gold, or apparel (epithumeo).
1 Corinthians 6:9-11: The unrighteous, including the covetous, will not inherit the kingdom; but some were washed.
Ephesians 5:3,5: Covetousness not to be named among saints; a covetous man is an idolater.
2 Peter 2:12-14: False teachers with eyes full of adultery, hearts exercised in covetousness.
Matthew 5:28: Whoever looks at a woman to lust has committed adultery in his heart.
1 Timothy 6:10: The love of money is the root of all evil; some have erred from the faith and pierced themselves with sorrows.
Luke 12:15: Take heed and beware of covetousness; life does not consist in possessions.
2 Peter 2:1-3: False teachers through covetousness make merchandise of people.
Colossians 3:5: Mortify covetousness, which is idolatry.
1 Timothy 6:6-9: Godliness with contentment is great gain; those who desire to be rich fall into temptation.
Philippians 4:11-13: Paul learned to be content in all circumstances through Christ who strengthens him.
Hebrews 13:5: Let your lifestyle be without covetousness; be content with what you have, for God will never leave you.
Matthew 6:25-33: Do not worry about material needs; seek first God's kingdom and all these things will be added.

Historical References

Martin Luther and Philip Melanchthon: An incident where Melanchthon worried about the Reformation, and Luther told him to cease trying to rule the world, illustrating trust in God's sovereignty.
Adam Clarke's commentary on contentment: Quoted as saying, 'I am so satisfied with the wise providence and goodness of God... A contented mind is a continual feast.'

Important Quotes

Covetousness is a sin that most Christians never really consider. Since we do not consider it, we do not understand it, and consequently, we engage in it quite often.

Highlights the overlooked nature of covetousness among believers.

Covetousness is a strong desire to have something. But it's a strong desire to have something that belongs to someone else.

Defines the essence of covetousness.

Covetousness actually dethrones God and enthrones ourselves and we say we don't care what God says and we don't care who God is we want what we want and we'll do whatever we need to do to get it.

Explains why covetousness is idolatry.

Godliness with contentment is great gain.

The key positive promise of the Tenth Commandment.

I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.

Paul's testimony of learned contentment.

Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

The command and promise enabling a covetous-free life.

He's too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake.

Summary of trust in God's character that undergirds contentment.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why do you think covetousness is a sin that many Christians overlook or consider normal?

[Context]

Pastor Weaver states that most Christians never really consider covetousness and engage in it often.

[Question]

How does understanding the original Hebrew and Greek words for covetousness deepen your understanding of this sin?

[Context]

The lecture surveys chamad, avah, philarguros, pleonektes, and epithumeo.

[Question]

In what ways is covetousness a form of idolatry, and how does that change your view of its seriousness?

[Context]

Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5 equate covetousness with idolatry.

[Question]

What does it mean to 'exercise' or 'gymnasticize' one's heart with covetous practices, and how can we guard against this?

[Context]

2 Peter 2:14 uses gumnazo to describe practiced covetousness.

[Question]

How can the love of money cause someone to err from the faith and pierce themselves with sorrows?

[Context]

1 Timothy 6:10 warns of these consequences.

[Question]

What practical steps can help a believer learn contentment in every circumstance?

[Context]

Paul said he learned to be content; the lecture emphasizes trusting God's providence.

[Question]

How does the promise 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee' enable a lifestyle without covetousness?

[Context]

Hebrews 13:5 links contentment to this promise.

[Question]

What does it look like to seek first the kingdom of God in a materialistic culture?

[Context]

Matthew 6:33 is presented as the antidote to worry and covetousness.

Applications

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