Thou Shall Not Covet?

[Brakelite]

And, it is not necessarily something that you have any control over....so it might be classified as a non-willful sin.

However, as the Holy Spirit does the work of sanctification within you, those type of things do melt away in God's timing.

I disagree. Lust is wilful if you entertain it. We have an advocate with the Father, that if we confess our sins He will forgive us, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Such cleansing is not make believe. But if we want it, if we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we shall be filled. That's our choice. How hungry are you? Lusting after righteousness.... Even Christs righteousness, of we have faith in God's promises and His word, that lust... That coveting, becomes real... Faith becomes possession.

 

[justbyfaith]

I disagree. Lust is wilful if you entertain it. We have an advocate with the Father, that if we confess our sins He will forgive us, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Such cleansing is not make believe. But if we want it, if we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we shall be filled. That's our choice. How hungry are you? Lusting after righteousness.... Even Christs righteousness, of we have faith in God's promises and His word, that lust... That coveting, becomes real... Faith becomes possession.

Lust is something that arises in the flesh and is not always a willful sin.

You might simply be attracted to someone who is not your wife because she is beautiful. This is a sin; (Matthew 5:27-28) but it is not necessarily something that you have any control over.

What you do have control over is what you do with your desire.

It should be clear that the element of sin is in our nature as human beings; and that sin that is according to our nature is not necessarily willful.

Willful sin is volitional; it is something that we do deliberately. In order to commit that type of sin, you have to go against the dictates of your conscience and cross a line.

 

[Tong2020]

Tong2020 said: ↑
Yes, coveting may well lead to stealing. But those are two distinct commandments. Coveting is sin. Stealing is another sin.

Coveting is the heart issue at the heart of stealing. You probably cannot steal without coveting first the thing that you stole.

God is saying by this, that sin is an issue of the heart; just like He did in the Sermon on the Mount.

What you do outwardly matters; but the inward motivation also matters and is sin.

Every sin really is a heart issue, not only coveting.

As I said, coveting may well lead to stealing, but coveting also may lead to other sins other than stealing.

Tong
R2592

 

[Ferris Bueller]

who exactly is that hurting? In the first case scenario it's not like you're stealing anything from them or anything.

...but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:14-15​

 

[lilygrace]

i think its natural to want or desire things. though jealousy and covetousness will likely consume us to the point it becomes unhealthy, hateful, etc.. it is wrong to want things to the point where you feel others shouldnt have it. also, make sure someone isnt mistaking you wrongly
for example. when i say i wish i had my own career, it means my life didnt work out for reasons not disclosing. i would express wishing for a godly husband that treats me well and better than someone else. i was mistook to be coveting when really if im not meant to marry i wont be. but wanting someone to treat me well was not wrong <3
examine our own hearts but even we can deceive ourselves though

 

[justbyfaith]

Every sin really is a heart issue, not only coveting.

As I said, coveting may well lead to stealing, but coveting also may lead to other sins other than stealing.

Tong
R2592

The commandment "Thou shalt not steal" is focused on what you do outwardly.

While the commandment "Thou shalt not covet" is focused on the heart attitude that might lead a man to steal.

 

[justbyfaith]

but coveting also may lead to other sins other than stealing.

Such as?

 

[tsr]

It’s normal and natural to compare my life with everyone else’s. If I’m not careful, I will always see my lot in life as “less than.” But less than what? I’m only comparing one aspect of their lives with my whole life. I don’t really know what they’re going through. If I saw their whole picture, I might not be jealous at all. Everyone has problems to deal with and no one’s life is perfect.

Jealousy causes you to feel bad about yourself and then also lash out at other people. It can cause fights and quarrels. Arguments begin with evil desires in people’s minds. You want things you don’t have. And you want to hold onto things that you do possess. Then your mind concocts schemes to get anything that you want. Read James 4:1-2. We forget the fact that not everything we want is good for us. We make ourselves miserable when we look at all the shiny things and desire to have them right away. We forget that there is a loving Creator that willingly gives us the best things in His timing. He gives us the best, but He doesn’t give us everything.

 

[Tong2020]

Tong2020 said: ↑
Every sin really is a heart issue, not only coveting.

As I said, coveting may well lead to stealing, but coveting also may lead to other sins other than stealing.

The commandment "Thou shalt not steal" is focused on what you do outwardly.

While the commandment "Thou shalt not covet" is focused on the heart attitude that might lead a man to steal.

As I said, every sin really is a heart issue. One who learned from the Father through Jesus Christ knows that. So stealing is a heart issue as well as is adultery, murder, and the rest of the commandments.

Tong
R2595

 

[Tong2020]

Tong2020 said: ↑
but coveting also may lead to other sins other than stealing.

Such as?

Your asking give me the impression that you don’t agree with me on that and you know not another sin led by covetousness, except stealing?

Do you really not know?

Tong
R2596

 

[justbyfaith]

and no one’s life is perfect.

1Th 5:23, And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th 5:24, Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Heb 10:14, For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

1Jo 3:9, Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
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1Jo 3:7, Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

1Jo 3:3, And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

1Jo 2:6, He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
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Jde 1:24, Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

2Pe 1:10, Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

1Jo 2:10, He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
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1Jo 3:6, Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

1Jo 2:17, And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
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Rom 6:6, Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Col 2:11 (kjv),In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Col 2:11 (nlt), When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature.

As I said, every sin really is a heart issue. One who learned from the Father through Jesus Christ knows that. So stealing is a heart issue as well as is adultery, murder, and the rest of the commandments.

Tong
R2595

Yes, stealing is a heart issue; however, coveting is only a heart issue; there is nothing outward that is done in the act of coveting; but it is something that can be done in the heart and there will be nothing outward that is necessarily accomplished if a person only covets. Also, the heart issue that is involved in stealing is primarily coveting.

 

[justbyfaith]

Your asking give me the impression that you don’t agree with me on that and you know not another sin led by covetousness, except stealing?

Do you really not know?

Tong
R2596

Say it...

 

[Tong2020]

Tong2020 said: ↑
Your asking give me the impression that you don’t agree with me on that and you know not another sin led by covetousness, except stealing?

Do you really not know?

Say it...

For your sake then...

Adultery is one.

Tong
R2604

 

[justbyfaith]

For your sake then...

Adultery is one.

Tong
R2604

Amen...if you covet your neighbor's wife.

That is also, in a sense, stealing...

 

[Paul Christensen]

I think that this is the same thing as jealousy and envy,.. but my question is that why is it a sin? If you're jealous that somebody has something that you want or got to do something that you really wanted to do,.. who exactly is that hurting? In the first case scenario it's not like you're stealing anything from them or anything.

The bottom line is that jealousy and envy are works of the flesh as described in Galatians 5, and the Scripture clearly says that those who envy and have jealousy will not inherit the kingdom of God. Paul says this as a warning and an instruction that we who live in the Spirit, should walk in the Spirit, and walking in the Spirit does not include jealousy or envy of any kind. Therefore those who are jealous and envious are walking in darkness, because walking in the light as Christ is in the light is exactly the same as walking in the Spirit.

Jealousy and Envy may not be outward sins, but they are sins of the heart just the same has hatred in the heart is the same as murder, and lust in the heart is the same as adultery or fornication. Therefore Paul says that we need to forsake the works of the flesh, because those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

 

[Tong2020]

Tong2020 said: ↑
For your sake then...

Adultery is one

Amen...if you covet your neighbor's wife.

That is also, in a sense, stealing...

You can take them as you like. So adultery for you is stealing. That makes two commandments as being the same commandment. Perhaps you would also take stealing to be adultery then.

Here’s another one. Murder. Well, Of course you have the right to take that as stealing in a sense again. That’s up to you. You can make up any two distinct things to be the same in a sense and believe that to be so. It apparently is really all up to you, right? You won’t ever see yourself in the wrong with that.

Tong
R2606

 

[Tong2020]

The bottom line is that jealousy and envy are works of the flesh as described in Galatians 5, and the Scripture clearly says that those who envy and have jealousy will not inherit the kingdom of God. Paul says this as a warning and an instruction that we who live in the Spirit, should walk in the Spirit, and walking in the Spirit does not include jealousy or envy of any kind. Therefore those who are jealous and envious are walking in darkness, because walking in the light as Christ is in the light is exactly the same as walking in the Spirit.

Jealousy and Envy may not be outward sins, but they are sins of the heart just the same has hatred in the heart is the same as murder, and lust in the heart is the same as adultery or fornication. Therefore Paul says that we need to forsake the works of the flesh, because those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

<<<The bottom line is that jealousy and envy are works of the flesh>>>

Is jealousy necessarily sin?

Tong
R2607

 

[n2thelight]

I think that this is the same thing as jealousy and envy,.. but my question is that why is it a sin? If you're jealous that somebody has something that you want or got to do something that you really wanted to do,.. who exactly is that hurting? In the first case scenario it's not like you're stealing anything from them or anything.

10) Exodus 20:17 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor an thing that is thy neighbour's"

This commandment has to be divided up in parts to deal with each aspect of the commandment. This deals with your family and your neighbor's family. In the word "covet" we can go from desirable to lust. Our position here is not to look on any part of your neighbor's wealth or family with desire to obtain; other then to wish him well with what he has. In this case looking upon the neighbor's wife, is in the form a fornication, not adultery. The offspring as the result of fornication is not a "mamzer", for there is a difference between the violations of the two commandments. Again, the offspring of fornication is not a mamzer.

However there is sin that does fall on the adults that fall into fornication. Sin is sin, and it falls on the one knowingly doing the sin, not on the innocent child that was the result of that sin. If the Word goes against your traditional though, then get in line with the Word of God. Don't find your neighbor's wife delightful to yourself. This goes for anything that your neighbor has; his servants, and his property. When you love your neighbor as yourself, then you will be happy following the last five commandments.

I do have a question 4 you based on your sigs
Would Christ had been a Republican or a Democrat ? Remembering that at His time there were two factions as well .

 

[Brakelite]

You might simply be attracted to someone who is not your wife because she is beautiful.

That is temptation. Temptation is not sin.

Lust is something that arises in the flesh and is not always a willful sin.

Lust is desire... Desire is giving in to temptation.

Ok

 

[Deborah_]

I think that this is the same thing as jealousy and envy,.. but my question is that why is it a sin? If you're jealous that somebody has something that you want or got to do something that you really wanted to do,.. who exactly is that hurting? In the first case scenario it's not like you're stealing anything from them or anything.

Sin shouldn't be defined simply as "something that hurts other people". That's the world's definition of sin. But we know that sin is also an offence against God. It includes things that harm other people, but there's a lot more to it than that. Sin can - and does - happen inside our heads, as Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21,22 & 27,28). This is why coveting is a sin, just like hatred and greed.

As to jealousy and envy: I don't think they are quite the same. Jealousy can be legitimate; envy is always bad. Not primarily because it harms other people (although it can lead to actions that do harm) but because it harms you.

Envy looks at someone else and says, “I want what they have” (which could be a possession, a talent, or a personal quality). And rather than channel that desire into positive action (such as working harder in order to achieve that goal or acquire that skill for ourselves), envy turns our thoughts inward and makes us feel bitter and resentful. “It’s not fair,” is Envy’s motto.

Envy distorts the way in which we view the world. It focuses our attention on what we don’t have, so that we are no longer grateful for what we do have. It drives us to be continually comparing ourselves with others - which is guaranteed to take away our inner joy and our peace of mind! It destroys our friendships. It can even persuade us that we are justified in harming the object of our envy. And in the end, it is self-destructive - it does more harm to me than to anyone else (Proverbs 14:30).

And envy is also a sin against God! It's a symptom of unbelief, because it refuses to find contentment in God and in what He chooses to give us.