The Forgotten Tenth...

Do not covet your neighbor's house. Do not covet your neighbor's wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Ex 20:17

This morning I started reading "True Spirituality" by Francis Schaeffer. I bought his complete works a while back and enjoy his writing, but it requires full mental engagement. Rather deep stuff, but good for a dumb guy life to think. My usually thoughts are about food, my good looking wife, and how tough my son is. But, anyway he made the point about the importance and the power of the 10th commandment. I got to be honest of all the "Big Ten" I forget about the 10th commandment not to covet the most. It is the only internal command; all the others are external in nature. He argues that we break it before we break any of the other.

This comes back to contentedness. When we are not content with God, we find a new to God to worship and we break number #1. When we are not content to worship God in Spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24), we make image and statues of the appearance of the God we want, and we break #2. When we are not content with situation we can curse God, or we pray selfish materialistic prayers in "Jesus Name" and we take the Lord's name in vain and break #3. When we are not content with six days wages and fail to honor the Sabbath and work instead of rest and worship, we break #4. When we become mad that God did not give us the parents (like those of our friends) we wanted or we fail to love and serve them because it takes too much time on our part, we break the 5th. We kill and break the 6th when we are not content to let God bring about justice and exact his vengeance. We commit adultery and break the 7th when are not content with the spouse God gave us. We break the 8th and steal, when we want and do not have and do not think God can provide what we need. We lie when we think that it is more advantageous for us and we are not content to tell the truth and break the 9th.

And so, we come back to the forgotten 10th. Ephesians 5:1-4 says "Therefore, be imitators of God, as dearly loved children. (2) And walk in love, as the Messiah also loved us and gave Himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. (3) But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints. (4) And coarse and foolish talking or crude joking are not suitable, but rather giving thanks." Notice, Paul views giving thanks as the corrective to the above vices mentioned. We certainly believe Romans 8:28 "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God." So if we believe that, then whatever we have, don't have, good, bad, ugly, God is using to help us be "conformed to the image of His son" (Rom 8:29). This means not coveting and being content is of the utmost importance to the Christian walk.

Listen to Scripture further...

But godliness with contentment is a great gain. (7) For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. (8) But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. (9) But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. (10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains. (11) Now you, man of God, run from these things; but pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:6-11

I don't say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. (12) I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content--whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. (13) I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.Philippians 4:11-13

Proverbs 30:8-9 Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me. Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need. (9) Otherwise, I might have too much and deny You, saying, "Who is the LORD?" or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.

So, how can you be content today? What things do you need to stop coveting? The writer of Hebrews says in 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." He links all our covetousness to us not appreciating, valuing, or caring about Jesus never leaving us of forsaking which is the precious promise of God in Scripture. What do you want more that God? If there is anything there, you can’t develop the deep relationship with God that He and hopefully you want. Remember Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”

Seeking not to covet today, Pastor Phillip Howle