Title The 10th Commandment/Exodus 20:1-17
‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house’ (verse 17). This is a commandment of the heart rather than a commandment of action. A neighbor's house is his material possessions, his neighbor's wife is rational, a neighbor's slave is honor, and a neighbor's ox or donkey is status. Covetousness leads us to break the other nine commandments. Therefore, the 10 commandments can be said to be the conclusion of the remaining 9 commandments. The 10 commandments teach us that we should serve our neighbors with all our hearts, not just outward appearances. Commandments 5-8 tell us to serve our neighbor with our actions, the 9th commandment is to serve our neighbor without hurting us with our words, and the 10th commandment is to serve our neighbor with our heart.
I. What does the tenth commandment require?
As a community where we live together, we should try not to harm our neighbors but to be virtuous. We must try to get rid of greed, the root of all sins, and actively love our neighbor. One thing to remember clearly is that covetousness is different from envy. Covetousness is the desire to steal others' things with lies and vanity. However, envy is a good fruit that allows you to improve yourself by taking the example of other people's achievements or possessions and focusing on your own achievements. We will have to fight the good fight and win the crown. And we must learn to be self-sufficient. We should not be thankful for what we have been given, and we should not only complain and complain. To covet your neighbor is to despise your neighbor and to treat God as an unrighteous person.
II. What does the tenth commandment forbid?
Like King Ahab who took Naboth's vineyard, he forbids dissatisfaction with his possessions because he lacks in his condition. Second, today's Word forbids envying the happiness of our neighbors. There is a Korean proverb that says that if your cousin is nonsa, your stomach hurts, but we shouldn't get sick when others are doing well. This is a sin against which God is angry. Third, we forbid any unjust actions and feelings toward the property of our neighbors. We disregard God's providence, we overestimate ourselves through pride, we love ourselves too much, we become slaves to the material things God has given us to glorify, we become slaves to material things and then exploit others. It's something you shouldn't do on your back. Gambling, speculation, assault, murder, arranged marriage, and greed are all born of greed and must be uprooted. Also, there is covetousness for position or status or covetousness for people, all of which we will have to throw away.
Ⅲ. Covetousness is idolatry (Colossians 3:5)
God has given us material things, life, and every opportunity to glorify Him. But many people are taking advantage of all these things for themselves. One of the reasons for making this mistake is the mistaken idea that possessions can make you happy. Second, because they are trying to lead a hypocritical life. This act of covetousness eventually leads to death.
Let me conclude.
Above all, we must guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23), beware of greed (Luke 12:15), and have Jesus in our hearts (Revelation 3:20). Because our satisfaction comes from God. I hope that you will gain this satisfaction and become saints who enjoy it.