Exodus 20.17

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Deuteronomy 5.21

“‘And you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. And you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his male servant, or his female servant, his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.’”

Luke 12.13-21; Ephesians 5.5; Colossians 3.5; 1 Timothy 6.6-8

We must not covet because all coveting is idolatry (Col. 3.5), and idolatry leads to a wide range of other transgressions against God and neighbor.

Note also that coveting is a matter of affections; it gets at what we most desire. From the heart flow the issues of life, as Solomon reminds us (Prov. 4.23). In the work of making disciples we don’t give much attention to affections. Mostly we concentrate on transmitting the right information, so that our students will be able to think as they should about the life of faith.

Of course, it is important that we do this. But no amount of clear thinking will suffice to keep us from sin if our hearts are not disciplined to fear and love God first and foremost. The weeds of coveting arise where we are not sufficiently trained in loving God. Undisciplined in this most important focus, our desires can become easily enthralled with all manner of lesser things.

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