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Coveting; worse than stealing?

There is another temptation that is more present than sexual temptation that does not seem so evil. After all it is the last commandment and it is not stealing or committing adultery; it is only wanting to steal or commit adultery.

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17

Jesus spoke to this in Matthew 5:27.

You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'

According to Jesus when you have violated the Tenth Commandment you have already violated the Seventh. The Tenth Commandment defines greed and greed is one of the signs of advanced depravity in Romans 1.

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. Romans 1:29

Do your own study of greed in the Luke 12:15, Ephesians 5:3, 5, Colossians 3:5, 2 Peter 2:14 and 1 Timothy 6:10.

Comments

Unknown said…
Well I believe that when he say do not covet. It goes farther than just desire. Its scheming and planning to take someone else's stuff like at Micah 2. And not just desire as James shows at James 4:2

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