Question 1

What is coveting? What is the difference between “wanting” and “coveting”?

Accepted Answer

1 Kings 3:9“Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.”Psalm 119:34Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart.Psalm 119:36Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money!Romans 13:9-10The commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.Colossians 3:5Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.1 Timothy 6:9People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.James 4:2You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.Wanting something is not always bad. God has placed many natural desires in people’s hearts. But when wanting and longing for a particular thing leads to questioning God’s provision for you and looking for ways to bend his rules, it turns to coveting. If you want something and you can’t stop thinking about it, if you want something just because someone else has it, if you are tempted to do wrong to get something, if you feel like you deserve it, and if you feel unhappy not having it, then you are coveting.Mark 7:21-23“For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness.”Luke 12:15, 33-34Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” . . . “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”Philippians 3:18-19There are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.Colossians 3:2-6Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. . . . Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.1 John 2:15Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.Envy, greed, jealousy, and lust are all close relatives of coveting. The very nature of covetousness is that it chains you to this world, and to your own selfish desires. If you belong to God, then he is at work renewing your heart, and you must strive to live as his servant—straight from your heart.

Question 2

What are the consequences of coveting?

Accepted Answer

Joshua 7:10-12, 20-21The Lord said to Joshua, . . . “Israel has sinned and broken my covenant! They have stolen some of the things that I commanded must be set apart for me. And they have not only stolen them but have lied about it and hidden the things among their own belongings. That is why the Israelites are running from their enemies in defeat. For now Israel itself has been set apart for destruction. . . . Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. Among the plunder I saw a beautiful robe from Babylon, 200 silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. I wanted them so much that I took them.”1 Kings 21:18-19“Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He will be at Naboth’s vineyard in Jezreel, claiming it for himself. Give him this message: ‘This is what the Lord says: Wasn’t it enough that you killed Naboth? Must you rob him, too? Because you have done this, dogs will lick your blood at the very place where they licked the blood of Naboth!’”2 Kings 5:20-27Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, the man of God, said to himself, “My master should not have let this Aramean get away without accepting any of his gifts. As surely as the Lord lives, I will chase after him and get something from him.” So Gehazi set off after Naaman. . . . “Is everything all right?” Naaman asked. “Yes,” Gehazi said, “but my master has sent me to tell you that two young prophets from the hill country of Ephraim have just arrived. He would like 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothing to give to them.” “By all means, take twice as much silver,” Naaman insisted. . . . But when they arrived at the citadel, Gehazi took the gifts from the servants and sent the men back. Then he went and hid the gifts inside the house. When he went in to his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” “I haven’t been anywhere,” he replied. But Elisha asked him, “Don’t you realize that I was there in spirit when Naaman stepped down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to receive money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, and male and female servants? Because you have done this, you and your descendants will suffer from Naaman’s leprosy forever.” When Gehazi left the room, he was covered with leprosy; his skin was white as snow.Proverbs 28:25Greed causes fighting; trusting the Lord leads to prosperity.Mark 7:21-23“For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”James 3:14-16If you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.Coveting is selfishly desiring what you cannot or should not have. It can cause you to stop thinking rationally and begin to scheme. Left unchecked, you become obsessed with getting what you want, even if it means taking it from someone else or somehow breaking God’s law. The consequences of your coveting take on many forms, but they always damage your relationship with others and with God.Proverbs 21:26Some people are always greedy for more, but the godly love to give!Proverbs 27:20Just as Death and Destruction are never satisfied, so human desire is never satisfied.2 Peter 2:14-15They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse. They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong.Getting more will never satisfy, for when you get what you want you will still want more. The perpetual quest for what you cannot have leaves a growing, consuming emptiness that is never filled. Coveting is a cycle of dissatisfaction, a never-ending drive for just one more thing. The consequence is that you will never be satisfied with what you have.Proverbs 1:18-19These people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get themselves killed. Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life.1 Timothy 6:9-10People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.Coveting reorders your priorities. It moves God down the list from his rightful spot at the top. And the less you have your eyes on God, the more you will be tempted to neglect and disobey him. After a while, you won’t be able to discern how far you’ve moved away from him.

Question 3

How does coveting affect my relationships?

Accepted Answer

Romans 13:9The commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”James 3:16Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.Coveting brings disorder to relationships. It causes jealousy and promotes selfishness. It is really the opposite of love, because coveting wants to take from others while love wants to give to others. Love binds relationships together while coveting rips them apart.Proverbs 15:27Greed brings grief to the whole family, but those who hate bribes will live.Micah 2:1-2What sorrow awaits you who lie awake at night, thinking up evil plans. You rise at dawn and hurry to carry them out, simply because you have the power to do so. When you want a piece of land, you find a way to seize it. When you want someone’s house, you take it by fraud and violence. You cheat a man of his property, stealing his family’s inheritance.James 4:2You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.Coveting can bring grief to those close to you, for it leads you into sinful behavior—even against your own family members. Coveting occurs because you are dissatisfied, and dissatisfaction leads to disunity in relationships.1 Corinthians 5:11I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.Coveting can cause you to lose your most important relationships. No one can trust someone who has let their coveting get out of control. In fact, they can become dangerous. Coveting alienates you from the very people who can help you.

Question 4

How can I avoid coveting?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 23:17Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord.Philippians 4:12-13I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.Hebrews 13:5Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.”2 Peter 1:3-4By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.To avoid coveting, make your relationship with God your number one priority. The more you focus on God, the less you will focus on the things of this world that tempt you. The more you see life from his perspective, the less important material gains will be.Psalm 119:36Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money!To avoid coveting, pray for an eager spirit to study and obey God’s Word, for the Word of God gives you the right perspective on money and possessions.Genesis 19:17, 26When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, “Run for your lives! And don’t look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!” . . . But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.Romans 13:14Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.Philippians 3:19-20They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.Philippians 4:8Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.To avoid coveting, don’t allow yourself to keep thinking about and looking at things that stir those feelings and desires. Don’t spend time dwelling on what you can’t or shouldn’t have. Stay away from what is tempting you. Do something to get your mind thinking about more worthy and important things.2 Chronicles 20:3Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting.Daniel 10:2-3When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in mourning for three whole weeks. All that time I had eaten no rich food. No meat or wine crossed my lips, and I used no fragrant lotions until those three weeks had passed.To avoid coveting, sometimes it is helpful to practice doing without something important to you (such as fasting from food). It strengthens your self-control and gives you the confidence that you can stay away from something you are beginning to covet.Hebrews 10:25Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.Hebrews 13:16Don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.To avoid coveting, get busy with God’s people to do God’s work. Often, helping those in your church and those less fortunate will help you keep perspective and be grateful for what you have and what you can share.Matthew 6:33“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”Luke 12:15Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”To avoid coveting, make a list of what you actually need versus what you want. Then enjoy watching God satisfy your needs.Romans 13:9The commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”Philippians 2:4Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.To avoid coveting, practice the art and discipline of loving others. When you genuinely love others, it will be difficult to covet because you will want what is best for them, not just what is best for you.1 Timothy 6:6-11True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.To avoid coveting, pursue right choices and trust God with the outcome. Choosing godliness keeps you from choosing worldliness.