And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
- 1 Corinthians 10:10
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
- Galatians 5:26
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. … For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
- James 3:14, 16
They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
their righteousness endures forever;
their horn will be lifted high in honor.
The wicked will see and be vexed,
they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
- Psalm 112:9-10
When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were very much disturbed that someone had come to promote the welfare of the Israelites.
- Nehemiah 2:10
What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
- Romans 7:7
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
- Deuteronomy 5:21
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
- Colossians 3:5
The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Romans 13:9
“Q. 64. What is forbidden in the Tenth Commandment?
“A. The Tenth Commandment forbids all discontentment with our own estate (1 Cor. 10:10), envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor (Gal. 5:26), and all inordinate emotions and affections to anything that is his. (Col. 3:5).”
- Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Catechism (Scripture proofs in bold above)
“Q. 81. What is forbidden in the Tenth Commandment?
“A. The Tenth Commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.”
- The Shorter Catechism (Westminster Assembly)
“Q. 148. What are the sins forbidden in the Tenth Commandment?
“A. The sins forbidden in the Tenth Commandment are: discontentment with our own estate; envying, and grieving at the good of our neighbor, together with all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.”
- The Larger Catechism (Westminster Assembly)
The Shorter and Spurgeon catechisms have the same wording, almost, and the same biblical proofs. The Larger Catechism biblical proofs are the ones not in bold above.
The first point is what illustrates this as a bookend commandment. If we covet anything of our neighbor’s, we will not show love for our neighbor, but we do not show love to God either. God provides for our needs and in saying “This is not enough, God.” We are putting our wants before the provisions that God provides.
I know all about this one. I know that engineers in my field made more than I did, many twice or three times as much, but God provided my needs and if I had made a lot more, I might depend on that extra and not the amount God knew would provide for my needs. And having lived in Europe and only made it back to Europe once, other than to change planes, and the once was not where I had been, I could be jealous of all who go there on countless vacations. But what is the point? If God needed me somewhere, He would have provided.
And why do we envy our neighbor? If God wanted Him to have extra, it is not our decision. If the neighbor is not a believer, he not only loses everything here, but in the next life also.
Jesus said that when we focus on Him and doing His will on this earth, we will be storing up treasures in Heaven. I would rather have something there where it lasts forever than to have something extra here.
And now let us sing.
The following song is It Is Well with My Soul, sung by Wintley Phipps. I wonder if it is a sin to envy his voice? Never mind. Enjoy and sing along, one of my favorite hymns, and it has an echo refrain.
“When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul
It is well (it is well) with my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ (yes, He has) has regarded my helpless estate
And has shed His own blood for my soul
It is well (it is well) with my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought (the thought)
My sin, not in part, but the whole (every bit, every bit, all of it)
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more (yes)
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul
It is well (it is well) with my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul (sing, “It is well”)
It is well (it is well) with my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul
It is well (it is well) with my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul (because of You, Jesus, it is well)
It is well (it is well) with my soul (with my soul)
It is well, it is well with my soul”
- Horatio G. Spafford, It is Well with My Soul
Closing Prayer
Dear Lord,
You are our every need. We leave everything to you. If a neighbor has more, could it be that You will require Him to use those resources for Your Glory? It is not up to us to determine that. You have met our needs, and we are content. And we will glorify You with what You have given us.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen
Soli Deo Gloria. Only to God be the Glory.
Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley 
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