Question 87: What is forbidden in the tenth commandment?

Answer: The tenth commandment forbids all murmuring over our own condition and all envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate affections for anything that is his.

DAY 1:

The tenth commandment, as we have seen, teaches us to be content. From a human perspective, it would seem that those of us in the United States of America should be able to be content. We have the best of everything (materially speaking). We live much higher in our standards of hygiene and medicine than most of the world. Even our poor are by far usually better off than most people in other countries. Yet, with all this, we lack the ability to be content. The many “things” around us do not bring us contentment. Rather, they excite the sensual and coveting heart that we have inside us. Contentment is the attitude of the heart. It can only truly be produced by the Holy Spirit. The sinful heart of man is never content. He always wants more and is never satisfied with what he has.

Let’s look at an example from the Old Testament, which we find communicated in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians 10 we see that the Israelites were a covetous people. They were all taken care of by the same God in the same way (vss. 1-4). However, God was not pleased with them and allowed them to die in the wilderness (vs. 5).

As we saw in a previous lesson about this passage, these things were examples to us. The idea that is behind this is that we are not to conduct ourselves as they did. They lusted after evil things (vs. 6). The word here for lusted is the noun form of the same word used for covet in the New Testament. Notice that Paul links their lusts with idolatry (vs. 7) (cf. 1 Cor. 5:11; Eph. 5:5). The people were not content with the God who brought them out of Egypt. Instead, they desired to build a golden calf and worship it (Ex. 32:1-6).

Not only were they not content with the God who delivered them, they were not content to follow the God ordained institution of marriage and that within the guidelines that God had established. In Numbers 25:1-9 we read that the men of Israel engaged in sexual immorality with the women of Moab. God had commanded that they should not commit adultery (Ex. 20:14) and He also told them they were not to marry those who were outside of Israel (cf. Ex. 34:12-16; Deut. 7:2, 3). This principle of establishing a marriage covenant between a believing man and a believing woman is found in 1 Cor. 6:14. Yet, Israel disobeyed the commands of God and it led them into idolatry, just as God had said it would in Exodus 34:15-16. Their lust for the women led them to do things that pleased the women in order that they might gain their affections and be able to engage them in sexual relations. This went from coveting these women to worshipping their gods.

Here we are also told that these things brought judgment on them. Paul tells us that 23,000 died in one day. Now we are given the number 24,000 in the Numbers passage. This is where most commentators believe Paul is referencing verse eight from. The numbers seem to be contradictory. However, we can probably understand this two different ways. First, we could understand it as this is the general figure, not the precise figure. This is the same way that we might use the general figure of 200 instead of a precise number of 198. However, there is also reference in Exodus 32:28 that about 3,000 men were slain after the golden calf incident, but there were also plagues that the Lord sent on the people, possibly resulting in 20,000 more deaths. However, these seem to be reserved in the following days. The term plagued refers to the striking or smiting of the Lord on the people, which He did in the following days after this event.

However, it seems most likely that the numbers actually come from Numbers 25. In the passage there are those who led the people into idolatry that were hanged (vs.4). However, there was also those who were killed who were involved in the idolatry who were killed by the judges of Israel (vs. 5). These dealings with the people are referred to in verse 9 as “plague”. Here the word is maggephah (mag-gay-faw’). It means, “blow, slaughter, plague, pestilence, strike, smite; blow (fatal stroke); slaughter (of battle); plague, pestilence (divine judgment)”. It seems likely that the plague spoken of here is the events of verses 1-8, not some kind of disease. Therefore, it is possible that there is a distinction between the leaders and the common people: the leaders being hanged and the common people being killed in some other fashion. John Gill writes that it is possible to assume, and I emphasize “assume”, that the first group who were hanged numbered 1,000 and the rest were 23,000. This would give some understanding to what Paul was speaking of in this passage.

Thirdly, we should not put Jesus Christ to the test, like the Israelites put God to the test. In Numbers 21 we find that the people began to complain and grumble among themselves. God has just defeated the Canaanites in verse 3 for them. Now in verse 4 we see that he people had to go around the land of Edom and so it seems that it took them a little longer to get where they were going, so their hearts became very discouraged. The word here depicts a people who are becoming impatient. Therefore, they begin to complain against God and Moses (vs. 5). Their complaints are without warrant though. They say that they don’t have any food and they don’t have any water. However, they are lying. God has provided for them the bread from heaven, manna, but they can only complain about this provision that He has made. As for water, in the previous chapter we see that God provided water from the rock for the people. What are these people thinking? Do they think that God will somehow hear their complaints and say, “Yes, you are right. I have not been a very good God. I have not taken care of you with the finest of foods and drink. I have been very nasty and mean to you. Let me make it up to you.” No. In fact God does not even address the issue with words. Rather, He sends serpents among the people and many of the people died from the snake bites.

Finally, Paul tells us not to complain (vs. 10). Again, Israel is the example. Israel seemed to never learn. They are much like people of today. God could provide for them. He could do incredible supernatural things right before their eyes. They could see that God had sent Moses by the evidence of the signs he performed, but they just couldn’t keep their big mouths shut from complaining against God and against his messenger. So we see in the 16^th chapter of the book of Numbers that Korah and a group of 250 leaders of the congregation came up to Moses and complained that he was hogging all the power. “Hogging” is the southern redneck word for “taking it for himself” for anyone who might be reading this from up north. Yet, when God became involved in the matter, did Korah and his men repent? No. They continued in their covetous, proud hearts, desiring that they would somehow be vindicated by God. But vindication belonged to Moses. For the ground opened up and swallowed Korah and his men (vs.31-34). Also, the 250 men who were competing with Moses by offering incense were consumed by fire from the Lord (vs. 35). You would think this would stop the mouth of rebellious Israel, but it didn’t. On the following day, the people came to complain because Korah and all the men were killed the previous day! What an unbelievable thing! How foolish can you be? Yet this is what the hearts of sinners do. Complaining out loud or murmuring under our breath or not being content within our own hearts is a violation of the tenth commandment. Though we may never experience the judgment of God in the same way these did, God is no more pleased with the attitude of unthankful, ungrateful, and complaining hearts as He is with complaining mouths.

Are you a complainer? Do you find something to complain about all the time? Do you really try to find things to be thankful for rather than complain about? Are you content with what God has provided you, such as your parents, siblings, clothes, home, car? Do you find yourself coveting the things of others? Is there always something more that you crave? If you are like me, you probably have answered some of these things in the affirmative. Let us ask that God grant us repentance from these wicked attitudes and establish a content spirit within us such as the apostle Paul experienced (Philippians 4:11).

DAY 2:

One thing that should not be characteristic in the life of believers is an attitude of self-righteousness or a “holier than thou” attitude. While I will say quite boldly that some people are holier than others because of the degree which God has worked sanctification in their lives, those people are usually the ones who are unaware of just how holy they have become. They are usually the humble believers who understand the weight of their own sins. They are the ones more aware of the sins of the heart rather than the outward sins of the body. They are not timid though. They understand very clearly that sin has to be dealt with and dealt with by the truth. They are unafraid to be direct towards and even hostile towards sin. The apostle Paul was like this. Though we may find him in Romans 7 dealing with those things he didn’t want to do and not doing the things he wanted to do, we also find him having little patience in 1 Corinthians 5 with a person within the fellowship having a sexual relationship with his step mother. Neither do we find him terribly longsuffering towards those who were false teachers.

In Galatians we find that he has no tolerance for false teachers who want to come in and add law to grace. The believers began to not be content with the gospel of grace and so they gave ear to what the false teachers brought them, which was a damning message. So after dealing with the false teaching that had come into the church and saying correcting the misapprehension that the people could somehow accomplish in the flesh what had not yet been accomplished in the Spirit, Paul contrasts two things. In 5:16-24 we find a contrast of the flesh and the Spirit. How do we overcome the flesh? It is by walking in the Spirit. There is a real battle between the flesh and the Spirit and so there is a real struggle that takes place. The Christian life is not happy-go-lucky. It is not a breeze. It is not easy. Rather, it is a hard road. Yet it is also a road which you are led down. You are not lost along this road. For you are led by the Spirit (vs. 18).

Paul is very clear that those who are in the flesh do things that show that they are not led of the Spirit. As a matter of fact, the things that are listed in verses 20-21 are things which the unregenerate are engaged in and Paul says that if one practices these things he has no inheritance in the kingdom of God. The word for practice here is prasso (pras’-so) and means, “) to exercise, practise, to be busy with, carry on; to undertake, to do; to accomplish, perform; to commit, perpetrate; to manage public affairs, transact public business; to exact tribute, revenue, debts; to act.” The idea behind this is a person that constantly is engaged in these things purposely. This is the character of their life and they are known as such. These people, no matter what they may claim, have no reconciliation with God.

One of the very things that are found in the midst of these things is envying (vs. 21). The word simply means, “to envy”. The idea is to be desirous of someone or have something of someone else. It seems that this is directly tied to some of the other sins such as jealousies, selfish ambitions, and dissentions. It seems that these things are intimately connected to one another. These are the very things that the tenth commandment speaks to. They are the very things that are the enemy of the human soul and the pursuit of contentment. Yet, how often do we hear serious preaching on this subject and its consequences.

But, the sin of envy can be a very subtle sin in the life of a believer. Notice in verse 26 that Paul is concerned that many believers might fall into the trap of becoming self-righteous. He warns of three things. First he says to not become conceited. The word is kenodoxos (ken-od’-ox-os) and means, “glorying without reason, conceited, vain glorious, eager for empty glory.” This is the very thing that Christ spoke out against so much in His ministry when He confronted the hypocritical Pharisees. Paul, once a Pharisee, knew how easy it was to become self-righteous and knew how dangerous and deceitful that kind of thinking was.

This also leads to provoking one another. The word provoking is prokaleomai (prok-al-eh’-om-ahee) and means, “to call forth; to call forth to one’s self; esp. to challenge to a combat or contest with one; to provoke, to irritate.” Not only can irritating one another come from simple immaturity, it can come from those who somehow act as if they are perfect and have no concept of mercy. This kind of conduct provokes people to anger, because they feel that they cannot achieve what someone else is putting on for show. This also can be a provocation from needless and senseless arguments such as Paul addressed in Titus 3:9. We should do all that we do with the mindset of glorifying God and edifying one another, not provoking one another.

Last, we should not be those who envious of one another. While it is good to have examples to look up to and to have heroes, we should not be those who desire what they have or have sinful desires to be like them. Again, we have to remember that all of us are equal in the fact that we can all glorify God, and no matter how much or how little we have, we should seek to glorify Him equally. Therefore, let us not put up a front that would cause someone to be deceived as to our true spirituality and thus stimulate in them and unrealistic and thus sinful desire of holiness. Also let’s not desire the status and things of others.

James speaks of this type of envy coming out in James 5:9. Here the term grumble is used. The word is stenazo (sten-ad’-zo) and means, “a sigh, to groan.” These are the inward grumblings and sighs because of the way you perceive others and what they endure. Some are rich and have high status, which may be a cause for us to sigh as though we wish we were in their place and that somehow we would not have the demands upon us that are the demands of grace, not law. James says we should be reminded that the judge is at the door. The Lord Jesus Christ is the judge and is the One who is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart and well as the words and actions of the person (2 Tim. 4:1; Hebrews 4:12). Because we have His word, we know by what standard we will be judged. In the following lessons of the next catechism question, we will see that we all stand condemned by His standard, therefore we must look to something besides the law to save us, we must look to the Judge for mercy.

Are we inwardly desirous of others? Do we have a sinful desire to achieve some type of righteousness that is not the righteousness of Christ? Do we look at others with great riches and social status and do we become inwardly or even vocally envious of them. Does this lead us to provoke them to anger, because of our own jealousy? Are we really aware that even at this moment the Judge sees the truth behind these questions? Have we just lied to Him? Have we been truthful with Him? May God work in us to bring about true contentment with Him, His sovereignty, His purpose, His joy, His worship, His glory, and His love. May we find no greater person, possession or thing in this life that would take the place of the Lord Jesus Christ as the dominant reason for our contentment in this life and in the life to come.

DAY 3:

We have seen how the facts behind understanding the coveting is wrong and that contentment is what God has called us to. However, what we will look at today from Colossians 3:5 will determine whether or not we truly believe these things. It is one thing for us to affirm certain facts with our minds or even our mouths, but it is quite another to act on those affirmations. This then becomes the true essence of belief.

In Colossians 3:5 the apostle exhorts the church to holiness. He reminds them that they died (vs. 3). This is not an ongoing death, but rather refers to the fact that Christ took His people’s place upon the cross and thus died their death. Therefore, believers are united with Christ in His death (Gal. 2:20). However, in reminding them of their “death”, he also reminds them of their resurrection (vs. 1). That too is identified with Christ. We are buried with Him in the likeness of His death and raised to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4). Since this is the case, Paul says that the believers mindset is not to be on the things of the world, but “on things above” (vs. 2).

Now, if these things are true Paul gives a promise. In verse 4 he tells us that our life, who is Christ, will appear and when He appears we will also appear with Him in glory. This term here for appear seems to make reference to the kind of glorious display of brilliant light and glory that will be put forth from the Lord Jesus when He is manifest. Not only that, we will share in that glory, for we will appear with Him.

Therefore, we must seek to glorify him in our bodies, because of the grace He has shown to us (vss. 1-3). How is that accomplished? It is accomplished in us by the putting to death “your members”. Here we see the practical implication of the term “flesh” brought to bear. Paul speaks of those things that reside within us. Note that we are to actively war and fight against these things, not make a peace treaty with them. One who seeks to make peace with sin does not understand the work of Christ, nor does he understand grace or mercy from God regarding sin.

In the list of sins Paul mentions, they all have an element of covetousness in them. Fornication obviously deals with the consummation of lust in a sexual union outside a marriage covenant. Uncleanness refers to the lust that spawned fornication as well as various other sexual sins. Passion, which the authorized version translates as “inordinate affection”, refers to depraved passion, vile passions. These are those which Paul says men are given up to in Romans 1:26. Evil desires are bad natured lusts. These are the cravings that Paul spoke of in Ephesians 2:1-3 that we once conducted ourselves in. Then he ties this with covetousness, which is idolatry. We were a greedy people. As believers, we must recognize that greediness is a real enemy and resides within us. We are exhorted by the Holy Spirit to put these enemies to death. We are to seek to render them powerless and inoperative. The reality is that we cannot do it in the power of the flesh, for the flesh is the home of these things. It must be done in the power of the Spirit.

Why must this be done? Verse 6 tells u it is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience and this is how all believers once walked. But now we have a new master, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has commanded that we slay the enemy of sin and live to the glory of God.

Are we those seeking to slay the enemy? Are we seeking to make peace with the enemy? Have we made peace with God? If so, then God is no longer our enemy, but our Father. Sin is no longer our master, but our enemy. Let us fight well against this enemy, especially against the enemy of covetousness as good soldiers of Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 2:1-7).

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:10; James 5:9; Galatians 5:26; Colossians 3:5.