Covetousness is the respectable sin of our time. Many covetous people are viewed as "successful," and as our world's "movers and shakers." Yet, from God's viewpoint, this sin is the root of many, if not most, other sins.
In the Lord's church, covetousness is likely the underlying cause of our declining numbers at worship and of our relatively poor "giving." It is the cause of many failed marriages, the lack of male leadership in the home, and the lack of qualified men to serve as elders.
In Scripture, God speaks powerfully about covetousness. In 1 John 2:15 we read, "Do not love the world... or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."
Not many of us think we're guilty of this sin. Perhaps that is because we don't recognize it when we see it. Coveting comes in various forms and in varying degrees. We tend to absolve ourselves because we don't see ourselves as stealing for gain or murdering for riches. We also compare ourselves to others--and we look good.
But to covet or to be covetous means:
- To be eager to have more (the basic idea).
- To be greedy for gain (a bit more intense).
- To be willing to obtain more by using sinful means, such as taking from others through theft, fraud, extortion, etc., (the sin at its maximum).
William Barclay, in a Greek word study of covetousness (pleonexia), wrote that in all ages of Greek culture, it is an "ugly word," and that no single English word fully conveys its meaning. He said that the word carries the idea of "an arrogant greediness, a spirit that tries to take advantage of its fellow men."
Others have described covetousness as "the accursed love of possessing" and "the unlawful desire for things that belong to others."
Covetousness is one of the fundamental sins warned against throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, the Tenth Commandment dictated that an Israelite should not covet a neighbor's wife, house, servants, livestock, or anything else.
In the New Testament, this sin's seriousness is evidenced by the fact that Paul wrote that a covetous person can not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). And Jesus himself made the topic a major issue in his preaching. He said, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist of the abundance of the things he possesses." The Lord then illustrated this point with the parable of the "rich fool" and the admonition against "worry."
But it remained for the Apostle Paul to make the point that covetousness is a characteristic of the "debased mind," to which God gave up the Gentiles (Romans 1:29). And the Apostle Peter warned that this sinful behavior is one of the motivations of false teachers, who seek money, power, prestige, and honor (2 Peter 2:1-3).
As mentioned earlier, covetousness, which is rooted in selfishness, is the "root" of all forms of evil.
Paul told Timothy, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10)
If covetousness is a root sin, what other sins grow from its root? Adultery is a primary example. The essence of the covetousness is not the sexual act itself, but the desire to have that which is forbidden, to take what should not be taken, and to give in to desires and appetites that violate the laws of both God and men.
Other sins that spring from the covetous root are stealing, envy, perversion of justice, hatreds, failure to lead the home (being too busy making money), forsaking the worship (so we can make more money) ...and the list goes on.
King David is an excellent example of this principle at work. He coveted Uriah's wife, Bathsheba. He stole her. Then, to cover his sin, he got Uriah drunk; he acted deceitfully; and finally, had Uriah murdered. And, even though he repented and was forgiven, he was pierced through with many sorrows, as his behavior influenced his family, and several of his sons followed their father's earlier bad example.
Scripture also describes covetousness as a form of idolatry. We typically don't think of idolatry as being common in our country, but that's because we don't see coveting as a means of bowing down before "gods."
The apostle wrote in Colossians 3:5, "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." And in Ephesians 5:5, he wrote, "For this you know that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God."
Someone may ask, "How does being greedy make a person an idolater?" Worshipping God entails honoring Him, submitting to His power, expressing love for Him, holding Him in the highest esteem, and trusting Him. The covetous man worships either himself or money and things. "Worship" is a contracted word from "worthship," which speaks of that to which we devote our attention and see as most valuable and worthy.
Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)
Paul wrote, "who exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator ..." (Romans 1:25). He also said, "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God..." (1 Timothy 6:17)
When we absent ourselves from worship to watch a ballgame, earn extra money, or rest our bodies, who are we worshipping, esteeming most highly, trusting for our well-being, loving the most? Ourselves? Or God?
Are we covetousness when we give a mere pittance, a couple percent of our prosperity, when the Lord's Day collection is taken? If not, what is it?
The covetous person makes himself and his own appetites his "god." This sin is a bigger problem, and more prevalent, than most of us are willing to acknowledge. It affects people of all classes:
- Wealthy people and poor people.
- Ambitious people and those who are lazy.
- Educated folks and those who are uneducated.
Poorer people sometimes assume they can't be affected by covetousness. But the essence of the "desire to be rich" (1 Timothy 6:9) is in the seeking, not necessarily in the attaining. A person can be greedy and covetous, while never being successful in obtaining many material goods. In fact, greed keeps some people poor and head over heels in debt.
Just before the Babylonian captivity, Jeremiah cited covetousness as one of the leading causes for Judah's downfall.
Covetousness is incompatible with Jesus' summary of God's law--love God with all your heart...and love your neighbor as yourself. What Jesus taught--it is more blessed to give than to receive--was just the opposite of covetousness.
So, what should we do if we see in ourselves even a little covetousness? Hebrews 13:5 summarizes the remedy. And that remedy is contentment. "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you."
Contentment seems an illusive ideal for most people. But when earth life is not our ultimate goal, when we trust God (instead of our own abilities) to care for us, the result is contentment. And contented people are happy people. Covetous people are generally unhappy, because they always want something more that they have yet to possess.
Brother Randy touches on a very timely subject. Around the holidays, when people are busy making sure they have gifts for "everyone on their lists," extra money is always a problem. Many families, in an effort to have more money for the holidays, begin to "cut corners." Unfortunately, one of the first places people cut back is their giving. To them, it seems like the best possible place to make adjustments.
Where are our priorities? "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) Do we set this passage aside during the holiday season? Please don't misunderstand my point. I enjoy the holiday season as much as the next man. But how can a Christian justify taking God's money to purchase gifts for friends and loved ones?
God's gifts to us continue year round. He is always giving us the things we need to sustain us and make our lives comfortable. Why should God's work suffer during December, when He is the one who makes it possible for us to enjoy such times as these with our families?
Much of the time, covetousness is a secret sin. We can hide from others our desires for material possessions; but please remember that God knows our hearts and our motives for what we do-and what we do not do. Why not learn the valuable lesson of being truly content with those blessings with which God showers us? Christians are the most blessed people on earth. We understand that all we have, or hope to have, we owe to God's love and mercy. How will you use God's blessings in your service to Him this holiday season? (KMG)