Jesus and the Ten Commandments

THOU SHALT NOT COVET thy neighbors house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife, nor his manservant, not his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbors.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

But woe unto you that are rich! For you have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! For you shall hunger.

Coveting does not pay.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust corrupts, and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust corrupts, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and material possessions. …take no thought for your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on … But rather seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,…

If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things; give the Holy Spirit, to them that ask him? Therefore all things you would have men do to you, do also to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

From within, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, … covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, pride, foolishness … .

For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?

For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man … which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. … And about the eleventh hour he went out and found other standing idle, …, Why stand here all the day idle? ,… Because no man hired us. …, Go into the vineyard and what is right, that you shall receive. When even was come, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers and give them their hire from the last unto the first. When they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came they supposed that they should have received more, and they likewise received every man a penny. And they murmured against the good man of the house

It is easy to resent the way our Heavenly Father deals with others. Because we are tempted to covet.

… Take heed and beware of covetousness; for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. … God said unto him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of you; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

Sell what you have and give alms. Provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that fails not; where no thief approaches, neither moth corrupts. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also.

We think of this as a suggestion; but it is a command for some.

When you are bidden to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room … For whosoever exalts himself shall be abased

Now his elder son was in the field. And as he drew near the house he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. He said unto him, Your brother is come, and your father has killed the fatted calf because he has received him safe and sound. And he was angry and would not go in.

Christians welcome backsliders who repent & come to The Heavenly Father.

… We are unprofitable servants. We have done that which was our duty to do.

Following His rules does not give me the right to demand special privileges.

You know that the kings of the Gentiles, … exercise dominion over them. And they that are great exercise authority upon them and are called benefactors. But it shall not be so among you. He that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whosoever of you will be chief, let him be servant of all.

Coveting authority is natural, but Christians submit willingly.

… If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? You follow me.

Poor Peter, often required to be an example for the rest of us. Why do we find it so difficult to recognize signs of covetousness in ourselves?