Lesson 20

What is God impressing on us by telling us not to covet?

What is coveting? Psalm 10:2-3 In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts of the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. a craving or sinful desire… God forbids Coveting

What is coveting? James 4:2 You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. …for something God doesn’t want us to have God forbids Coveting

What is coveting? James 1:14-15 …but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. leads to sinful thoughts, words, and actions

Key Point #1 Coveting is a craving or sinful desire for something God doesn’t want us to have, which may lead us to sinful words and actions.

What does God teach me about the coveting that goes on in my heart? Romans 7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.

What does God teach me about the coveting that goes on in my heart? Psalm 51:5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. I’ve had a sinful nature from birth

What does God teach me about the coveting that goes on in my heart? Genesis 6:5 The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. is inclined only toward evil

What does God teach me about the coveting that goes on in my heart? Romans 8:7 …the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. will never submit to God’s law

What does God teach me about the coveting that goes on in my heart? Matthew 5:28-29 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

What does God teach me about the coveting that goes on in my heart? 1 John 3:15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. deserves God’s punishment

Key Point #2 I deserve death and hell because, since birth, I have had a rebellious sinful nature – one that fills my heart with sinful desires.

What does God teach me about the holy desires I have in my heart? Ezekiel 11:19-20 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. was given to me by God…

What does God teach me about the holy desires I have in my heart? Ephesians 4:21-24 Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. …through faith in Jesus

What does God teach me about the holy desires I have in my heart? Romans 7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law… knows and loves God’s will

What does God teach me about the holy desires I have in my heart? Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things. enables me to have holy desires

Key Point #3 By bringing me to faith, God has given me a new heart that loves God’s will and enables me to have holy desires.

What is the result of my having both a sinful nature and a new heart? Galatians 5:17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

What is the result of my having both a sinful nature and a new heart? Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. By growing in faith in Jesus…

What is the result of my having both a sinful nature and a new heart? Romans 7:23-25 …but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. …my new heart wins more of the battles

Key Point #4 As a result of my having both a sinful nature and a new heart, constant battles go on in me between the two. Only as I grow in faith in Jesus will my new heart win more and more of these battles.

Agree or Disagree? Because every Christian has a new man, a real Christian will think about and do more good things than bad.

Explain why this statement is true… Because every person is born with a sinful nature, every Christian is capable of committing any sin.

Evaluate… When one of the comic strips in the newspaper pictures a person with a devil on one shoulder urging him to do something bad and an angel on the other shoulder telling him to do something good, this is a good picture of the struggle that goes on in us between the sinful nature and the new heart.

Lesson 20 God wants me not to covet, warning me about my sinful heart and its desires. He also gives me a new heart to fight these desires.

Vocabulary… “covet” want something that God doesn’t want me to have