Why Does the Christian Life Seem So Hard?Намуна

One Commandment Unravels Everything

Paul was a faithful, devout, committed believer. He thought he was a good person. But then, one day, a single law unraveled all of his pride in his own morality. And if we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll find ourselves in the same boat as Paul.

That law? It was the last of the ten commandments: You shall not covet.

To covet is to desperately desire what somebody else has, unsatisfied with what God has given to you. God’s law, Paul says, told me that a righteous heart, a healthy heart, is a heart that doesn’t covet. My whole life, I’ve yearned for the experiences, talents, and achievements of others, feeling jealous of their families, reputations, and riches. And that command, “You shall not covet,” far from making me stop coveting, actually made coveting “come alive” in me.

In other words, the coveting spirit is behind disobedience to many other commandments.

Why do we steal? Because we covet what someone else has.

Why do we lie? Because we covet something (reputation, credit, approval), we can’t get with the truth.

Why do we commit adultery? Because we covet sex with someone outside of God’s design.

In that commandment, Paul saw how far away he was from the heart God desired. The commandment, “You shall not covet,” far from curing his heart, had the opposite effect. It exposed his heart and, in the process, making it worse!

All this brought Paul to the realization that no law, no command, and no iron-clad resolution could fix him. The battle to conform his heart to the law was a battle he couldn’t win. He needed something more than good advice. He needed good news. He needed the gospel.

Question for Reflection:

Where in your life do you see coveting or envy creeping in? How does this change the way you think about the other commandments?