The Westminster Larger Catechism (1648) explains our duties under the Tenth Commandment. You will notice that the brilliant Puritan Theologians who compiled the Catechism discerned duties in passages of Scripture which do not begin with the words "Thou shalt" or "Thou shalt not." This is because every word of God is a command for us.
First, you must agree that the Catechism has correctly explained the implications of the Commandment.
Second you must ask yourself if you have violated this aspect of the command.
Third, you must take steps to develop the Character of Christ, and eliminate "character defects" from your life.
Question 146: Which is the tenth commandment?
Answer: The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt
not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor
his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.
Question 147: What are the duties required in the tenth commandment?
Answer: The duties required in the tenth commandment are, such a full contentment with our
own condition, and such a charitable frame of the whole soul toward our neighbor, as that
all our inward motions and affections touching him, tend unto, and further all that good
which is his.
Question 148: What are the sins forbidden in the tenth commandment?
Answer: The sins forbidden in the tenth commandment are, discontentment with our own
estate; envying and grieving at the good of our neighbor, together with all inordinate
motions and affections to anything that is his.
Question 149: Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
Answer: No man is able, either of himself, or by any grace received in this life,
perfectly to keep the commandments of God; but does daily break them in thought, word, and
deed.
Q. 146. Which is the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shall not
covet they neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor
his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's. Exod 20:17
Q. 147. What are the duties required in the tenth commandment?
A. The duties required in the tenth commandment are, such a full contentment with
our own condition, Heb. 13:5; 1 Tim. 6:6
| Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." | |
| 1 Timothy 6:6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. |
and such a charitable frame of the whole soul toward our neighbour, as that all our inward motions and affections touching him, tend unto, and further all that good which is his. Job 31:29; Rom. 12:15; Ps. 122:7-9; 1 Tim. 1:5; Esth. 10:3; 1 Cor. 13:4-7
| Job 31:29 "If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted myself up when evil found him | |
| Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. | |
| Psalm 122:7-9 Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces." {8} For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, "Peace be within you." {9} Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good. | |
| 1 Timothy 1:5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, | |
| Esther 10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was second to King Ahasuerus, and was great among the Jews and well received by the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people and speaking peace to all his countrymen. | |
| 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; {5} does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; {6} does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; {7} bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. |
Q. 148. What are the sins forbidden in the tenth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the tenth commandment are, discontentment with our own
estate; 1 Kings 21:4; Esth. 5:13; 1 Cor. 10:10
| 1 Kings 21:4 So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food. | |
| Esther 5:13 "Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate." | |
| 1 Corinthians 10:10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. |
envying Gal. 5:26; James 3:14, 16
| Galatians 5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. | |
| James 3:14,16 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. {16} For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. |
and grieving at the good of our neighbour, Ps. 112:9-10; Neh. 2:10
| Psalms 112:9-10 He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. {10} The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish. | |
| Nehemiah 2:10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel. |
together with all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his. Rom. 7:7-8; Rom. 13:9; Col. 3:5; Deut. 5:21
| Romans 7:7-8 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." {8} But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead. | |
| Romans 13:9 For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." | |
| Colossians 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. | |
| Deuteronomy 5:21 'You shall not covet your neighbor's wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.' |