Such individuals will “not inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). - Hence, envy ranks among the most severe moral transgressions. This sin of envy originates from the devil, as “through the envy of the devil, death entered the world” (Wisdom 2:24). Every calamity arises from envy: “where envy and strife are, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16). Ways to Avoid Violating the Tenth Commandment: a) Mastering evil desires: "If you do well, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do well, sin lies at the door; it desires you, but you must rule over it" (Genesis 4:7). - "Flee youthful lusts; pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:22). - "Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24). b) Following the saints' example: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). c) Heeding the exhortations of Scripture: "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey its lusts" (Romans 6:12; cf. Ephesians 4:22-24). d) Being vigilant and praying: "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). - "Beloved, I urge you, as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly desires that wage war against the soul" (1 Peter 2:11). e) Finding contentment in your station: Soldiers asked St. John the Baptist, "What shall we do?" He answered, "Do not intimidate anyone or falsely accuse, and be content with your wages" (Luke 3:14). f) Walking in the presence of God, maintaining an awareness of His omnipresence: "When Abraham was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless’" (Genesis 17:1). g) Cultivating the fear of God; you shall not bow down to or serve other gods, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children up to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me (Deuteronomy 5:9). - "The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and full of fury; the Lord takes vengeance on His adversaries, and He reserves wrath for His enemies" (Nahum 1:2). h) Recognizing that every impure thought and desire is loathsome to God: “The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 15:26).
Explanation of the Tenth Commandment of God’s Law The Tenth Commandment states: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; you shall not covet your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, or his female servant, his ox or his donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” The essence of this commandment is captured in its initial phrase: “You shall not covet.” This command clearly prohibits desires that conflict with neighborly love and, along with them, thoughts that oppose this love. Has human law ever required the regulation of man's desires and thoughts? Does it not only concern overt vices? Thus, it is evident that Divine law demands a deeper comprehension of our responsibilities than human law does. God’s law states not merely “Do not do evil,” but also forbids even the contemplation of wrongdoing: “You shall not desire!” The Lawgiver desires for man to be righteous and pure in both external actions and internal motives, at the very core of his being. This commandment can be seen as the essence of all commandments, reflecting the high spirit of Christ’s law, preparing even those in the Old Testament for the transition to the New Covenant, which, as the Apostle states, embodies the spirit and the most perfect way of pleasing God (2 Corinthians 3:6).
Desires and thoughts hold great significance in our lives. Just as air is essential for the body, thoughts, desires, and emotions are vital for the soul. Clean, refreshing air invigorates the body, while polluted air wears it down and brings illness. Similarly, holy thoughts and feelings uplift the soul, whilst sinful thoughts pollute it, leading to spiritual decay without God's grace, resulting in eternal separation from Him. In pure air, one can enjoy the fragrance of flowers; in prayerful communion with God, the soul finds comfort in the grace of the Holy Spirit, filling the humble, God-loving heart with heavenly joy. Conversely, contaminated air carries foul odors, and just as those with clean hearts seek fresh air, evil thoughts and feelings push away the light of God’s angels and attract darkness. "Step into an open field," a holy elder advised a disciple struggling with his thoughts, "spread out your garments and attempt to grasp the winds—so it is with our thoughts that we cannot hold." Only the One who commands the raging seas can silence our turbulent minds. Let us cry out, as the apostles did, "Lord, save us, we perish!" He will hear us and speak peace to our hearts, calming our troubled thoughts and renewing our souls through His divine grace.
But why does the commandment not only prohibit evil actions but also evil desires and thoughts? Firstly, because wicked thoughts and desires render the soul unclean before God. "The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord" (Proverbs 15:26). As the Lord Jesus stated: "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). Salvation requires more than mere correction of outward behavior; we must seek purity of heart. Only the pure in heart shall see God (Matthew 5:8), and nothing unclean shall enter the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27). The unrighteous thought remains an abomination to the Lord (Proverbs 15:26). Thus, with such promises, the Apostle exhorts us to purify ourselves from all filthiness of body and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1). Secondly, evil thoughts and desires give rise to sinful actions. From the heart flow evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies (Matthew 15:19). Whence come wars and fightings among you? "From your desires that wage war within your members" (James 4:1). Everyone is tempted by their own desires. Yet, when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death (James 1:14-15). Therefore, to desire anything from your neighbor is to succumb to envy—an agonizing feeling that leads one to resent another's happiness. The envious person is tormented by the thought of their neighbor’s joy, wishing to possess all the blessings of God’s goodness for themselves. In this grave sin, we resemble the devil, who, out of envy for humanity's happiness, led them into sin. The Apostle refers to envy as devilish wisdom. "If you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast or deny the truth. Such wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic" (James 3:14-15). Envy manifests in many ways: be it jealousy towards others’ beauty, wealth, or power, hence the Tenth Commandment forbids fleshly, greedy, and power-hungry thoughts and desires.
b) Virtues Required by the Tenth Commandment In contrast to these prohibitions, the Tenth Commandment encourages us to cultivate specific virtues: 1) We must maintain a pure heart. One should diligently guard the thoughts and desires that arise within, casting out all impurity. "My son, the wise one teaches, throughout your life, examine your soul and determine what is harmful to it; avoid it" (Sirach 17:30). In rejecting impure thoughts, we must seek to embrace good thoughts and intentions. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8). "And the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:9). What must we do to purify the heart? Frequent and sincere invocation of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ brings light, peace, and joy to our souls, possessing the divine power to dispel temptation. "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it,” said the Lord. Miracles were performed not only by the apostles but even by others in the name of the Lord Jesus (Luke 9:49). 2) We must find contentment in what we possess. The Apostle states that godliness with contentment is great gain. While bitter envy torments the soul, being content fills it with peace and joy. To attain this peace, we ought to remember that earthly possessions are temporary. "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is evident we can take nothing out" (1 Timothy 6:7), knowing that what we have has been bestowed by God for the benefit of our souls and for our eternal salvation.
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