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S Volume 1 . Issue 13

COUNCIL OF REFERENCE
THE TEN WORDS THAT
Dr. Richard Averbeck

Dr. Bill Bright WILL CHANGE A NATION:

Dr. Paul Cedar

Mr. Dave Coleman

The Ten Commandments
Dr. Larry Crabb

Mr. Roger Cross

Rev. Samuel Farina
Dr. Kenneth O. Gangel
Rev. Lud Golz
Dr. Howard G. Hendricks
Mr. Olan Hendrix
Dr. David Jeremiah
Rev. Knute Larson
Dr. John C. Maxwell
Dr. Bruce McNicol
Mr. Dean Merrill
Mrs. Elisa Morgan
Dr. Ray Ortlund
Dr. Luis Palau
Dr. Gilbert A. Peterson
A Quick Focus
The Book's Purpose
Sound a prophetic alarm
regarding America's declining
morality
Reaffirm the validity and
practicality of the Ten
Commandments
by Rob Schenck
Call for a recognition of Published by Albury Publishing
Tulsa
biblical morality in our
national institutions
of God's moral will, have far-reaching impli-
Apply the message of the cations. The "ten words," as they were origi-
nally called, outline how we should relate to
ancient Law to modern life God and to others. If we follow them person-
ally and honor them publicly, they can and
The Book's Message will change a nation. CB
S
As anti-God forces labor vigorously
to exclude God from public life, our
Ten Main Points

X
Rev. Wes Roberts society plummets ever deeper into the
abyss of immorality. Many Americans, The One and Only ...................................................... 2
Mr. Jim Warren alarmed by this decline, are now calling Poison Worship ........................................................ 2
Dr. Rick Warren
for a reaffirmation of our Judeo-Christian The Wonderful Name ................................................. 3
heritage. But what does it mean for a Holy R & R ................................................................ 4
nation to honor God? What can serve
as a common symbol of righteousness? The Honorable Mom and Dad ..................................... 4
America’s Murderous Heart ...................................... 5
Publishers
To answer these questions we must When the Vow Breaks ............................................... 6
David A. Martin
John S. Martin, III return to the foundational principles of The Trusted Thief ...................................................... 6
the Mosaic Law, the Ten Commandments, Gossip, Rumors, and Innuendos ................................. 7
Editor
Michael J. Chiapperino
found in Exodus 20. These succinctly- The Consequence of Unbridled Desire ........................ 8
stated precepts, unalterable expressions

Word One: THE
“You shall have no
other Gods before me.”
In one of her recordings, alter-
native singer Joan Osborne wonders
aloud: "What if God had a name?
What would it be, and would we
call it to His face?" Of course, God
does have a name. He prefaces the
First Commandment with this intro-
duction: "I am Yahweh, who led you
out from slavery in Egypt." The God
of the Bible is not an interchangeable,
generic deity. He is unique and
personal, right down to His name.
In ancient times, names common-
ly identified a personal characteristic.
God has many names to reflect
different aspects of his person and
character, but Yahweh is special. It
is translated, "I will be all that is
necessary as the occasion arises."
It is, therefore, an umbrella for all
the other names.
This reference to the name of
Yahweh frames the worship of God
in exclusive terms, telling his follow-
ers precisely which deity was to be
the object of their affection. In turn,
He made an exclusive covenant with
His people, demanding their fidelity
as well. The Canaanites, on the other
hand, had a promiscuous view of
life. Their gods were often unfaithful,
so they followed suit.
Many Americans are closet poly-
theists. They may claim an allegiance
to God, but their true loyalties lie
with other pursuits and relation-
ships. This is in direct contradiction
to the First Commandment, which
calls for a unique commitment to
a unique God.
Today we are faced with a smor-
gasboard of religious options. So,
how can we identify the one true
God? First, we see what Scripture
tells us about God. He is alive and
personal. He is perfect in every way
and yet knowable.
We can also find the one true
God by noting what He does. Accord-
ing to the First Commandment, it
2
ONE AND ONLY
is He who brought Israel out of Egypt. the way to the Supreme Court be-
This event was so special that it is cause he posted the Ten Command-
still remembered each year in the ments in his courtroom, knew it as
Passover celebration, a holiday which well. The fact that our nation was
teaches us that Yahweh is a God of founded on Christian morality is
salvation and justice. apparent; our forefathers sought in-
dependence from England because
God's justice imposes upon us an they wanted religious freedom.
unchanging moral authority. But our
culture is less interested than ever in The final phrase of the First
yielding to it. Led astray by moral Commandment, "You shall have no
relativism, young people cheat in other gods before me," represents
school and engage in increasingly the very pinnacle of political incor-
dangerous and violent behavior. And rectness. Literally it says, "Keep
why not? If there are no moral ab- them out of my face!" God does not
solutes, there is no true north in the want anything coming between Him
culture's moral compass. and His people. If we are to come
back to God today, we must put
To reverse this situation, we must aside whatever has driven a wedge
recognize God's authority. The foun- between us. When we recognize the
ding fathers understood this. Judge one true God, we take the first step
Roy Moore, who recently went all toward morality and civility. C
SB
Word Two:
POISON WORSHIP
“You shall not make for yourself
a carved image.”
A preacher was sued for organizing pro-life activities during the 1992
Democratic National Convention. As he climbed the courthouse steps in
Manhattan on his way to the trial, lesbian activists shook their fists and
chanted at him. A young man defiantly hurled spit in his face. Needless
to say, they rejected what he stood for.
This human passion for autonomy from God is nothing new; it is as
old as mankind itself. Every generation has proposed its own counterfeit
moral code~its very own idol.
Many people think of idolatry as bowing down to a statue. But the Sec-
ond Commandment targets our propensity to project our own wills upon
a god-like subject. In America this is not usually an image, but more often
an ideology opposed to God.
"Idolatry itself is not about statues at all, but rather about the motivation
for making them."
The Hebrew word pecel, translated graven image, refers to a physical
object that has divine powers. The fact that it is a "graven" image, however,
refers not to the nature of the idol itself, but to the fact that man created
and worshipped it. Therefore an idol can be something intangible, like
Communist ideology. When a human idea becomes an object of worship,
it violates the Second Commandment.
continued on page 3

POISON WORSHIP continued
Those who hissed at the preacher
on the courthouse steps were telling
God that they did not go along with
his rules about babies and sex. They
were determined to make their own
rules. But they did not develop such
an attitude on their own. Powerful
forces within our culture, like the
entertainment industry and the NEA
helped push them in that direction.
Politicians often promote and ap-
prove of this immorality. Disney,
MCI, Sprint, McDonalds, and
Microsoft are all institutionalizing
immorality by granting full benefits
to unmarried partners of their em-
ployees. Meanwhile, the Federal
Judiciary and the White House
oversee this rebellion from on high.
This institutionalization of sin is far
graver than individual immorality,
Word Three:
THE WONDERFUL NAME“You shall not take the name of
the Lord your God in vain.”
The Third Commandment is a
prohibition against the misuse of
God's name, but it is much more.
It calls upon us to esteem the exalted
name of God, because that name
stands for God Himself, representing
His character and authority.
In Bible times, names were most
significant. In fact, names were often
changed to reflect a person's charac-
ter. Jacob became Israel after he wres-
tled with God. Simon became Peter
after his confession of Christ. Natur-
ally, the rich variety of God's nature
and activities are represented by a
wide variety of names. El, Eloah, and
Elohim all refer to His strength and
majesty. Adonai is the common word
for Lord. The New Testament has
parallels for these (Theos and Kurios),
but it also introduces Jesus, from
Yeshua, which means Yahweh saves.
God's names are designed to ascribe
glory to Him, but when we profane
those names through cursing, we
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3
something of which we are all capable.
The federal courts, and particularly
the Supreme Court, have trampled
this Second Commandment. Under
the banner of separation of church
and state, they have systematically
marginalized Christian influence and
have all but eliminated God from
public education. Their most grievous
idolatry, however, was the 1973 Roe
v. Wade decision, which demonstrated
that they considered themselves more
qualified than God to define life.
This usurpation of God's moral
sovereignty flies in the face of the
Second Commandment. Our respon-
sibility is not to accommodate every
type of religion and ideology (though
our Judeo-Christian ethic has grant-
ed them the freedom to co-exist).
misuse them. Serious as this abuse
may be, however, it is not as offensive
to God as misappropriating His name
by associating it with that which is
contrary to His will and nature. The
Israelites often invoked the name of
God to lend credibility to their
assertions, even when they were
untrue. One Jewish translation of
this verse reads, "You shall not swear
falsely by the name of the Lord."
Just as the ancients used God's
name to endorse their own schemes,
modern Christians sometimes fall
into the same trap. We may claim
that God told us to do things which
are plainly outside of His will. Some-
times God does lead us specifically,
but we must be very careful about
invoking His name to justify our own
agenda.
Too many Christians in our his-
toric denominations have turned their
backs on the authority of Scripture
and are promoting abominations like
Our obligation is to honor our nation's
Christian heritage. People are happy
when they are free, and freedom de-
pends on following the truth.
Modern-day idolaters can still
be forgiven~and become loving and
obedient children of God. Take the
example of Norma McCorvey, once
known as Jane Roe. Norma used to
celebrate each anniversary of her
Supreme Court "victory" with a
booze and drug-induced stupor. In
1994, however, she left alcoholism
and the occult behind and became
a Christian. Oh, that every idolater
would discover the joy she has found
in Christ! C
SB
homosexual marriage in the name
of God. Foundry United Methodist
Church, which Hillary Rodham Clin-
ton chose to be the Clintons' Washing-
ton church home, openly supports
the acceptance of homosexual behavior.
In addition to the apostate church,
our governmental institutions have
engaged in a generation-long attempt
to defame God. The Federal Judiciary
took prayer out of schools; liberal
Congresses were elected; and finally
Bill Clinton, once known as a very
religious man, came to office in an
all-out assault on biblical morality.
Though he continues to claim the
name of Christ, his administration
has consistently taken stands which
are contrary to Scripture.
How can we consecrate or hallow
the name of God, as Jesus taught us
to do in His model prayer? When
we speak about God, we should do
so reverently. We must also see our-
selves as guardians of His name, both
in the way we use it and the way we
reflect it in our behavior. Finally, we
must consciously draw attention to
its holiness, both in public and in
private. C
SB
 4
Word Four: Word Five:
HOLY R & R THE
“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.”
Christ and Dolly Lapp own the Good n' Plenty restaurant in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania. They do a booming tourist business and have been wonderfully
HONORABLE
successful. They attribute this success to the fact that they have always
honored God in their business, and they are always closed on Sundays.
MOM AND

The T
God established the Sabbath because that was the way He designed the

DAD
world to function and for us to function in it. This world is His business;
we are merely the employees. The owner of a business is constantly re-
sponsible for it, but the employees are only responsible to do what they
are told. And God has given us a day off.
“Honor your father
Orthodox Judaism naturally places great emphasis on the Sabbath.
Christians also believe in the importance of the Sabbath, but the New and your mother.”
Testament broadens its definition from one particular day to any day As people live longer and longer
dedicated to Sabbath purposes. lives, sincere Christians often find it
necessary to make significant sacrifices
The Catholic Catechism, Luther, Calvin, Wesley, and Moody all agree to care for aging relatives. This is both
about the importance of the Sabbath. Its observance reminds us who God a worthy and a practical application of
is and who we are in relationship to Him. It is only right that we take one the Fifth Commandment, but it certainly
day a week to meditate on spiritual realities and to worship together. does not exhaust the tremendous ethic
communicated in Exodus 20:12.
In addition to worship, getting together with other believers provides
a unique platform for service to others. Jews have traditionally exercised The first five commandments, the
great generosity through Sabbath meals by inviting the poor and lonely to Decalogue, address our responsibility

Wor
join with them. Christians have also used the Sabbath Day of worship to to honor God. The second five, dedicated
visit the sick and the elderly. to our horizontal obligations, begin by
talking about honoring our parents.
This kind of spirit is important, as we have a mandate to minister to This is an entirely natural segue, since
the needy. And we can do so in ways that no government program can. our attitude toward our parents influences
Christian care is both more efficient and more effective, because it incor- the way we view our larger community.
porates Sabbath activities such as prayer, conversion, and spiritual motivation. The family is critical to God's economy,
for it is the cradle of unconditional
After our relationship to God, next in importance comes our family. love~the place where we learn about
Family life is disintegrating at a frightening pace, largely because we simply life, morality, and society. No family
don't spend enough time together. The Sabbath offers a unique and protected fulfills this role perfectly; nevertheless,
time for families to be together and to worship together, building ties to we are to honor those parents who have
God and to one another. this awesome responsibility.
The best medicine is preventative medicine, and that is precisely what Identifying our parents and defining
the Sabbath offers. By taking time out to acknowledge our need of God, what parenthood means in our jumbled
we rejuvenate ourselves mentally, spiritually, and physically. And in so up society is not always easy. There are
doing we contribute to a healthier life and a healthier society. at least three different kinds of parents:
CB biological parents;
S legal parents; and
nurturing parents.

Published by Christian Book Summaries, Inc., 4654 Winery Way, Gahanna, Ohio
In an ideal world these three roles
43230-4231, April 2000. Published monthly. Subscription $59.95 in the would be filled by the same people, but
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our responsibility to honor our parents,
however, the first priority goes to those
who nurtured us, for mother and father
are verbs as well as nouns.
We honor our parents because they
are partners with God. At the very least,
they have brought us into the world,
and we owe our genetic makeup to
them. But sadly, sometimes those who
bring us into the world later abandon
us or cause us great pain. We can still
honor them, deliberately focusing on
Ten
the good that they have bestowed upon
us, rather than dwelling on the negative.
God places such
a premium on the
importance of family
that He has provided
the Body of Christ as
a surrogate for those
whose family
support is
unavailable.
rds
He knows that without a healthy
attitude toward their parents, young
people will not develop the right atti-
tude toward the rest of society or auth-
ority.
Parents are entrusted as guardians
of civilization, preparing children for
life in the broader world. They are the
fountain of wisdom, passing on and
applying the principles learned in pre-
vious generations. When we dismiss
their instruction we doom ourselves to
"reinvent the wheel" and learn these
lessons all over again.
God commands us to honor our
parents; that is reason enough to do so.
However, we must also realize that the
society we create is the society we ex-
perience. The way we treat our parents
is the way we will probably be treated
ourselves.
CB
S it is given by God as part and parcel
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5
Word Six:
AMERICA’S
MURDEROUS
HEART
“You shall not murder.”
For the last 20 years euthanasia
has been practiced legally in Holland.
Alarmingly, it is often not the patients
who are choosing to die, but others
who are choosing to kill them. In 1990,
58 percent of all euthanasia was per-
formed without the patient's consent.
Now legally-assisted suicide is
making inroads here in the United
States. Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who has
assisted in numerous suicides, was
convicted and jailed only after filming
one of these assisted deaths and airing
it on national TV. But a poll found
that 55 percent of Americans believed
that he should not have been convicted.
A generation ago abortionists were
marginalized and prosecuted. Now
they are media heroes like Dr. George
Tiller, who runs a crematorium for
aborted babies. This man has been an
honored guest of President Clinton
at the White House.
The Bible always views the taking
of human life as somehow negative.
That is not to say that it is never justi-
fied. But whenever it happens, it is
proof that something has gone wrong.
Even though the Bible allows for war,
capital punishment, and killing to pro-
tect innocent life, it never celebrates it.
The Sixth Commandment is not a
proscription against all killing. The es-
sential force of the Hebrew, Lo t'ratzach,
is that the taking of innocent human
life is forbidden. Specifically, this refers
to a judicially innocent life, protecting
not only the truly innocent, but also
those who have not yet been convicted.
The sanctity of life is the basis for
this prohibition. Life is sacred because
of our humanity. Therefore, only He
should determine when that life
should come to an end. And no
one else has the right to decide
what makes us human persons.
Slavery tried to show that some
humans were not persons. A cen-
tury later the Supreme Court re-
peated the same error by denying
the rights of personhood to un-
born humans. This judicial intru-
sion was wrong in the 19th cen-
tury and it is wrong now.
The Bible does provide for the
judicial taking of human life, but
only under strictly-defined circum-
stances. It does not allow for tak-
ing the law into our own hands,
but promotes the objective review
of accusations to protect the sanc-
tity of life. This system of justice
did not originate with America's
founding fathers, but with God
Himself.
The Sixth Commandment is
more than just a prohibition; it
is also a positive directive to pre-
serve and enhance life. But advanc-
ing the cause of life is more than
just making our own lives whole.
It means being at peace with those
around us, eliminating resentment,
prejudice, and hatred. And it means
loving and caring for children.
We are to love and enjoy the
life God has given us. The Hebrew
word for life, chai, has to do with
vitality, well-being, and prosperity.
When we know and follow God's
will, everything else takes on a
new meaning, for our individual
activities become part of a grand
mission.
"We should do those things that
enhance life for ourselves, but
more importantly, the life of
God is all about enhancing the
life of others. Selfless service to
others is the way to a happiness
and fulfillment that is otherwise
impossible to know."
Service and spiritual maturity
go together, and improving the lives
of others is an integral part of being
pro-life. We need to be active,
helping out the needy and creating
better communities. We must not
allow the many demands upon
our time to keep us from doing
all we can to honor life. CB
S
 6
Word Seven: Word Eight:
WHEN THE VOW BREAKS THE
“You shall not commit adultery.”
None of us can forget the ordeal of infidelity, lies, and subterfuge to
which President Clinton subjected the nation in the aftermath of his affair
TRUSTED
THIEF
with a young intern. Part of the President's defense was based on a very
narrow definition of adultery. But the Seventh Commandment refers to
a much deeper violation of trust.

Literally this prohibition is, "no apostatizing." Apostatizing is an aban-

donment of principles or promises, which has an obvious application to the “You shall not steal.”
marital relationship. But it goes far beyond that specific context and has im- Reported theft in America is a
plications for any type of pledge and our obligation to keep it. staggering $15 billion per year. One-
third of all employees admit to steal-
In ancient Jewish society, people planned for marriage from early child- ing from their companies. Two-thirds
hood. There were four steps in the process of marriage~the betrothal, the abuse sick leave or falsify time cards.
ring, the marriage contract, and cohabitation. It was a grand rite of passage Since theft is so familiar, we think
around which youth revolved, culminating in a hugely festive occasion. we know what constitutes stealing.
But do we really?
"Marriage [is] the normal state of life and the basic unit of society."
In Hebrew, the word for steal,
In God's scheme of things marriage involves the intertwining of two gahnaf, means to take away stealthily
lives and two persons, creating something new out of that union. It is an or secretly. Therefore, it can refer to
institution which must be protected. Therefore, its most vital component, anything which is taken without the
sexual fidelity, takes on a special significance. Any kind of sexual intimacy knowledge or permission of its owner.
for gratification or arousal outside of the marriage relationship is forbidden. So what is covered by this prohibition?

What's wrong with adultery? Everything. Any act that damages the Conventional theft: burglary:
physical oneness of marriage breaks the trust of the violated mate, a trust robbery, larceny, hijacking,
which is the foundation of the relationship. This understanding of trust in or shoplifting.
marriage is bolstered by natural law. Even unbelievers and adherents of other Complex theft: embezzlement,
faiths believe that this trust must remain inviolable. extortion, racketeering, stealing
intellectual or creative property,
It is Christianity, however, which gives marriage its spiritual foundation and a wide variety of white collar
and therefore its sacredness. God made man for woman and woman for man. crimes.
Their union reflects the union between Christ and his Church. All Christian
traditions recognize that marriage is instituted by God, and until recent Gahnaf also includes deception
times, society considered adultery to be a serious crime~simply because and exploitation. This involves tak-
it offended God. ing advantage of someone else's ig-
norance for one's own advantage~
Adultery undermines trust, because it is done in secret and covered up like a vendor who sells to an unin-
by lies. Adultery violates the vulnerability which marriage is supposed to formed client for an inflated price
protect in a way that is very difficult to repair. And when it is not repaired, or lies about the merits of the product.
divorce results, usually leading to even greater unhappiness. Politicians practice deception by
making promises they have no in-
In addition to inculcating personal morality, we can help promote healthy tention of fulfilling.
marriages by: This stealing of the truth is perhaps
Demanding that the entertainment industries portray marriage positively; the most alarming development in
Electing school boards who will promote chastity; our post-Christian culture. Take, for
Urging government officials to model healthy marriages; and example, sexual politics, where im-
moral behavior is dismissed as an
Supporting organizations which promote family life. unavoidable biological reality. Or
C the world population crisis scam.
SB continued on page 7

THE TRUSTED THIEF continued from page 6
Or revisionist history, like the anti-
American propaganda now fed to
school children. Or the pseudo-
science of Darwinism.
Perhaps gaming, or legalized
gambling, is the greatest fraud going
today. The entire industry is built on
a lie, helping you to believe that
you'll be the next big winner. Ameri-
cans now spend more on gambling
than on food or clothing. For every
winner, however, there must be many,
many losers.
Stealing is taking something from
someone else in a way which they
would not allow if they were fully
informed. Why is that wrong? In a
culture steeped in moral relativism,
some might suggest that it is wrong
simply because it breaks down the
social order. But, in reality, what we
have is part of who we are. Stealing
lessens the victim by depriving him
of those things which the thief has
appropriated for himself.
Theft, however, deprives us of
something else~trust. We all have a
need to depend on certain absolutes
in our lives. Those who are regularly
exploited lose this sense of trust.
Their faith, confidence, and optimism
are replaced by fear, suspicion, and
cynicism.
Whenever a commandment is
broken, either God or someone else
is defrauded of what is rightfully
his. Government breaks the Eighth
Commandment when it exacts too
much from its people in taxes and
then squanders it. Employers rob their
employees by withholding promised
benefits. When people defraud large,
impersonal companies, they are really
stealing from the stockholders.
We all pay the price of theft~in
higher prices and in skyrocketing
costs of the criminal justice system.
The only way that we can have a just
society is to respect the ownership
rights of others; then we too can
hope to enjoy what is rightfully ours.
CB
S war.”
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7
Word Nine:
GOSSIP, RUMORS,
AND INNUENDOS
“You shall not bear
false witness against
your neighbor.”
Rev. Roby Roberson, a middle-
aged Pentecostal pastor in Washington
state, entered his office on a typical
morning. Moments later the police
arrived and carted him off to jail,
charging him with child molestation.
His daughter was taken into state
custody for eight months. Many of
his church members were also jailed.
A year later, however, the police de-
tective who started the false accusa-
tions found himself a defendant.
Fortunately, cases like this are
rare, but they highlight just how easy
it is to ruin a life and reputation by
unfounded accusations. Though
most Americans don't make such
false charges, that does not mean
that they are not guilty of breaking
the Ninth Commandment.
God gave this commandment to
protect people against the corrosive
power of false accusation. This can
take the form of outright lying, but
often it is more subtle. A bad report
passed on without sufficient verifi-
cation, harmful information inten-
tionally disclosed without a valid
reason, insincere flattery, and the
age-old art of blame-shifting are all
violations of this injunction.
In the ancient Near East there was
no presumption of innocence or due
process. If you were accused by some-
one powerful, you were toast.
But Abraham was called to father
a nation founded on righteousness
and justice (Genesis 18:19). There-
fore, God built into the Jewish law
protections against unfair accusation.
According to Scripture, justice
is based on:
God's moral nature
Truth
The example of Jesus
Justice requires:
Members of the society be
informed about the laws they
are expected to keep
Multiple witnesses with firsthand
knowledge of the offense
Fair and impartial application
This commandment is not limited
to courtroom situations. There are
other classes of false accusation, such
as:
Gossip:
Talking about others' private business
in their absence, depriving them of
the opportunity to correct or context-
ualize the remarks.
Rumors:
Unconfirmed stories from unknown
sources
Innuendos:
Indirect gestures or references intend-
ed to communicate something nega-
tive about another
These sins permeate every level
of society, but they are particularly
grievous in the case of the news media.
In recent decades, the media have
abandoned their commitment to
journalism, in search of what sells.
When these sources deliberately dis-
tort reality, the average citizen cannot
render an informed opinion.
“They say that the first casualty
of war is always the truth, and
it certainly applies to the culture
continued on page 8
GOSSIP, RUMORS, AND INNUENDOS continued from page 7
Similarly, politicians routinely ig-
nore the facts, preferring to attack their
opponent personally. Most of our elec-
ted officials are sincere people, but the
political institution is way out of whack.
There is, however, a time for rebuk-
ing those in authority and making their
private behavior known, especially if
they name the name of Christ. When
their private actions affect either dir-
ectly or indirectly those whom they
serve, we must speak out.
CB
S rightfully relinquish his wife.
Word Ten:
THE CONSEQUENCE OF
UNBRIDLED DESIRE
“You shall not covet.”
In September of 1996 Wanda Hollo-
way pled no contest to solicitation of
capital murder. Her basic sin, however,
was covetousness. She wanted her
daughter to become a successful cheer-
leader, but another girl stood in the
way. So Wanda hired a hit man to kill
the rival's mother.
Covetousness is quite complex. It is
also extremely serious. The Bible lists
it with the most vile of passions and
claims that those characterized by it
will not enter heaven (1 Corinthians
6:9-10).
"The majority of us do not know
what really constitutes coveting. We
think of it as wishing for something
we can't afford or being discontent
with what we have."
Wanting something you can't easily
obtain is not the same as coveting. If
you are driving through a neighbor-
hood of fancy homes and decide you'd
like to have one, that in itself is not
coveting. Desire is not evil, but it can
Coming Next Month:
GOD OF THE POSSIBLE
by Gregory Boyd
(Baker)
JUST GIVE ME JESUS
by Anne Graham Lotz
(Word)
8
become evil if what we want belongs
to another.
The Hebrew word chamad denotes
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a desire to own that which can never
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be rightfully yours. It doesn't simply
refer to something you can't afford at
present. It means, rather, to pursue that
which can never under any circum-
stances be legitimately obtained. That's
why the commandment specifies that
covetousness is directed toward speci-
fic things which already belong to your
neighbor~wife, male or female servant,
ox, donkey, etc. Of course, he cannot
The consequences of coveting are
enormous, especially when it involves
something sexual. Just ask King David.
But this is not the only kind of covetous-
ness. People kill because they have been
passed over for a promotion or because
they don't get the college roommate
they wanted. Or they may lie or cheat
to gain position or prestige.
It all starts with unbridled desire.
When desires are not regulated by self-
control, bad things happen. Scripture
mentions numerous sins rooted in covet-
ousness~like lying, theft, domestic
troubles, murder, lust, greed, envy, and
sinful jealousies. It all starts in the mind,
as it did with Eve, who saw and desired
something she couldn't have. Lucifer's
downfall began when he coveted God's
position.
The remedy for covetousness is con-
tentment. This requires a balance be-
tween self-control and self-indulgence.
We may enjoy the good things of God,
but real satisfaction comes from sharing
them. This was the lesson learned by
Mother Teresa. But whether God calls
us to do what she did~or to be one of
the many wealthy people who supported
her work, He calls us to be satisfied
with what~and whom~He has entrusted
to us. Most importantly, He calls us to
find our contentment in Him. C
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ummaries
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Volume 1, Number 13
Publishers
David A. Martin
John S. Martin, III
Editor
Christian Book Summaries is published
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The author: Rev. Rob Schenck is a mission-
ary to elected and appointed officials in
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tion Save Our Nation, an effort to bring
the Word of God to bear on the hearts and
minds of those who make public policy
in America. He appears regularly in the
national secular and Christian media.
The Ten Words That Will Change A Nation
by Rob Schenck. Copyright C 1999 by Robert
L. Schenck. Summarized by permission of
the publisher, Albury Publishing, P.O. Box
470406, Tulsa, OK 74147-0406. 262 pages.
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