The Westminster Shorter Catechism
Q81. What is forbidden in the Tenth Commandment?
A. The Tenth Commandment
forbiddeth all discontentment with
our own estate, [1]
envying or grieving at the good of
our neighbour, [2]
and all inordinate motions and affections
to any thing that is his.[3]
[1]
1 Kings 21:4; Esther 5:13; 1 Corinthians 10:10; [2] Galatians 5:26; James 3:14, 16;
[3] Romans 7:7–8; 13:9; Deuteronomy 5:21.
The Tenth Commandment, first of all, forbids all discontentment with our own estate. Discontentment with our own estate shows itself in our not being well pleased with our own present condition, in our murmuring and complaining of our condition, such as Ahab and Haman did (1 Kgs 21:3–4; Esth 5:11, 13). Such discontentment may arise from: (1) Our failure to believe God’s promise that His providential dealings with us is always for our good (Mt 10:29—31); and (2) Our self-love, pride and over-valuing ourselves, by which we think that we deserve better things and more from God than what He has apportioned to us. The child of God ought rather to remind himself of the goodness and mercy of God, and that by himself he deserves nothing but damnation for his sin.
Secondly, the Tenth Commandment forbids envy, by which we are “grieved at
another’s good, when the parts and gifts of the mind, or strength and beauty of
the body, or the wealth and outward prosperity, or the esteem and honour, or
any good thing which another hath, more than ourselves” (Vincent). Envy is a
form of heart-murder and as James says: “Where envying and strife is, there is
confusion and every evil work” (Jas 3:16). Envy, as such, makes us unlike
Christ but like the devil (1 Pet 2:1–2; 1 Jn 3:8; cf. Jn 8:44). The child of
God ought, therefore, to guard his heart against envy by being fully persuaded
of its evil, to repent of it, and to apply to Christ for help that he may grow
in cordial love and charity (1 Jn 4:7).
The third sin which the Tenth Commandment forbids is all inordinate motions
(deeds) and affections (feelings) towards any thing that is our neighbour’s.
This is the most obvious sin forbidden in this Commandment. When we sin in this
manner, we would, firstly, be guilty of uncharitableness and injustice towards
our neighbour. We must remember that love as defined in the Scripture begins
with the heart. We must never think that as long as we do not hurt anyone that
we are not sinning against God and man. Secondly, by lusting after what belongs
to our neighbour, we would at the same time be cultivating discontentment with
regard to our own estate.