What is…
covetousness

also known as: coveting, envy, greed, greediness

This is a very strong, sinful desire for the possession of worldly things.

The Ten Commandments include God’s command that,

You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field or his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor. —Deuteronomy 5:21 NASB

The Apostle Paul said,

Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality [fornication], impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. —Colossians 3:5 NASB

Coveting sometimes assumes a more heinous form called “avarice” (insatiable coveting/hoarding greed) which is a mark of cold-hearted worldliness.

For this you know with certainty, that no one sexually immoral or impure or greedy, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. —Ephesians 5:5

Make sure that your way of life is free from the love of money, being content with what you have…” —Hebrews 13:5 excerpt

But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils, and some by aspiring to it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. —1 Timothy 6:9-10

…store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal —Matthew 6:20

More information

• jealousy
• The Ten Commandments
• About the fall of mankind to worldwide depravity
• What is SIN AND WICKEDNESS? Answer