Belt’s Basics: 8th and 9th commandments
Feb 3, 2025 • Pastor Andrew Belt
The 8th and 9th commandments aim at our tongues and our hearts.
Our tongues take aim at our neighbors’ reputation and name. We can use lies to attack the gift of our neighbor’s name. And we can even use the truth to further our own sinister agenda at the cost of our neighbor. We are called instead to be the one to defend our neighbor’s reputation.
Coveting is what we do with our hearts that leads to murder and lust and all other sins. The opposite of coveting is contentment. We are called to rejoice in what God has given to my neighbor. That means putting to death my pride.
Through this, we learn how to love God and our neighbor and to cry out to God for forgiveness and restoration.