Covetousness and its related sins and vices lead to perilous times marked by conspiring men whose lusts inspire secret criminal combinations. The rampant disobedience to the final five “Thou shalt nots” will bring about the destruction foretold by prophets.
“For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” — 1 Corinthians 3:3
“They covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.” — Micah 2:2
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.” — 2 Timothy 3:1-2
Joseph’s “brethren envied him… they conspired against him to slay him… and they stript Joseph out of his coat… and cast him into a pit… and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came… going… down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him…” — Genesis 37:11-27
Christ said the high priests delivered him to crucifixion because of envy. — “For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.” — Mark 15:10
“When Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he might obtain our property.” — 1 Nephi 3:25, Book of Mormon
See if you can identify those “works of the flesh” that are consequences of coveting?
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” — Galatians 5:21
I count at least 9 out of the 17 listed.
“For the time speedily shall come that all… which are built up to get gain, and all who are built up to get power over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh and the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity; yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake; they are those who must be brought low in the dust; they are those who must be consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words of the prophet.” — 1 Nephi 22:23, Book of Mormon
“Behold, are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God… Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of envy? I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an one is not found guiltless.” — Alma 5:28-29, Book of Mormon
“Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts, but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God.” — Moroni 9:28, Book of Mormon
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