This reading of A Common Yet Subtle Sin by S. L. Brangle is from the Free Grace Broadcaster magazine entitled Covetousness, issue number 167, and is produced by Still Waters Revival Books. A Common Yet Subtle Sin by S. L. Brangle Thou shalt not cover thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's. From Exodus chapter 20 verse 17 There is a sin which a Catholic priest once declared that no one had ever confessed to him. A sin so deadly that the wrath of God comes upon men because of it. A sin so common that probably everybody has, at some time, been guilty of it. A sin so gross in the sight of God as to be classed with whoremongery, idolatry, murder, and such like. A sin so subtle that men most guilty of it seem to be most unconscious of it. A sin that has led to the ruin of homes, to the doom of cities, the downfall of kings, the overthrow of empires, the collapse of civilization, the damnation of an apostle, the ministers of the gospel and of millions of less conspicuous men. Men in the highest and most sacred positions of trust, and enjoying the most unlimited confidence of their fellow men, have, under the spell of this sin, wrecked their good names, and have brought shame to their families and misfortunes, want and woe to their fellows. When amid the thunderings and lightnings of Mount Sinai, God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, one of the ten was against this sin. When Lot lost all he had in the doom of Sodom and Gomorrah, it was primarily because of this sin. When Nadab and Abihu were suddenly consumed by the fierce fires of God's wrath at the bottom of their transgression was this sin. When Achan and his household were stoned, it was because of this sin. When Eli and his sons lost the priesthood and died miserably, it was at root because of this sin. When Saul lost his kingdom, it was because this sin had subtly undermined his loyalty to God. When Ahab died and the dogs licked his blood, he was meeting the doom of this sin. When David fell from the heights of God's tender favor and fellowship, and brought shame and confusion upon himself, and incurred God's hot displeasure and lifelong trouble, it was because of this sin. When Elisha's servant Gehazi went out from the presence of the prophet smitten with leprosy white as snow, it was because of this sin. When Judas betrayed the Master with a kiss, thus making his name a synonym of everlasting obliquy, and bringing upon himself the death of a dog and a fool, it was because of this sin. When Ananias and Sepharia dropped dead at Peter's feet, they suffered the dread penalty of this sin. When the great war burst forth in 1914, enveloping the earth in its wrathful flame, sweeping away the splendid manhood of the world in storms of steel and rivers of blood, and engulfing the accumulated wealth of ages in a bottomless pit of destruction, the disaster could be traced to the unrestricted and deadly workings of this awful, secret, silent, pitiless sin. But what is the sin that the Catholic priest never mentioned in his confessional? The sin that apostles and priests and shepherds and servants have committed, and upon which the fierce and swift lightnings of God's wrath have fallen? The sin of which everyone at some time has probably been guilty, and yet which is so secret and subtle that those most enthralled by it are most unconscious of it? It is the sin of covetousness. When the herdsmen of Lot and Abraham fell into strife, Abraham, the uncle to whom God had promised all the land, said to the young man, Lot, his nephew, quote, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee. We be brethren, end quote. Then he bade Lot take the portion of the land which pleased him, and he would be content to take what was left. Lot looked down upon the fat plains of Jordan, and without a thought for his old uncle, to whom he owed all, he drove his herds into the lush pastures of the rich plain, near the markets of opulent Sodom and Gomorrah, while the rough and stony hill country was left to Abraham. But God became more fully than ever the companion and portion of Abraham, while Lot, through his covetousness, was soon so entangled in the life of Sodom, that in the doom of the city he lost all he had, barely escaping with his life, and accompanied only by two weak and willful daughters. At the bottom of Nadab and Abihu's sacrilegious offering of strange fire before the Lord was their coveting of the priestly power and authority of Aaron, and it led to God's swift vindication of Aaron in their awful destruction. When the children of Israel entered the land of promise, and the walls of Jericho fell before them, Achan saw golden garments which he coveted and took to himself, regardless of God's commandment, thereby bringing defeat to Israel, death to his fellow soldiers, and terrible doom upon himself. Old Eli's son, unsatisfied with the rich provision made for the priesthood, coveted that which God had reserved for sacrifice, and against protest took what was forbidden for themselves. Besides, despite God's command, they coveted the wives and maidens that came up to worship at God's altar. When soft-hearted Old Eli heard about their sin, he only feebly reproved them. Consequently, God's wrath swiftly followed with its doom of death and the lost of the priesthood. It was Saul's coveting the goodwill of the people rather than the favor of God that led to his disobedience and loss of the kingdom. Among all Ahab's other wreaking iniquities, it was this, his covetousness leading him to destroy Naboth and steal his vineyards, that brought down upon him God's sleepless judgment, till he died in battle and dogs licked up his blood. David coveted Bathsheba, the wife of another man, and to this day blasphemers sneer and God is reproached, while David only escaped the doom which falls upon those who are guilty of this sin by his humble confession, deep repentance, and brokenness of heart. But he could not escape endless shame, sorrow, and trouble. Gehizi cast longing eyes upon the gold, silver, and rare changes of garments which Naman pressed upon Elisha, the prophet, out of gratitude for his cleansing in Jordan, and which Elisha refused. but blinded by the glitter of gold and steeped in covetousness, Ghazi had no heart and no understanding for the aster self-denial of the final prophet, and he said to himself, quote, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him and take what somewhat of him, end quote. And run he did, and quote, somewhat, end quote, he received. Then, to hide his sin, he lied to Elisha. But the old seer's eyes were like the seraph's eyes they saw. And he said to the covetous lion Gehazi, quote, went not my heart with thee when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money and to receive garments and olive yards and vineyards and sheep and oxen and men's servants and maid's servants? The leprosy, therefore, of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and unto thy seed forever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow." Covetousness, Ra ruled the stony, ashen heart of Judas, and for 30 pieces of silver he betrayed the master. Covetousness possessed the selfish heart of Annius and Sepharia. They wanted the praise and honor of utmost sacrifice and generosity, while secretly holding on to their gold. And God smote them dead. As we study the history and biblical examples of this sin of covetousness, we see the deep meaning and truth of Paul's words to Timothy. Quote, they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil. End quote from First Timothy chapter six, verses nine and 10. This sin led to ingratitude toward his uncle and neighborly association with vile sinners in Lot, to envy and jealousy and sacrilege in Adib and Ebihu, to disobedience in Saul, to sacrilege and licentiousness in Eli's son, to adultery and murder in David, to brazen robbery in Ahab, to greed and lying in Gehazi, to the betrayal in the innocent Christ with an impudent kiss in Judas, to bold lying to the Holy Ghost in Anias and Sapphira, truly from its poisonous root has sprung up the deadly unpassed tree of all evil, and upon it in manifold ways has been outpoured the wrath of God, showing His holy hatred and abhorrence of it. A close study of the awful ravages of this sin in its manifold workings would show that again and again it has undermined thrones and led to the downfall of empires. It has rotted away the strong foundations of chastity and honesty and truth and goodwill in whole peoples, ending in the collapse of civilizations. Once its workings begin in a human heart, there is no end to the ruin and woe it may bring about in that soul, and then in the lives of others. There is no height of honor or holiness from which it may not pull men down. There is no depth of pitiless selfishness, lying evasion, brazen effrontery, and self-deception into which it may not plunge men. When proclaiming the Ten Commandments from the Flaming Mount, God reserved the last to hurl at this sin. Not because it was the least of all sins forbidden, but rather because it was a pregnant mother of them all, an instigator, and an ally of all evil. Covetousness is a sin that reaches out for men of every age. In some of its forms, it makes its most successful assaults upon men well advanced in years. A man in ardent devotion to Christ may successfully resist it in his youth, and yet fall before it when his head is crowned with honors and white with the snows of many winters. The fear of want in old age, the natural desire to provide for his children and loved ones, may silently, secretly lead him into the deadly embrace of this serpent-like sin. May cause shipwreck of his honor, his faith, his, quote, first love, end quote. His simplicity in Christ, his unselfish devotion to the interests of the Lord and the souls of his fellow men. and thus may bring about his final rejection in that day when the secrets of men's hearts shall be revealed and their works made manifest by fire. How may man avoid this deadly secret subtle sin? There is but one way. That is, by following Jesus in daily, resolute self-denial, by watchfulness and prayer, by, quote, walking in the light as He is in the light, end quote, by openness of heart, by humility of mind, by utter surrender to the Holy Spirit, by counting all things lost for Christ as Paul did. by learning and not forgetting that, quote, godliness with contentment is great gain, end quote, by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, by joyfully trusting Christ and Him alone for all things. Still Waters Revival Books is now located at PuritanDownloads.com. It's your worldwide, online Reformation home for the very best in free and discounted classic and contemporary Puritan and Reformed books, MP3s, and videos. For much more information on the Puritans and Reformers, including the best free and discounted classic and contemporary books, mp3s, digital downloads and videos, please visit Still Waters Revival Books at PuritanDownloads.com. 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