New City Catechism #12

Q: What does God require in the ninth and tenth commandments?
A: Ninth, that we do not lie or deceive, but speak the truth in love. Tenth, that we are content, not envying anyone or resenting what God has given them or us.

James 2:8

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.

New City Catechism 12

The ninth commandment is that one shall not bear false witness against one’s neighbor. This show how important truth is to God. Why? Because God is the God of truth and He cannot lie. It is who He is. What He is not, He detests.
“So that he who blesses himself in the land shall bless himself by the God of truth, and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes.” (Isaiah 65:16)
God is the God of truth, and this means that He speaks and acts only in truthful way. Whatever God has to say will always come true and there is no deception in God’s actions. He is not like men who are prone to lying.
“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19)
Unlike our truthful God, we are so full of this sin of lying. The writers of the Scripture were sure of this problem in mankind.
“I said in my alarm, “All mankind are liars.”” (Psalm 116:11)
Is there anyone who has not told lies? We all have told lies. Some of the ways that we have told lies are through flattery, deception, slander, false teaching, and lying. We do it because we don’t want to face consequences for telling the truth. We do it because we want something that we think will benefit us.
What is the real consequence for lying? The real consequence is that there may be temporal benefits of lying, but it ultimately hurts the other person.
“A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.” (Proverbs 25:18)
The New Testament writer, James, tells us how powerful the tongue is. He compares it to the rudder of a ship and horseshoe. He compares it to a fire that can set a forest ablaze.
The real Christian must be able to control his tongue as he desires to love his neighbor. Why should he love his neighbor? Because God loves His people, and we are to “be imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1).
This is, of course, very impossibly hard to do. We really need the grace of God if we desire to be truth bearers. How can we begin to speak more truth? Speak about Jesus, who is the truth! (John 14:6)
The answer to solving the problem of the impossibility of man to keep the ninth commandment is Jesus Christ! It is all about Jesus. He speaks the truth; he does the truth; and he is the truth. Don’t be a false witness, but be a truthful witness whose life revolves around Jesus Christ.
“What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18)
Be so ever joyful like Paul was that the truth is proclaimed! We, as Christians, should delight in proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ. You can never share any false testimony when you are preaching the gospel!

The tenth commandment is that one shall not covet. The tenth commandment makes it clear to us that God is not only concerned with crimes and sinful actions, but that He is actually concerned more so with our hearts and our minds.
Being concerned with having right intentions and having right motivations for holy living did not start with Jesus and how he interpreted the Law in the Sermon on the Mount. However, it started from the Old Testament when God gave the Law to Moses. This is why the tenth commandment is so important.
What then is coveting? It is desire that is ungodly and not content with what God has given to you in your life. It is when you do not want what God desires you to have in your life.
How difficult is it to control this urge? However, God really wants of us to keep our hearts in check. Though we might think that we are good people, in keeping the Law externally, we definitely have a work to do with keeping the Law internally.
Paul writes about how we should properly view what God has given to us. He reminds us that we are just stewards of what God has to freely given to us out of his goodwill.
“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” (1 Timothy 6:17)
What is the proper view on what God has given to us? We are supposed to enjoy it! Enjoy it because God has richly provided for us. And set the view on God, being thankful to Him for His wonderful gifts and enjoy it!
Jesus also warns us against the dangers of covetousness and tells a parable about those who are not satisfied by what God has richly given them.
“And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”” (Luke 12:15)
Jesus’s words show clearly that we must guard against this desire for us to want more. It is so easy to get caught up in material possessions and the consumerism mentality to want more. Jesus wants us, however, to live with the eternal perspective.
Why does Jesus teach us to guard against all covetousness? Because it is harmful for ourselves and for others.
“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.” (James 4:1-2)
We know that coveting is bad and that coveting does not honor God because we are saying that what God has given to us is not enough. Furthermore, when we covet, we are not asking God and creating conflict with other people. We definitely do not glorify God when we covet.
Then how do we put an end to covetousness? You can do it by living a life of contentment by the power of the Holy Spirit.
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” (Philippians 4:11)
What then is contentment? It is the opposite of covetousness. It is wanting what God wants for me. It is godly and enjoying what God has given richly.
Do you desire what God wants for you to desire? Replace the unholy desire of material things with holy desires of eternal things.
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)
God has graciously given us His Son! Remember that and how God is a generous Father. He will, according to His foreknowledge and goodwill, give us what we need and deny us what we do not need. Trust in this awesome God and replace the unholy desires with holy desires by the power of the Spirit.