Yup; but to WHOM was he writing?
The church in Rome which most scholars say was composed of jewish Christians and gentile Christians.
But you ignored the rest of my post and I'm still curious so I"ll ask the question again:
Are you really making the point that Christian can and should covet?
Paul said:
1Ti_2:7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
Paul also said:
Rom 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "YOU SHALL NOT COVET."
Rom 7:8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. For apart from the law sin was dead.
Rom 7:9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.
Rom 7:10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.
Rom 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.
Rom 7:12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
My response was a paraphrase of Paul. I'll assume that you didn't recognize that. Or do you not consider the letters of Paul inspired scripture?