The Spiritual Rot of Envy and Jealousy – Our Disease

Human feelings are natural and real.

GOD gave us feelings to use positively in our own lives and in the lives of others.

Especially, GOD gave His children the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control –positive, healthy feelings that mirror the personalities of our Father and His Son. 

As sons and daughters of the Almighty, believers are expected to make a positive impact in the Kingdom of GOD by making these feelings come alive in our day to day activities.

But Scripture warns us repeatedly against acting out of some unhealthy feelings.

I choose two for this article that all human beings experience to some extent and at some time in life, as both victim and offender.

Let’s talk about envy and jealousy.

It is not unusual for individuals to use both of these terms to describe the same reaction. But envy and jealousy have different definitions.

Envy is a reaction to lacking something. A feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck (Noun); desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable attribute belonging to (someone else) (verb)

Jealousy as a reaction to the threat of losing something or someone. Feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages; showing suspicion of someone's unfaithfulness in a relationship; fiercely protective or vigilant of one's rights or possessions. (adjective)

The main reason these two are often treated the same is that one is the cause of the other. Your envy of your co-worker’s abilities is linked to your jealousy of his/her promotion. 

The two go hand-in-hand.

When you are feeling envious you are also feeling jealous. 

Feelings of envy and jealousy can escalate and become destructive thoughts of actually doing physical harm. 

We have great examples of this in the Old Testament. 

The story of Joseph tells us that his brothers so envied him for being his father’s favorite that jealousy drove them to consider murdering their own brother. But when his (Joseph’s) brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peacefully to him. Genesis 37:4

Similarly, King Saul became crazed with envy of David whom GOD chose to succeed him as king.  Saul’s envy incited him to a jealous rage and attempts to murder his rival. “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you,…Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” (1 Samuel 18,19)

As far back as Genesis 4, envy and jealousy are shown to be harmful emotions – it’s the reason Cain murdered his brother Abel.

GOD’s WORD has a lot to say against envy and jealousy.

• Now the works of the flesh are evident… jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy…Galatians 5:19
• Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:26
• A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. Proverbs 14:30
• For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. James 3:16
• Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? Proverbs 27:4
• For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 1 Corinthians 3:3
• Let us walk properly as in the daytime, …not in quarreling and jealousy. Romans 13:13
• Put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 1 Peter 2:1
• “…out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.” Mark 7:21-23
• You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. James 4:2

You can see that these two emotions are not the will of the Father.

Envy and jealousy are often described, as “works of the flesh” and are in total opposition to the fruit of the Spirit, the greatest of which is love. And love does not envy 1 Corinthians 13.

It is impossible to love GOD, be led by the Spirit and at the same time continually choose the sin of envy over what is divine, the fruit of the Spirit.

The Bible warns that “those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5. In other words, they are not of the family of GOD but enemies.

Do you know that it was envy that incited the Jews to betray CHRIST?

However, we are not perfect, so from time to time we too are going to be tempted by feelings of envy and jealousy.

But because we are the beloved children of GOD whose sins are atoned for by the Son, our loving Father will help us to find our way out of our negative emotions and back to a right relationship with Him (1 Corinthians 10:13.)

How does the Father do this?

To be continued….

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Our Father and our GOD, YOU are the source of all that is good and pure in our lives. Thank YOU for JESUS CHRIST who made it possible for us to have healthy feelings by the fruit of the Spirit. Thank YOU for giving us the tool to turn dry wastelands into refreshing waters of life. Thank YOU for your relentless pursuit of our hearts and minds. To YOU belong all honor, dominion, glory and power forever and ever.  We pray and ask all things in the matchless Name of your Son, JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile