Text: Prov. 27:4, Ex. 34:14
INTRODUCTION
From these verses, it looks like envy is bad and jealousy is good,
since we know that God is good, and yet he calls himself jealous with a capital
J.
In the Bible, envy is a vice, as we’ll see, but jealousy can be a
virtue. Paul refers to “godly jealousy”
in 2 Cor. 11:2, a spiritual jealousy that saints have. There’s also a natural
jealousy, like what couples have for each other, even unsaved ones (Num. 5:14;
Prov. 8:32-34).
I’d like to do three things in this exhortation:
1.
Define these two
terms as they’re used in scripture, not necessarily how they’re used in our
culture. Many times the cultural definition doesn’t match the scriptures, but
that doesn’t give us license to change scripture. We just need to study the
Bible and understand how God uses these words.
2.
Show how jealousy
is an attribute of God while envy is connected with the world, the flesh, and
the devil [Gal. 5, 1 Cor. 3, Jas. 3:15-16].
3.
On the practical side,
look at how to avoid envy and what to be jealous about.
DEFINITIONS
· Envy. I came
across an excellent definition in an out of the way place, sort of like finding
a beautiful flower where you least expected one. Turn with me to Ezek. 35. In
this chapter, Ezekiel foretells God’s judgment on mount Seir, where Esau’s
descendants lived. Well, Esau and his people, the Edomites, never got over
losing their inheritance to Jacob and the Israelites [both brothers had two
names; Israel—prince of God, Edom—weak]. In 35:5, it talks about the Edomites
having a “perpetual” or lasting “hatred” of Israel, even when Israel
was under God’s judgment (kicking someone when they’re down). We read about
this hatred again in v. 11, but in the same verse we read about anger and envy.
I think that this verse helps us define envy. Envy is being angered by someone
having something you don’t, to the point of hatred.
o
Joseph and his
brethren (Gen. 37:3-5, 11; Acts 7:9)
o
Moses and Korah
(Ps. 105:16-18; envy is wickedness—Num. 16:1-3)
o
Christ and the
Jews (Mt. 27:18)
· Jealousy. First
use of this word is found in the ten commandments, where God identifies himself
as “a jealous God” (Ex. 20:5). The
context is idolatry, worshipping other gods besides God. So God doesn’t want us
worshipping anyone besides him. That’s what jealousy is: wanting someone to
love you or be loyal to you and not someone else. God wired us that way because
he’s that way. So it’s natural for everyone to be jealous over certain things,
but it can also be spiritual in the life of a believer. Let’s look at Paul’s “godly jealousy” more closely. He’s
jealous over the Corinthian believers, but how? He wants them to love Christ,
who he led them to, and not go after Satan like Eve did (v. 3). Now that’s a
holy, spiritual desire, not something carnal. Which leads to the next thing I’d
like to point out, which is…
CONTRAST OF JEALOUSY AND ENVY
· Jealousy is an
attribute or character trait of God. In Ex. 34:14, he not only says that he’s
jealous, he says that his “name is Jealous.” It’s his identity,
just like light (1 John 1:5), love (1 John 4:18), and holiness (Is. 57:15).
Jealousy is part of God’s holiness, and therefore, if God lives in you, it will
be part of a holy life. You’ll come to know a spiritual jealousy, not just a natural
one. In the last part of this lesson we’ll look at some specific examples of
things we should be jealous about in our Christian life, so that this holiness
is worked out in us, for the glory of God.
· Envy is connected
with the world, the flesh, and the devil.
o
Gal. 5:19-21.
Paul lists “envyings” as a work of
the flesh.
o
1 Cor. 3:3. He
says that envy is carnal and not spiritual.
o
Jas. 3:15-16.
Envy is listed in the context of the “sensual,
earthly, devilish.”
o
Is. 14:12-14. I
think it was envy that led Lucifer to assault the Lord. He became proud of his
beauty and power (Ezek. 28:17), then he resented God’s position to the point of
hatred. It’s a terrible thought, but I think if Lucifer could have, he would
have dethroned God…or worse. But do you see how deceptive sin is? If God had
changed at all, the universe would’ve fallen apart. That’s why he calls himself Almighty—all
power is his, and if he ceased to have it, he’s no longer God. So Lucifer blew
it big time, and he’ll pay for this hideous sin forever in the lake of fire. “…but
who can stand before envy?” Only God; everyone else gets plowed over by it.
HOW TO MORTIFY ENVY AND WHAT TO BE
JEALOUS OVER
·
Two fundamental
ways to mortify envy
o
Recognize God’s
control over everything, including what he does for others and doesn’t do for
you; stop questioning God’s wisdom—he knows exactly what he’s doing, and
everything he’s doing or not doing is best for you, even if others seem to have
advantages you don’t
o
Realize how complete
and rich you are in Christ (Col. 2:1-3, 10). You have everything you need
spiritually AND God’s promise to provide your physical needs too, as he sees
fit. Why be envious?
o
Finally, relish
the unique place God has given you in his body. No one else can do what you do,
in the way you do it. In light of that, what’s to envy? Let others be who God
has made them, and you be who God made you. Not every believer will be in the
limelight; most won’t, and that’s good, since the limelight corrupts most who
get it in it. We should rejoice in lower status in life (not low character),
since it spares you many cares and temptations, like Paul tells us in 1 Tim. 6.
·
What to be
jealous over
o
God’s honour (Ps.
106:28-31). Phinehas received eternal rewards for being jealous over God’s
honour. In Num. 25:10-13, it says that he “made
an atonement” for Israel and received an everlasting priesthood for it,
just like Jesus Christ.
o
God’s word and fellowship
(1 Kings 19:10, 14). Twice Elijah mentions God’s “covenant,” a spoken agreement which brought Israel into a relationship
with him, maintained by sacrifices upon altars and preaching from the prophets.
While nearly everyone else in Israel had forsaken this fellowship, Elijah clung
to it, and he too is rewarded for it eternally (one of the two witnesses in
Rev. 11; carried up to heaven twice).
o
Purity of the
gospel (Acts 15:1-2; Gal. 2:4-5). Paul and Barnabas fought to keep Paul’s new
gospel free from any admixture of works, and this struggle continued all
through the book of Acts, an even to the present day. We’ve got to keep works
out of the gospel in this age, otherwise it is no gospel. Works were required
under the gospel of the kingdom (you had to be baptized to be saved), but
they’re not in this age under Paul’s gospel (Rom. 4:5-6; Eph. 2:8-9; Tit. 3:5).
- Purity of the saints (2 Cor. 11:2-3). Paul was deeply concerned about his converts remaining chaste and not corrupted by false doctrine. We should not want to see other believers get dirty but to stay pure, doctrinally and practically. It should provoke us when we see the opposite and move us to action. What are you doing to keep others pure? Are you sharing the truth you know to rescue others from lies? Having truth is a serious thing, because with it comes a great responsibility to minister that truth to others, in any age. So let’s be jealous about helping the brethren get chaste in preparation for the Lord’s coming; the primary means of that is the word of God (Eph. 5:25-27), backed up by a holy and consistent life.
