The sin of jealousy is usually tolerated in Christian circles—however our lenience doesn’t make it any much less critical. The Bible is obvious: Jealousy is a grave matter. In a chat given to seminary college students known as “Concerning Jealousy,” Alistair Begg surveys jealousy’s penalties, which might solely be overcome as we acknowledge our transgression earlier than God and maintain our eyes fastened on Christ:
Jealousy rots your bones. I didn’t make that up; it really says it within the Bible. Proverbs 14:30: “A tranquil coronary heart offers life to the flesh, however envy makes the bones rot.” That’s a graphic image, isn’t it? An image of decay, an image of one thing that’s going down on the within and never instantly obvious on the surface. …
Secondly, it offers beginning to unwarranted anger and suspicion. … It’s not sufficient to say that “I’ve x.” The issue is “I’ve x, however you’ve gotten y.” And if I can’t dwell with the truth that you’ve gotten y, then my x means fairly little to me in any respect. …
Thirdly, it breeds a destructively important spirit. … Daniel, keep in mind, is described because the one who was distinguished above all. When the political constructions had been being put in place, Daniel was exemplary, and he stood out above the remainder. And we learn, “And his colleagues sought to search out floor for a criticism in opposition to him.” … And it grew to become, then, the main target of their agenda to ensure they might discover a option to topple him from his perch. And at root was the issue of jealousy.
… Fourthly, it ruins your non secular urge for food. … 1 Peter 2:1: “Put away all malice … deceit … hypocrisy … envy and … slander.” Right here we’re on the respectable sins of evangelicalism. Listed below are the issues which are tolerated in our fellowships. Listed below are the issues that we’re tempted to skip over and excuse in ourselves routinely, as a result of someway or one other, no one can see that my bones are rotting. … It’s going to come out ultimately! These closest to us will concentrate on it. …
Lastly, … jealousy is the forerunner to all types of chaos. … James chapter 3: “For the place jealousy and egocentric ambition exist, there might be dysfunction and each [evil] follow” (James 3:16).
So, you go right into a context the place you discover chaos, you discover dysfunction, you discover evil being tolerated, you’re tripping over lumps on the carpet that ought to have been handled a very long time in the past, points which have now grow to be prevalent, maybe embedded, within the tradition of an establishment, of a church, of a household, of a gaggle of pals—if you happen to hint it again, there’s a greater than even likelihood that we’ll get proper again to this self-same ugly jealousy.
