Intro

I recently purchased a collection of writings that were at one time considered for inclusion in the King James version of the Bible.  While one must take care not to read such material as canon, some of these early texts contain beautiful teachings.  One such book is the first letter of Clement- a student of Peter- to the church at Corinth.   In this epistle Clement encourages the Corinthians to forsake envy, and to instead return to their original faithfulness, humility, and love.  In this week’s post we’ll cover some of that same ground, and review what the scriptures have to say about envy and our walk with God.

Scripture and Commentary

1. The Origin and History of Envy

The Bible makes it clear that envy has been around longer than man.  In Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 the Bible tells of the fall of Satan, and how thru envy of God he went from being “blameless in all his ways” to being instead filled with iniquity.  In this moment the die was cast for all of the future sins of this world, and we can thus see envy as the wellspring of evil throughout the Bible:

Genesis 4:3-8

3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”  8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

We see here how the very first man born on this earth, thru envy, also became the first murderer.

Genesis 21:8-10

8 The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”

Here it is possible that we are seeing envy on two fronts.  First, it seems likely that Ishmael was mocking because he was jealous of the attention and position of Isaac and Abraham’s trueborn heir, while Sarah is clearly threatened by the presence of Ishmael on Isaac’s behalf.  How much trouble could the world have been spared had there not been a rift between the Israeli descendants of Isaac, and the Arab descendants of Ismael!  Even today, the ramifications of this moment are severe.

The threads of envy continue to be woven deep into the tapestry of human history.  Jacob envies Esau and tricks him out of his birthright and blessing, and in turn Esau plots to kill Jacob (Genesis 25-27).  Jacob then flees to Laban, marrying his two daughters Rachel and Leah.  Jealousy develops between the sisters, with barren Rachel envious of Leah’s children, and Leah envious of Jacob’s preference for Rachel (Genesis 30).  Eventually, jealously also develops between Jacob and Laban’s sons (Genesis 31) causing Jacob to need to take his family and flocks and flee.  When Rachel finally produces the beloved Joseph, his brothers are so envious that they fake his death and sell him into slavery (Genesis 37).

This theme continues throughout the Old Testament.  Pharaoh and Moses, Moses with Aaron and Miriam, Saul’s resentment of David, David’s coveting of Uriah’s wife Bathsheba…on and on.  The thumbprints of Satan’s deep-seated resentment and his jealousy of God are apparent in all our temptations, and in all our resulting evil acts.

2. The Fruits of Envy

Scripture makes it clear that envy has incredible destructive power:

Ecclesiastes 4:1-4

Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun:  I saw the tears of the oppressed—and they have no comforter;  power was on the side of their oppressors— and they have no comforter.  2 And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive.  3 But better than both is the one who has never been born, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun. 4 And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Job 5:1-5

Call if you will, but who will answer you?  To which of the holy ones will you turn?  2 Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.  3 I myself have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.  4 His children are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender. 5 The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from among thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.

Proverbs 14:30

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

James 3:16

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice

Notice how strong the sentiments!  Better to have never been born than to see the evil on the earth caused by envy.  Rotting bones.  Crushed and consumed.  Clearly, God intends us to take these warnings to heart, and wanted to ensure that the Scriptural language made the destructive power of envy evident to the reader.

3. The cure for Envy

I Corinthians 13:4

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud

Galatians 5:13-26

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.  16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Titus 3:3-7

3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

James 3:13-15

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

The passages from Galatians and Corinthians tell us that envy is a fruit of the flesh, and not of the Spirit.  Titus tells us that envy belongs to the old man, not to the new creature in Christ.  And James tells us that envy comes from below, not from above.  The key to overcoming the temptations of envy, then, is to be a new creature filled with the love of Christ, and bearing all good spiritual fruits.  Let’s resolve to resist the devil, discarding envy as a filthy rag worn by our former selves.  Instead, let’s seek the anointing of the Holy Spirit and request an outpouring of His love and grace flow thru us and from us.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.