|
"WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ENVY"
In
Proverbs 14:30 the Bible says, "A sound heart is life to the body, But
envy is rottenness to the bones " Likewise, the Bible advises,
"Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of
iniquity,"
(Psalm 37:1). Solomon
wrote, "Do not be envious of evil men, Nor desire to be with them; "
(Proverbs 24:1).
The Bible
says that envy is a condition of heart seen in worldly, wicked people
(Romans 1:29; 13:13; 1 Samuel 18:8-9, 29). Envy can be a problem in
families (Genesis 4:4-8). The Bible also says that when christians do
not strive to be like the Lord that envy can be a problem for them as
well (1 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 12:20). Envy seems to breed other
elements of ungodly behavior (James 3:14,16).
In
Galatians 5:19-21 the Bible says, "Now
the works of the flesh
are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, " {20} "idolatry,
sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish
ambitions, dissension, heresies, " {21} "envy murders,
drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand,
just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such
things will not inherit the kingdom of God "
Clearly, we cannot be
envious of others and expect to go to heaven.
According
to the scriptures the remedy for envy is love (1Corinthians 13:4). The
Bible also says that we should separate ourselves from people who
promote envy through their conduct (1Timothy 6:4-5). Christians,
because we are a people filled with Christ's love, are to avoid envying
others (Galatians 5:26). Though envy may have been the christian's
problem in the past we are to live above it in the Lord (Titus 3:3; 1
Peter 2:1). It is impossible to be jealous and envious of those we truly
love.
David
Decker |