S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

First Corinthians 13 offers one of the Bible's richest expositions regarding love. Verse 4 notes that love "does not envy." So, selfish jealousy is at odds with God's type of love. The Greek word t...

Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer.

July 01 2013 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

I have been envious of way too many people and their lifestyles in my life. May God forgive me! I have confessed these sins.

Maybe one friend was promoted, another published a book, and yet another is at a beach resort. Rather than rejoice with others, it is easy to allow envy to rot our bones. Michael mentioned this verse, Proverbs 14:30. The image is graphic. To rot is to waste away, to eat away at something. Envy destroys us.

--"Today in the Word"

Here is an example of envy in the Old Testament: Genesis 30:1 "And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, 'Give me children, or else I die.'"

The power of envy is stated in Prov 27:4: "Who is able to stand before envy?" (the Revised Version (British and American) "jealousy"); its evil effects are depicted in Job 5:2 (the Revised Version (British and American) "jealousy"), in Prov 14:30 (the Revised Version, margin "jealousy"); it led to the crucifixion of Christ (Mt 27:18 Pilate knew why the Jewish leaders had brought Jesus to him. They were jealous because people liked Jesus so much.; Mk 15:10); it is one of "the works of the flesh" (Gal 5:21; compare Rom 1:29; 1 Tim 6:4); Christian believers are earnestly warned against it (Rom 13:13 the King James Version; 1 Cor 3:3 the King James Version; Gal 5:26; 1 Pet 2:1). W. L. Walker (ISBE)

Envy definitely then is a sin to avoid!

July 24 2022 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

What does it mean that love does not envy?

Envy is the emotion of wanting what another person has, often accompanied by a feeling of inferiority. 

Researchers distinguish between two main types:

1: Benign envy: This can be a positive motivator, inspiring the individual to work harder and improve themselves to achieve a similar level of success or possession.

2: Malicious envy: This involves hostility and a desire for the envied person to lose their advantage or good fortune, even if it does not benefit the envious person.

3: If left unchecked, malicious envy can damage relationships, lower self-esteem, and contribute to anxiety or depression. 

4: Benign envy, when managed constructively, can lead to personal growth and achievement. 

Note what 1 Peter 2:1, Rotherham Bible says about "envy": "Putting away therefore all vice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envyings and all detractions."

And Paul's words recorded in Galatians 5:26 Rotherham Bible: "Let us not become vain-glorious, one another challenging, one another envying."

Both account tells Christians to put away an envious attitude.

Other Bible account(s):

Ge 26:12-15​—God blesses hardworking Isaac, and the Philistines begin to envy him

1Ki 21:1-19​—Wicked King Ahab covets Naboth's vineyard, which leads to conspiracy and murder.

Envy is a feeling of resentment and displeasure toward others by reason of their belongings, prosperity, advantages, position, or reputation. Envious persons want what others have and may feel that those possessing what is coveted are not entitled to it. While the Hebrew word qin·ʼahʹ, depending on the context, may refer to zeal, ardour, insistence on exclusive devotion, or jealousy and envying (2Ki 19:31; Ps 79:5; Nu 25:11; 5:14; Job 5:2), the Greek phthoʹnos consistently has a negative connotation and denotes envy.​—Ro 1:29.

Another aspect of envy is that advocating teachings that are not in line with those of Jesus Christ produces envy. The first concern of the person teaching them is not the glory of God, but the promotion of his own doctrine. The resulting envy may find expression in efforts to misrepresent and malign true Christians, undermining their labours and wholesome influence. (1Ti 6:3, 4)

The pathetic lot of the envious person is outlined in the inspired proverb: ".A man hasting to be rich hath an evil eye, And knoweth not when want may overtake him—(Pr 28:22) Rotherham Bible.

Conclusion:

Envy is a despicable work of the flesh that stands in the way of one's inheriting God's Kingdom. (Ga 5:19-21) All who persist in it are "deserving of death." (Ro 1:29, 32) With God's spirit, however, the tendency to envy can be resisted.​—Ga 5:16-18, 25, 26; Tit 3:3-5; 1Pe 2:1.

God's servants are warned against rivalry. 

Rivalry or competition, so typical in the present system of things, is not fitting. The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes says: "Then saw I all the toil and all the skill of the work, that for this a man was envied of his neighbour,—even this was vanity and a feeding on wind.​"—Ec 4:4; compare Ga 5:26.

Interestingly, Napoleon Bonaparte had it. Julius Caesar had it. Alexander the Great had it. Despite all their power and glory, these men harboured in their hearts a trait that can poison one's mind. All three envied someone else.

English philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote: "Napoleon envied Caesar, Caesar envied Alexander [the Great], and Alexander, I daresay, envied Hercules, who never existed." 

Christians are wise to examine how envy can arise in us and what its consequences are. Especially do we need to know what measures we can take to prevent envy from controlling our lives.

3 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report