Envy (+) a topical study of envy, wrath, etc. and how to avoid this sin by love, contentment, humility.

General references

Job 5:2-3; Ps 37:1, 7; 112:10; 49:16; 73:3, 17-20; Prov 3:31; 14:30; 23:17; 24:1, 19; 27:4; Eccl 4:4; Song 8:6; Isa 26:11; Ezek 35:11; Rom 1:29; 13:13; 1Cor 3:3; 13:4; 2Cor 12:20; Gal 5:19-21, 26; 1Tim 6:4-5; Titus 3:3; Jas 3:14, 16; 4:5;5:9; 1Pet 2:1

The case of Cain and Abel is instructive. Both offered sacrifices to God, but God was pleased with one but not the other. The solution to God’s displeasure with Cain was very simple to solve. Cain just had to offer an exemplary animal from his flock. Instead of correcting his bad conduct, he made excuses. He blamed Abel for Cain’s own failures in life. But the problem was not that he did not have such an animal (God would have accepted what he had), but rather the problem was in his heart. He did not want to sacrifice in the first place, much less an animal that would have been dear to him, that he would have felt like it was a “sacrifice”.

But that is the entire point, Cain did not have the heart to offer any sacrifice to God, because his heart was not right with God. But Cain’s solution is the classic example of envy. Instead of doing better yourself, you attack those that are pleasing God in some way. Rather than correct the evil in your own life so that you can also be approved before God, you set out to destroy in heart or actually somebody else that is doing good before God.

So Envy, Wrath, Competition are evil character values that destroy the person spiritually. Job 5:2 wrath killeth the foolish man.

When a believer sees the supposed worldly goodness of an evil person, that should not cause consternation to the believer. God is judge, and he will not allow the “blessing” of the wicked to stand forever. Pro 24:19 fret not thyself because of evil men. Psa 49:16; 73:3; Pro 23:17; 14:30 envy is rottenness of the bones. 1 Cor 3:3 “among you envying and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal?” Galatians 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

How to overcome Envy

Envy always starts with a proud heart. A person thinks of himself more that he should. Humility is what God commands all people to have. Humility means that Christ is the one who should have the upmost glory. If somebody else excels at something in serving God, in giving glory to God, then the humble person is happy with that. God’s glory is that maximum priority and goal for every good Christian, whether he himself is giving God that glory, or somebody else is.

God is love 1 John 4:7-8, and just as pride is opposite of humility, envy is the opposite of love. Envy is sorrow for another person’s good. Envy destroys joy in a person’s life. Both cannot coexist together in the same person. Envy will totally displace all joy. Happiness is anchored in the temporal of this life, and joy is anchored in eternity. Nobody can steal the joy of your salvation from you, but you can lose that joy by envying the wicked and their “supposed worldly blessedness.” Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

Envy is unpleasant in its entirety, and in all it causes in a person’s life. Envy can negate any blessing from God. Because you have a pretty wife, but she is not as pretty as some other woman you know. Contentment is always the counter balance to keep envy at bay. But when a person’s heart dwells on what they don’t have, it becomes idolatry to them, and what good that they have is destroyed. Gratitude is saying “I don’t something somebody else has, but I do have this.” Instead of focusing on what God has given you in His sovereign will, you focus on what He has not given you.

So understanding that we are not so special that God should give us every whim of our hearts is where defeating envy begins. From there, we should be humble, content, and have joy and gratitude for what we do have, however inferior or small that should be. We need to guard our hearts so that the desire for things or situations that other people appear to have with blessing becomes an idol in our own lives.

• Instances of:
– Cain, of Abel Gen 4:4-8
– Sarah, of Hagar Gen 16:5-6; Gen 21:9-10
– Philistines, of Isaac Gen 26:14
– Rachel, of Leah Gen 30:1
– Leah, of Rachel Gen 30:15
– Laban’s sons, of Jacob Gen 31:1
– Joseph’s brethren, of Joseph Gen 37:4-11; Gen 37:19-20; Acts 7:9
– Joshua, of Eldad and Medad Num 11:28-30
– Miriam and Aaron, of Moses Num 12:1-10
– Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, of Moses Num 16:3; Ps 106:16-18
– Saul, of David 1Sam 18:8-9; 1Sam 18:29; 1Sam 20:31
– Haman, of Mordecai Esth 5:13
– The princes of Babylon, of Daniel Dan 6:4
– Priests, of Jesus Matt 27:18; Mark 15:10; John 11:47
– Jews, of Paul and Barnabas Acts 13:45; Acts 17:5

Envy (+)