The Dangers of Jealousy

The Dangers of Jealousy  

Have you considered lately what Scripture says about jealousy? I  was recently struck by how serious this sin is in the eyes of God. Consider  Proverbs 27:4: “Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?” The idea is that wrath and anger bring destructive  consequences, but jealousy is far worse. It is dangerous—don’t toy with it. The passage that especially grabbed my attention is Acts 5:17: “But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.”  

The early church in Jerusalem was growing by leaps and bounds.  The Lord was blessing His people, giving the apostles and others  boldness to preach the truth. It was an amazing season of fruitful ministry.  Yet the religious leaders couldn’t stand it. They hated that a growing group  followed the man they had put to death. Out of jealousy, they arrested the  apostles. What exactly were they jealous of? The crowds, the attention,  the miracles. They craved the prestige. These leaders made public  displays of prayer, fasting, and giving just to receive praise. When attention  shifted from them to what the Lord was doing, jealousy flared. A wicked  world hates the work of God and despises seeing it grow—even when that  growth is clearly good. This jealousy only intensified. A few verses later,  the leaders wanted to kill the apostles.  

James explains why this response is so dark: jealousy is not just  human—it has a demonic root.James 3:13–18 says: “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” 

The Pharisees show the response of unbelievers, but James warns  believers about jealousy’s destructive power. What do we learn? • Jealousy is bitter—distasteful and harmful. 

• It is closely linked to selfishness. 

• It is the opposite of true wisdom. 

• It does not come from heaven but is rooted in the corruption of this  world. 

• It leads to disorder and every kind of sinful action. 

All of this reveals how devastating jealousy can be. Friends, I want to  admonish you strongly: root out jealousy in your hearts! Don’t let it grow  and fester. If you do not mortify this sin in your mind, it will produce more  sin in your actions. The testimony of Scripture and history shows the evil  that flows from a jealous heart. 

Is there any area in your life where jealousy has crept in? In your  family, workplace, or church? Are you envious of others’ achievements?  Do you crave the attention someone else is receiving? If so, return to the  gospel. Meditate on the humility of Christ, who was not jealous of the  world or envious of any person. He laid aside His glory and His rights as  God, obediently going to the cross to take your place. When we  understand that in Christ we are given all things, jealousy loses its power.  Why do we need someone else’s achievements or accolades when we  have everything we need in Jesus? Redirecting our thinking this way  enables us to live for God’s glory and rejoice in how the Lord works  throughout the body of Christ.  

I love reading the Puritans, and Thomas Watson wrote in The Godly  Man’s Picture: “A humble man is willing to have his name and gifts eclipsed, so that God’s glory may be increased. He is content to be outshone by others in gifts and esteem, so that the crown of Christ may shine the brighter. … A humble Christian is content to be laid aside if God has any other tools to work with which may bring Him more glory.”  

Friends, by the Spirit’s power, may we mortify the sin of jealousy and  instead walk in humility with one another. Only then will we see “a harvest of righteousness sown in peace by those who make peace.”  

To God be the glory!