Conquering Jealousy With Love Jealousy is one of “the works of the flesh” that could cause a Christian to lose his or her Kingdom inheritance. [Galatians 5:20, 21] Because of this all too real and serious danger, every disciple of Christ must work very hard to root out any feelings of jealousy. Where jealousy exists, love is absent, for “love is never jealous.” [1 Corinthians 13:5] In order to stop it one must cease becoming fleshly in their thinking. Paul writes: “As in daylight let us walk in good behavior … not in strife and jealousy. Rather, put on the Lord Jesus Christ and give no fleshly forethought which results in [envy].” [Romans 13:13, 14] By “putting on the Lord Jesus Christ” jealousy will vanish. If jealousy remains - no matter the claims of, “I am a Christian” - the claim is false and the person is not clothed in the frame of mind and disposition of the Lord Jesus. Peter also exhorts, “Put off all harmfulness, deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all kinds of slander.” [1 Peter 2:1] Harmfulness of another is often motivated by jealousy. So, when moved to harm another, or work evil to them, think what engine is it work in the non-Christian makeup. Admit that there is a degree of deceit and two-faced hypocrisy - along with wicked manipulations - and these are spawned by jealousy. Think that every time a negative word or a slanderous remark is made about another, the motive is jealousy. Jealousy not only causes a spiritual cancer - as hate may also cause physical illness - but it can even work great harm to the object of such jealousy. Proverbs 27:4 puts it, “There is the cruelty of rage, also the flood of anger, but who can stand before jealousy?” Jealousy can cause even the strongest person - such as a man like Moses - to behave improperly or completely stumble. Though a great flood can move large boulders, the slow and constant drip of water will wear away the greatest stone. Just so, a strong Christian may be able to withstand a temporary deluge of hateful rage, but over many years the Chinese “water torture” of jealousy can crumble even a great faith. Psalm 106:32, 33 explains what befell the great leader, in part due to slander: “[Israel] made Moses angry at the waters of Meribah so that it did not go well him because of the people. It was because they provoked his spirit that he spoke rashly with his mouth.” Thus, the principle stated at Ecclesiastes 7:7, “Oppressive [words] may drive even a wise person crazy.” Sometimes we share part of the blame for causing a godly person to err. Surely jealousy is an evil that the Christian must root of his or her system. It ruins others, and causes physical, emotional and spiritual illness to the jealous one. Love will push jealousy out of its dark corners. Truth will expose jealous feelings and drive them from the spirit. Faith and trust will replace jealous feelings with peaceful harmony. Empathy and compassion will change jealousy into understanding and patience. If we cease jealousy and envy we will find our relationship with God much improved and we will follow the footsteps of the Lamb into everlasting glory.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 16:37:59 +0000
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