God says that envy is a sin . In the biblical texts all references to envy have a bad connotation. It is almost always referred to as zeal, jealousy and always in the bad sense of the word.
Envy is a strong and bad feeling , that the person must want to possess what belongs to others. It is a selfish feeling on the part of the person.
There are many texts that advise us not to be envious, precisely because it is a bad feeling. Envy is also linked to greed, and is part of the 10 commandments – Exodus 20:17 .
Look here: what are the Ten Commandments of the Bible?
This feeling leads us to sin, to do things that can even be condemned by the law. When the apostle James talks about the wars that are going on, he says that they are the result of an envious heart. So it is very important to be careful with that feeling.
What the Bible advises us about this feeling:
- Do not be enviousof those who do evil – Psalm 37: 1 , Proverbs 23:17 .
- Do not followyour ways – Proverbs 3:31 .
- It rotsthe bones – Proverbs 14:30 .
- It can be uncontrollable– Proverbs 27: 4 .
- It brings confusionand all sorts of bad things – James 3:16 .
Although it is a bad feeling and difficult to master, unfortunately it lives inside each one of us and it is up to us to master it, like any other feeling. However, it is always good to remember the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians 2 : “ considering others superior to yourself .” When we consider others, we stop thinking only about ourselves, we are less envious and we are doubly blessed.
We can also be the target of envy . The envy of another person can cause problems in our life, when that person turns against us and tries to harm us. But the Bible says that revenge is not the solution. We must pray for those who persecute us and show love ( Luke 6: 27-28 ). Thus, everyone will see that our cause is just and the person with envy may even regret seeing our attitude.
Find out here: What does the Bible say about revenge?
Some people in the Bible who have had problems because of envy:
- Rachel, for not being able to have children, blaming her husband Jacob – Genesis 30 .
- José, when he was sold by his brothers because he was the favorite of his father Jacob – Genesis 37 .
- David, when he came from the battle against the Philistines, his fame spread throughout the kingdom, leading Saul to try to kill him – 1 Samuel 18 .
- David, when he possessed Bathsheba, Uriah’s wife, also leading him to have her husband killed – 2 Samuel 11 .
- Judasand the Pharisees when they handed Jesus over to the authorities – Matthew 27:18 .
Envy is seen in the Bible as a reprehensible feeling . This feeling comes from within the man himself and contaminates him ( Mark 7:22 , Romans 1:29 ).
