Steve Jackson, Lead Pastor at Faith Community Church in Santa Clarita, spoke to us about the sins of envy and jealousy as part of our teaching series from the book “Respectable Sins” by Jerry Bridges.

 What are the sins of jealousy and envy? 

• Desiring position, status or possessions of another rather than being satisfied with our own.   
• Being dissatisfied with our own lot when we see others who are unethical and don’t honor God being successful, seemingly without consequences (Psalms 37:1, Prov 24:1, Prov 24:19).
• These sins mean we are not accepting God’s sovereignty over our lives and we demonstrate that we don’t trust Him.

When we are jealous or envious, we are in a sense worshipping idols, those things that God provides such as status, wealth, and position, rather than worshipping Him, the Creator of all.  Examples include Joseph’s brothers (Gen. 37:11) and Jewish associates of Paul (Acts 5:17).

Envy and jealousy has consequences not only to our relationship with God, but our relationship with fellow believers and others in our life by causing strife, anger, disputes, slander, gossip, arrogance and disturbances (Prov 27:4 and 2 Cor 12:20).

So, how do we address and prevent envy and jealousy? 

• Remember that the gospel was not just for your salvation but you need it daily for your sanctification. Dwell on the truths of the gospel often!
• Understand that seeking someone else’s position or status of possessions is pointless, because as believers we ALREADY have the most privileged seat in the universe (Col 3:1. Eph 1:3, 2:6).  Coveting any position on earth is pointless because any such position or possession is nothing compared to what we already have in Christ. 
• As the book of Ecclesiastes sets forth, realize that pursuing the world is vanity and chasing after wind.
• Know that when you are envious and jealous, you place value on things that will not provide satisfaction for your soul. Instead, you need to seek the living water that Jesus offered the Samaritan woman in John 4:7-28.  
• Seek to order your life around your relationship with Christ rather than seeking after the foolish and vain pursuits of the world (Phil.3).