Thursday, September 13, 2007
1 Corinthians 13:4 Love does not envy.
LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS
Jealousy and envy -- color them green. They are like hot coals from hell sizzling to destroy. They intrude as an unwelcome guest. The pages of history and literature are littered with the ravages of jealousy. It is one of the eighteen plots used for dramatic presentation.
"Love does not envy" (1 Corinthians 13:4). The Greek word describes something hot, seething, boiling -- an internal reaction to the way things are. Envy and jealousy are the discontent and dissatisfaction with other people's possessions, good fortune, or abilities. They include what we perceive as threats to the things we have.
It is not the casual, "I wish I could do that," which may be a mark of admiration, or "I wish I had that," which might be a simple desire. It is the inner turmoil, anger, stars-in-one's-vision upset which results from covetous desire.
Jealousy was destroying the Corinthian congregation. Preacher favoritism was disrupting their agape (love-feast) worship. Sin was ruling. It was indicative of spiritual immaturity. Paul wrote: "I fed you with milk and not the solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" (1 Corinthians 3:2-3).
Jealousy and envy can destroy us. Their underlying character is lack of trust in God. The contentment God expects of us from the things He has given us and the circumstances of our lives is replaced by discontent and dissatisfaction.
The Bible talks about another seething desire -- a compulsion of the divine will to pardon and save -- a divine jealousy which is not tainted by the selfishness of sin. It is expressed through the apostle Paul (and he uses the same word): "For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:2). Our God was so "possessive" about us that He offered up His own beloved Son to eradicate the sin which was disrupting our fellowship with Him. He sent His Spirit to create our faith and thus make us His own special people.
This love from God empowers us to love. It eliminates sinful envy and jealousy. "Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts" (Romans 13:13).
