Episode 163: Envy & Jealousy - the doorway to "every evil thing"

RELATED WORDS/CONCEPTS to address our
“self-deception”
Envy - painful or resentful awareness of an
advantage or possession (situation) enjoyed by another and the
desire to possess the same thing. Theological: Sin of jealousy
over the blessings and achievements of others. 


Jealousy – synonym of envy
Covetousness - the feeling of having a strong desire for the
things that other people have
(situations/circumstances/ministries) 


Discontentment
FOMO – Fear of Missing Out Resentment
Bitterness

James 3:16  - For where you have envy (jealousy)
and selfish ambition (selfishness), there you find disorder and
every evil practice. (NIV)

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder
and every evil thing. (NASB) 

“evil of every kind” (NLT) “confusion and every evil work.”
(KJV) 
“every vile practice” (ESV) 


“every kind of evil.” (HCSB) “chaos and every evil thing.” 


“confusion and every perverse work.” “insurrection and every evil
matter”

ORIGIN of DEMONIC REALM - Satan  / Satan’s Fall –
Who? When? What?

Ezekiel 28:13-15 – 13 You were in Eden, the garden of
God...14 You were an anointed guardian Cherub; I placed you; you
were on the holy mountain of God. 15 You were blameless in your
ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was
found in you.


Isaiah 14:12-14 - “How you are fallen from
heaven, O Day Star/shining one/O Lucifer, son of Dawn!



What was the devil’s 1st sin? Pride or Envy??
ANCIENT JEWISH COMMENTARY - But by the
envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who
are allied with him experience it.  Wisdom
2:24

COMMENTARY OF THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

Irenaeus (AD 180) - For he
[the devil] was envious of God's
workmanship  
...becoming envious of man, he was rendered an
apostate from the divine law. 

Tertullian (AD 210)  - the malignant being
who, in the beginning, regarded them with envious
eye. 

Cyprian (AD 250) - he broke forth into jealous and
malevolent envy. ...How great an evil it was... that
caused an angel to fall!

THE SECRET OF THE AGES - CONTENTMENT  -
Phil 4:11 - ...I have learned to be content (to be satisfied)
regardless of my circumstances 



1 Cor. 13:4 - ...love does NOT envy (therefore envy = hate)

Gal 5:19-21 - Envy = work of the flesh

Overcoming Envy?
 
1. Agree that it is SIN, MY SIN? (the devil’s original sin).
Serious. 
2. Know/Believe = open door for ALL evil
3. Learn to be content (wage war on discontentment)
4. Grow in love (love does NOT envy!) 
5. By the Spirit...STOP - Galatians 5:25-26 
6. Put it away/Get rid of it (1 Pet. 2:1) – So, put away all
malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all
slander 


7. Fixing our eyes upon Jesus! (not on others) – Social Media? 8.
Thankfulness