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Every though about why would someone be so aggressive, bitter, cold towards a person who does no harm, but experiences success in the things he or she does?
Reading about Apostle Paul in Acts gives us some kind of hint in why would someone act in such a way. The behavior that we see now does not differ from the behavior that we see in the past--human is human since the fall of man because of his sinful nature. The situation that Apostle Paul faced in his life would be no less reality in how we or someone would behave this way now.
Some background on what Paul went through: “The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him” (13:44-45). We have Paul sharing the gospel to the whole city, people are actually listening in what he had to say. But, when Jews, (we are talking about religious people) saw the impact that Paul has on the crowd, they became jealous. Earlier in this book we see the same situation that Paul experienced: “But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison (17-18). The arrest and strong opposition came from these men do to the jealous heart.
Jesus faced the same situation as jealousy played a roll in why he was betrayed. A governor by the name of Pilate, made a conclusion on why someone would want to harm Christ when he offers the crowd a choice between Christ or Barabbas for the release. ” For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over” (Matthew 27:17-18). In the normal mind, a person would never trade a killer for some one who does no harm. But a mind that is filled with jealousy is capable of taking bizarre steps when decision has to be taken.
Jealousy is usually something that Churches don’t have to deal with, or more accurately, don’t deal with this sin at all. What I mean by that, to say some committed adultery, facts just speak for it self. To say some one is a drunkard, pattern of addiction and a bottle of alcohol speak by itself. But to say someone is jealous, would be difficult step do to the nature of this sin. The only person who would know this, is the person who is jealous, and that’s sometimes is a problem.
Look what Apostle Paul writes on jealousy: “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy” (Romans 13:13). In other words, he doesn’t minimizes jealousy, but has it in the same level as drunkenness and sexual immorality, the two big sins that Christian leaders usually pay attention too. But Paul gives the same attention to jealousy as he does to other sins. In other words, being jealous is serious as being drunk or living in adultery. We don’t consider our self living in adultery or being addicted to alcohol, but do we have the same approach when we are jealous?
What is jealousy then? When we look closely to what happens to a person who is jealous, we notice that it arises form a situation when someone is better at something–person experiences negative feeling towards the person who is prospering in some area--he or she might be better then them. Proverbs writes, “For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge” (6:34).
It’s a sin that usually does not display as others sin do, but has no less negative impact on surrounding. James draws a picture in what happens to a group of people when they have jealousy among themselves: “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice” (3:16). In other words, it would be hard to function in unity and peace among each other when jealousy is present.
Couple steps to take in order to move away from this sin:
First is repent. There’s no point of arguing because this argument would be with God.
Second is pray for who the person is jealous for: Not just pray, but pray so God would bless the desires of this persons heart-- desiring good not evil towards this person.
Third is seek an opportunity to communicate and be a help in the time of need. Christian should pay attention to this because jealously prevent unity, but brings conflict and hatred towards someone who prospers in some areas bringing an extremely unpleasant atmosphere and a state of confusion (James 3:16).
“Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?”--Proverbs 27:4
Reading about Apostle Paul in Acts gives us some kind of hint in why would someone act in such a way. The behavior that we see now does not differ from the behavior that we see in the past--human is human since the fall of man because of his sinful nature. The situation that Apostle Paul faced in his life would be no less reality in how we or someone would behave this way now.
Some background on what Paul went through: “The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him” (13:44-45). We have Paul sharing the gospel to the whole city, people are actually listening in what he had to say. But, when Jews, (we are talking about religious people) saw the impact that Paul has on the crowd, they became jealous. Earlier in this book we see the same situation that Paul experienced: “But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison (17-18). The arrest and strong opposition came from these men do to the jealous heart.
Jesus faced the same situation as jealousy played a roll in why he was betrayed. A governor by the name of Pilate, made a conclusion on why someone would want to harm Christ when he offers the crowd a choice between Christ or Barabbas for the release. ” For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over” (Matthew 27:17-18). In the normal mind, a person would never trade a killer for some one who does no harm. But a mind that is filled with jealousy is capable of taking bizarre steps when decision has to be taken.
Jealousy is usually something that Churches don’t have to deal with, or more accurately, don’t deal with this sin at all. What I mean by that, to say some committed adultery, facts just speak for it self. To say some one is a drunkard, pattern of addiction and a bottle of alcohol speak by itself. But to say someone is jealous, would be difficult step do to the nature of this sin. The only person who would know this, is the person who is jealous, and that’s sometimes is a problem.
Look what Apostle Paul writes on jealousy: “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy” (Romans 13:13). In other words, he doesn’t minimizes jealousy, but has it in the same level as drunkenness and sexual immorality, the two big sins that Christian leaders usually pay attention too. But Paul gives the same attention to jealousy as he does to other sins. In other words, being jealous is serious as being drunk or living in adultery. We don’t consider our self living in adultery or being addicted to alcohol, but do we have the same approach when we are jealous?
What is jealousy then? When we look closely to what happens to a person who is jealous, we notice that it arises form a situation when someone is better at something–person experiences negative feeling towards the person who is prospering in some area--he or she might be better then them. Proverbs writes, “For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge” (6:34).
It’s a sin that usually does not display as others sin do, but has no less negative impact on surrounding. James draws a picture in what happens to a group of people when they have jealousy among themselves: “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice” (3:16). In other words, it would be hard to function in unity and peace among each other when jealousy is present.
Couple steps to take in order to move away from this sin:
First is repent. There’s no point of arguing because this argument would be with God.
Second is pray for who the person is jealous for: Not just pray, but pray so God would bless the desires of this persons heart-- desiring good not evil towards this person.
Third is seek an opportunity to communicate and be a help in the time of need. Christian should pay attention to this because jealously prevent unity, but brings conflict and hatred towards someone who prospers in some areas bringing an extremely unpleasant atmosphere and a state of confusion (James 3:16).
“Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?”--Proverbs 27:4
Comments
It is like saying saying, "Lord, you did an awful job creating me. Couldn't you have made me just a little bit taller, a little bit smarter, a little bit prettier, etc?"
And angelina brought up even more of an important point about jealousy. No unity towards others is bad, but throwing God a challenge is even worse.
Thanks for the reminder Paul and Angelina.
This is why i love blogs.