The Depravity of Jealousy — Erlo Stegen

Now today, I'm going to quote many verses. I'm not going to say where the texts are, I'm simply going to recite them. Speaking on one topic, regarding jealousy. Do you know envy? Jealousy? On that subject about jealousy, I'm going to speak.

Jealousy’s Destructive Power in the Church

There are many good works destroyed by jealousy. And so you find people being destroyed by jealousy. Instead of doing something good and constructive, they destroy because of jealousy. And as one looks through the Bible, one finds that many are in hell because of jealousy.

An ancient bishop once spoke about jealousy. He was Bishop Clement. Speaking about jealousy, as I read what he said, I said to myself, is jealousy so depraved, so terribly wicked? And he said, the dangers of jealousy in churches and some things just don't go forward simply because of jealousy.

And the gospel not going well, not going forward because of jealousy. Now I want us to take a careful look at the subject of jealousy and see whether there's any of that in our midst. Now jealousy causes many different things because of its fundamental wickedness.

Where there's jealousy, there's friction. Not getting on together. Factions and fighting with your brother and sister. One hurting the other. Causing the desires of the flesh to come about. And there is so much in the Bible regarding this particular thing.

You'll find that a person who has jealousy, envy in their heart, they fail to listen to the Lord and be obedient to Him. You'll find in one person who's troubled by this that they are very enthusiastic at times and they have a spurt of energy and then it just dies down again.

One needs to examine why it is that a person can be so zealous for the Lord, so enthusiastic and then suddenly they're downhearted and in the dumps. Another person might want their progress to be seen by people but after a while they are lukewarm.

Just lukewarm. One has to ask in such a case, what is happening then? Why is the gospel not taking things forward and instead things are going backwards? In the Old Testament, it is written, you are made fattened.

You have been fattened but that which you used to do, you do no longer. And speaking there about being fattened spiritually. And you'll find such a person is being made ill by many things, things which cause that person to be fattened in the wrong way.

There is strife, party spirit and wars, disorder. And one wonders, what's happening in such a congregation? One has to be honest and have a close look at what the fundamental problem is and often you'll find that the real cause is just jealousy.

Cain, Abel, and Jealousy at the First Sacrifice

One has to admit that the first blood shed was not among the pagans and heathens, but it was not out distant far away but right in the act of worship. Cain and Abel were there worshipping and Cain killed, he murdered Abel right in the very act of worshipping God.

How painful to see such a thing happening not in the bar, not in fornication and prostitution but right there in the act of worship. Such awful wickedness. That there Cain, in seeing his brother's sacrifice, he murdered his brother, it was based on envy because he saw that Abel's sacrifice was accepted and better than his.

Now before Moses went out to be, he was commissioned by God, the Lord said I want you to rescue my people. But he was almost wiped off the map because of jealousy. One of their own people, one of their kind saw that something good was happening with Moses, Moses was jealous of his leadership and he opposed him.

And said what Moses do you want to kill me like you killed the Egyptian? Moses had to go into exile because of the faction, because of the fighting between children of God, between Christians you could say today.

Saul’s Jealousy of David

God said regarding David, I want to work through David, I choose David to lead my people. But then one of God's people who was the king, he began to seek the life of David to kill him based on jealousy.

When King Saul heard the singing of the people where they sang the words, yes Saul has killed his thousands but David has killed his ten thousands, Saul was terribly jealous. The heart of a Christian if it hasn't been sanctified is full of Satan.

That is why each one needs to carefully examine himself and herself asking the Lord, Lord what is really in my heart? Now thinking of people then after those ancients, what about people like Paul who was so terribly persecuted?

Seven times he was jailed, imprisoned because people resisted and fought against him. They came from the east and the west all types fighting against the gospel Paul was preaching and so it is till today you'll find all types that resist the working of the Lord because of jealousy full of the devil.

Jealousy in Marriages, Families, and Ministry

When one sees friction between people one asks what is the cause it's jealousy? In some marriages you find that it is there's much friction because of jealousy between husband and wife. Between parents and children, children and parents.

It is no small sin as one examines the Bible and you discover what it says about jealousy. To such an extent that one cries out to the Lord and says Lord bring an utter end to jealousy in me. When Peter was preaching the gospel there was a crowd fighting against him they were jealous and were opposing and they resisted him throwing him into jail chasing him away.

Think of Noah preaching the gospel but being resisted in every way because of the people's jealousy. Look at Jonah as well how there was such resistance. And as one looks at the topic of jealousy one realizes that throughout the Bible it is of such importance mentioned so often so brethren one has to be on special guard against envy.

God seeks the good and the welfare of all people but you find that though he says he wills that all should be saved there are those who themselves are the hindrance to the progress of the gospel because of jealousy.

Faithful Examples: Abraham, Moses, and Rahab

One finds on the other hand those in the Bible who were so faithful look at Abraham how he stuck to the Lord in faithfulness as a friend of God. Friends of God look at Moses how they spoke to each other as friends talk together.

The Bible is full of such examples and of the types of jealousy that's what one finds is the predicament today just jealousy. Look at Adam look at those who were faithful look at Rahab despite her being a prostitute God worked through her.

Some were out to kill Rahab but instead God made her into a tool whom he could use in his kingdom. One finds also in Sodom and Gomorrah there were just a few that were able to be helped because of Abraham.

Through the faithfulness of Abraham who took these visitors into his home and because of his faith and his hospitality. Through Rahab through her faithfulness and her being so hospitable she was saved.

Christ’s Humility as the Answer to Jealousy

One finds these many examples and opposing different people those who were jealous those who were not and one finds that many many are mentioned in the Bible who are in hell just because of jealousy. Jesus is our ultimate example he was humble Jesus was lowly he was meek he didn't seek his own upliftment above others.

Instead his aim was to bring people to salvation and so too you should be seeking the salvation of others bringing them to Jesus. That is only possible if jealousy doesn't reign in your heart. Jesus said I am lowly and meek in heart.

I wonder whether you can say the same. Have you been saved from jealousy? If you seek that the Lord should use you as his vessel as his instrument to bring others to him then you've got to be very sure that there's no trace of jealousy.

Spiritual Fattening and the Golden Calf

Now we've heard of that text in the beginning where God was disciplining and arguing with his people regarding their being fattened in the wrong way. In Deuteronomy 32 verse 15 you go and read it back at home.

Now it once happened that when quite a few people were together to receive their degrees. A person said for me to progress and to advance in my life one has to be sure that one isn't fattened in the wrong way spiritually.

Think of Moses coming down from the mountain of Sinai coming down with God's law and he saw the people there at the bottom Singing, feasting, dancing. What had happened? They had been fattened in the wrong way.

Bringing a curse upon themselves for God said you have progressed and fattened but in the wrong way. You might think that you're progressing because of some directions in your life which are advancing.

But that doesn't make you to be a truly spiritual person. You need to be fattened and progress and advanced in the things of God. Spiritually we are fit. If you want to be advanced and progress in the right way spiritually Then you are to be a disciplined person as in one who is fit and athletic that spiritually you are not just one who has no borders and you just are uncontrollable but that you are a disciplined Christian.

For this is what the Lord seeks. He wants you to be fit spiritually. Not that you are overweight. You'll find that some people will push themselves forward. They feel that they are so spiritual. They would seek to brush others aside to preach so that they can preach and the person just speaks nonsense.

And through that the work of the Lord is harmed. Such people are not advancing the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ but rather Satan's gospel. True spirituality, true being athletic in the spiritual sense of that you are able to go forward and progress and win is not through being loose but being a disciplined Christian through holiness.

Now being fattened in the flesh is a carnality where a person thinks that they are advancing, they can dance and they think they are rejoicing in what God has done but it's just them pushing themselves.

While Moses was up in the mountain with the Lord, with God, the people down there in the valley they thought they were worshipping but they were worshipping God. They were worshipping idols. They thought it was God but it was their own makeshift God.

A person who is fattened and is overweight spiritually, they've lost the real spirituality because they do not like anybody pointing out things in their lives. They cannot listen to anybody else. They are advancing only themselves.

And such a person feels hurt and miserable because of any rebuke. But a person who is truly spiritual is humble enough to even go to the next person and ask, humbling themselves saying, am I doing the right thing?

Am I going in the right direction or not? They are those that I know of who have left and they were the type who would feel the sting if anybody mentioned their child and they would resist it. It is. A person who is truly spiritual in the godly sense is one who is able to humble themselves, is so meek that they are willing to be rebuked.

Not the type that is protective of themselves and of their children who just want to persevere in their own way and don't want anything to be said about themselves or their children. Take note of those through whom the Lord is working where he can make them a vessel to advance the cause of the gospel, how they live.

A truly spiritual person, if the Lord does use them, is not proud of it. They do not vaunt themselves, instead it humbles them. They stand amazed at God's grace to even use them. The opposite type would say, no, I don't want to be treated like this.

That is where things go wrong. In such a case a person is bent on the road to death and hell instead of the Lord working through them. They are quenching God's work. So that church father right there in the beginning of the church, Bishop Clement, he pointed out with much emphasis saying, much of the work of God, you'll find that many of the places where God is at work has been hurt because of jealousy.

He said that even if you have a reputation of good things, you can destroy your good name and your reputation is broken down because of jealousy. Even if you have been effective wherever you've been preaching, but things can start going backwards and be destroyed because of envy.

Through envy, through jealousy comes the end of peace and harmony. You find that God spits such a person out and says, I cannot work through such a person. One who vaunts himself, one who uplifts himself and says, no, the Lord cannot work through that person.

I must be the one in charge. I must be the one through whom God can work. And that brings about a rapid downfall. In no time at all, Satan has turned things around for you. It's the end of your Christianity, the end of your being upright and being truly honest and upright spiritually.

Instead, you become dull and blunt. You'll find that where a person was enjoyed in the sense that people expected the blessing of God through that person and they were uplifted whenever that person came and encouraged.

But now the same person, because of the sin, just brings about separation and misery. So I ask of you that you carefully examine yourself. Is there any jealousy? Is there even a trace of envy in you? Let the greatest in our midst be the lowliest, the smallest.

Otherwise you'll find things will go drastically wrong. You'll find all sorts of awful things happening to your family, illegitimate children. Things get messed up in your family and things rapidly deteriorate because of that sin.

And in the true church of the Lord, you don't find divisions and separations and a party spirit where people try and separate themselves from other brethren. No, that is the wrong spirit. That's when things go wrong.

A mock of a truly spiritual person is that they are able to humble themselves even when rebuked. You'll find that they don't get upset and angered, but they rather express appreciation when something is pointed out in their lives.

Even at home, you'll find peace, harmony, instead of friction. Instead of the other direction of jealousy, you'll find that the opposite is being cleansed and God is busy sweeping out that which is wrong in the heart.

Repenting of Jealousy and Seeking Others’ Welfare

Now I'm drawing to a close. This is a short sermon, but I do want to ask whether jealousy has been dealt with and the Lord has thoroughly dealt with it in your life. To such a point that you are able to bless those who are blessed and be thankful as you look upon God blessing others that you say, Lord, I am blessed.

I'm enriched by seeing you enrich that person. Let today be a drastic turning point away from jealousy. Whether it's in your home or your country, whether it's in your heart or in your family or in your congregation or in your area, let all forms of jealousy be thoroughly eradicated.

Remember that God is God and sees everything. He is able to see even that which you hide. And you have a wrong outlook and you discern things incorrectly, thinking, well, how come this happens to this person?

And you work things out with your own discretion, which is wrong, and you just miss the mark. Remember, I'm just speaking about one sin, jealousy. Repent, turn away from that, and rather be a friend of God.

That you would be like the saints whom we have mentioned, that the Lord would make you like them and be able to work through you. Let us pray. Lord, I do ask, as we've spoken about the single thing of jealousy, we've heard, Lord, how you see it as an accursed thing.

And that how the first blood was shed right there in church, right there in the act of worship. Come, God, Holy Spirit, work in the lives of each and every one that there would be a complete end to jealousy.

Amen.