Hostile Feelings

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The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans that "love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10).  With this in mind, many must bow their heads in shame and ask God for forgiveness because of the weakness they have exhibited through the sin of hostile feelings.

Christianity and the hostile feelings of envy and jealousy simply cannot dwell together.  Amos teaches us that two cannot walk together except they agree (Amos 3:3).  Paul points this out to the Galatians by contrasting the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit.  There is simply no fellowship between the two.  The works of the flesh are of the Devil from which the child of God must completely and totally stay away from (I Thess 5:22).  As new creatures in Christ (II Cor 5:17), we are to "cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light" (Romans 13:12).

There is a great need to understand the sin that is involved in the hostile feelings of envy and jealousy.  Many have divided up the works of the flesh into "big" sins and "little" sins.  Accordingly, the "big" sins are more open sins of adultery, fornication, idolatry, murder, drunkenness, etc., while the "little" sins are those which involve the attitude.  In this, they are generally mistaken.  Regardless of how we may classify them, any of the works of the flesh will keep us out of heaven (Galatians 5:21).

Envy and jealously are closely related.  Envy is the natural outcome of jealousy.  One writer says that "the distinction lies in this, that envy desires to have the same sort of thing for itself."  Jealousy is a word that can be used either in a good sense or a bad sense.  But envy has nothing good about it.  It is always used in a bad sense.

Some examples of this sinful attitude and the consequences that follow are found in the lives of many Biblical characters.  In Genesis 4, Cain became very jealous and envious because Abel’s offering was accepted and his was not.  This resulted in the murder of Abel and the banishment of Cain.  How true the wise man spoke when he said that "envy is the rottenness of the bones" (Proverbs 14:30).  Joseph was sold into slavery because of the jealousy of his brothers.  King Saul became envious of David and tried to kill him, but it only resulted in an untimely death for himself.  The priests delivered Jesus to be killed because they were envious of the success He was having among the people (Matt 27:18).  Envy was the chief factor behind the Jews fighting against the preaching of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:44).

Let’s look at a few reasons why hostile feelings are not to be found among Christians:

-- Adapted by John Tabor, December 2000 --