THE SINS THAT ENVY LEADS TO.
Let us now just sum up from the few examples that we have selected, the crimes which are actually recorded in the Word, as having been committed through the sin of envy. We have seen that THROUGH ENVY, Christ was crucified-Abel was murdered-Joseph and David almost murdered; that it led at different times to hatred-wicked and unscrupulous conduct-lying and blaspheming-rioting and violence- hindering God's work-despising God's servant-lying and reviling-maliciousness-anger-and intense cruelty.
Surely, now that we have laid some part of the horrible form of this vice bare from Scripture, our readers must shudder to think that the root of all these crimes lurks in their hearts. James does not hesitate to say that envy is a root of every evil work. (James 3: 16.) It is worse than wrath or anger, none can stand before envy. (Prov. 27:44Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? (Proverbs 27:4).) It hinders growth in grace (1 Peter 2:1,21Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (1 Peter 2:1‑2)), is a proof of carnal mindedness, (1 Cor. 3:1, 21And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. (1 Corinthians 3:1‑2)), it is one of the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:2121Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:21)), and one to which our spirits are especially liable, (James 4:55Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? (James 4:5),) being produced by the prosperity and good deeds of others, (Eccl. 4:44Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. (Ecclesiastes 4:4),) and also by arguments and disputes (1 Tim. 6;4). Now to be forewarned is to be forearmed. Never let us give place to the devil, in allowing envy to sprout and germinate in our hearts; but let us ever check the first risings of an envious spirit.
A Cure for Envy
Seek to rejoice in the prosperity of others, seek to be unselfish; for, after all, envy is only a form of selfishness. Seek the good of others, not your own. Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession-Christ Jesus-who was not envious like Adam (Phil. 2), but emptied Himself (lit.), and ended a life of self-abnegation on the cross.
Ask yourself the question, Shall I allow for a moment in my heart the feeling of envy, a feeling which prompted the crucifixion of my Lord?
There is no saying to what length even a child of God may not be led, who once willingly allows this feeling. It grows so very rapidly that from only beginning to be envious of the success, prosperity, and position of another, we may soon begin to hate him, and then to plot against him.
As with pride, so it is with envy: its most horrible and deadly form is when it conceals itself under a cover of zeal for the Lord, and under this or some other religious subterfuge, seeks the evil of another. O! what unmaskings of all such actions will take place at the judgment seat of Christ.
Seek, beloved reader, to be pure from this vice at least, after the fearful warnings the Word of God has given us (remembering especially that it is one of the five sins that hinder our love of the Word of God itself (1 Peter 2)). Real occupation with Christ's glory and interests instead of our own, effectually though unceremoniously, checks not only this but many other sins. It is only the self-seeker who is envious. The servant who can truly say, like his Master, "I seek not my own glory," is surely delivered from a spirit of envy.
May the Lord preserve us from this sin, which is alas! by no means uncommon amongst young as well as old believers.
(Continued)