Is Jealousy a sin?

[Classik]

Is jealousy a sin?
Huh? Envy? Jealousy?

 

[Knotical]

Envy and jealousy may seem like the same thing, but they are not.

Envy is wanting what someone else has. This is a sin. It falls under coveting.

Jealousy is the fear that someone will take something that is yours. Such as another man coming and stealing your wife. This is a response to a possible sin.

The problem we get into with these two terms is that one is constantly used in place of the other (jealousy when envy should be used).

 

[th1b.taylor]

Envy and jealousy may seem like the same thing, but they are not.

Envy is wanting what someone else has. This is a sin. It falls under coveting.

Jealousy is the fear that someone will take something that is yours. Such as another man coming and stealing your wife. This is a response to a possible sin.

The problem we get into with these two terms is that one is constantly used in place of the other (jealousy when envy should be used).

You're right, the ultra and tyhe Christian Left are doing their est to redefine these tow, distinct, words into synonyms.

 

[Deborah13]

I agree with Knotical 's post completely.
I'd add that jealously can lead to sin.

 

[Knotical]

I agree with Knotical 's post completely.
I'd add that jealously can lead to sin.

Absolutely, though it would be the effect of a domino effect which would be started because of the sin of another. Whether it be envy, adultery, or both.

 

[Kidron]

love and jealousy are connected.

"I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God"

so, there is that, which in love, is possessive.
this is normal.

its the degree of it, that allows for problems.

 

[Kidron]

I remember the argument on that one where people say god is evil because he was jealous and jealous is evil.

God is use to being blamed for the trouble that men cause.
Also, if you read Paul's....."Love is" in 1 Corin 13, i dont think you'll find he say that love isn't jealous.

 

[Edward]

This is interesting because before I had ever read that scripture (Exodus 20:5), I had it all figured out already lol. That jealousy is a sign of insecurity and is not a good thing.

Then I read that scripture and exploded my brain. God can not sin so perhaps it is not a sin? I think that the same way in which a man would be jealous of his wife. Even if a man had total confidence in his wife, but another man tried to uh, dish in line so to speak then it would make a man angry. We are the Lords so I understand why He is a jealous God.

I guess the 64K dollar question is can man be jealous without sinning? For God is God and will do what He will with His own,
Personally, I believe that...man can become jealous without sinning, but with caveats, What triggered the jealously? Is it a healthy natural response to a man fishing near your home, or an existing obsessive paranoia of the man? What's in his heart?

Many times, overly jealous people don't even need an outsider to create problems because of pre-existing suspicion. So I think jealousy can be justified or a sin depending upon what's in their heart.

 

[Classik]

and where do we classify admiration?

 

[Christ_empowered]

envy is no good, as other people have posted. Jealousy is a part of some forms of love. It goes along with exclusivity, monogamy, dedication and loyalty. Comes with the territory, I guess.

Admiration can be a good thing. CS Lewis wrote on different kinds of love. I would think that friendship style love and maybe romantic love would contain elements of admiration.

Christians admire and adore God. We are also objects of His agape love, so there seems to be an element of mutual love in that relationship.

 

[Deborah13]

and where do we classify admiration?

Rom 16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
G1978
ἐπίσημος
episēmos
ep-is'-ay-mos
From G1909 and some form of the base of G4591; remarkable, that is, (figuratively) eminent: - notable, of note.
They were admired?

 

[th1b.taylor]

and where do we classify admiration?

Classic, medical truths first. This disease of mine, MS, makes people impadent. But as such I have the privilege and the honor of learning a much, much, deeper love for my chosen Helper.

And then there is admiration! Yep, the old fossil admires the female form. All the chemical reactions that drive the physical reactions are gone but I do admire a woman, any age, that is built like my seventy-one year old wife. Using speech normal for my generation, she is one fine looking lady and is built like she's 16 or 17. And any time I see a young lass with a modest dress, one that exposes zero private parts, I praise God that some young man with have every reason to enjoy his married life, as most men and a good percentage of the ladies are prone to do.

I, in my present condition will never be, even tempted of Satan, to do a female form any justice nor injustice but I do remember when and I do admire the handy work of God.

There is a Feminist lie of the Creation Story I love to tell that explains my point of view.

God created Adam, rolled back into His recliner with the remote control, studied Adam for a time and said, "I can do better than that." Then He created Eve and rested.

 

[evenifigoalone]

I would never have thought I could be jealous, but lately someone else has been taking care of part of one of my volunteer positions and I find myself kinda jealous about it because I honestly enjoy that little job. They don't do everything, just the preparation stuff, and I can still do the rest. I'm trying not to be jealous about it because they probably enjoy it, too, and who knows....they may have been asked to help.
I'm normally like the most easy going person ever, so I'm kinda surprising myself by experiencing these emotions. I've been a little jealous a few times in the past, but still.

 

[ReginaForbes]

I'm probably thinking of jealousy in terms of envy, and I have seen it wreck a person's joy.
I will give you a specific example- I had gotten a new phone. A person I once knew was envious, so he got his own new phone. It was way better than mine. But, knowing that this person had personality issues, I was very gracious to him and said "wow, great phone! I'm jealous." trying to build him up and make him feel like he'd "won". Well, even when I built him up and tried to make him feel good about his new toy, he was still envious of me! And that's why I think that envy/jealously is a sin- because if you have that in your heart you're still going to feel like garbage- even when God blesses you.

 

[Knotical]

I'm probably thinking of jealousy in terms of envy, and I have seen it wreck a person's joy.
I will give you a specific example- I had gotten a new phone. A person I once knew was envious, so he got his own new phone. It was way better than mine. But, knowing that this person had personality issues, I was very gracious to him and said "wow, great phone! I'm jealous." trying to build him up and make him feel like he'd "won". Well, even when I built him up and tried to make him feel good about his new toy, he was still envious of me! And that's why I think that envy/jealously is a sin- because if you have that in your heart you're still going to feel like garbage- even when God blesses you.

The real problem you are describing is pride. Which can lead into many other sins. It is their pride that is not allowing them any joy or peace.

 

[Classik]

I think jealousy is more of a destructive virus than envy and pride combined. what was the issue with Joseph's brothers regarding his dreams? I think the three were involved: jealousy, envy and pride. which was more pronounced? Jealousy! At that time Joseph had not had anything to be envious of - i.e by the brothers. so, I think it was jealousy that triggered off the hatred

 

[Knotical]

I think jealousy is more of a destructive virus than envy and pride combined. what was the issue with Joseph's brothers regarding his dreams? I think the three were involved: jealousy, envy and pride. which was more pronounced? Jealousy! At that time Joseph had not had anything to be envious of - i.e by the brothers. so, I think it was jealousy that triggered off the hatred

Here is a good example of using the wrong term. Joseph's brothers were guilty of envy, which stemmed from their own pride. They somehow felt they deserved to be treated the same, or better, than Joseph, by their father.

This is the same pitfall we all run into with God. We somehow thing He owes us something, or we deserve to be treated better by Him than other people. This is an unfortunate fallacy. We all, as humans - thus being sinners, deserve one thing...death. That is it. Anything else is given to us by grace and absolutely undeserved. There is nothing that we have done that requires God to do anything. Anything He does is out of grace and mercy toward us, because He loves us. To assume anything else is pride.

 

[evenifigoalone]

Perhaps a bit like anger, then...not a sin to feel the emotion of jealousy, but a sin to dwell in it and let it fester?
If jealousy is about not wanting something that's your's taken away, I don't see that being bad if it stops there. It seems to be a natural emotion, like anger. I can avoid being envious and be content with what I have*, but I can't avoid feeling jealous--I can avoid feeding the emotion, though, and I can deal with it in a healthy manner.

I guess envy is a sin because you're constantly wanting things that aren't your's, we're supposed to be content with what we have and not greedy. (But then, greed is considered a separate sin from envy, isn't it? Perhaps they're connected.)


*I'm viewing envy as an extreme. I can want something I don't have, but I see being envious as being taken over by that want.

 

[Knotical]

Perhaps a bit like anger, then...not a sin to feel the emotion of jealousy, but a sin to dwell in it and let it fester?
If jealousy is about not wanting something that's your's taken away, I don't see that being bad if it stops there. It seems to be a natural emotion, like anger. I can avoid being envious and be content with what I have*, but I can't avoid feeling jealous--I can avoid feeding the emotion, though, and I can deal with it in a healthy manner.

I guess envy is a sin because you're constantly wanting things that aren't your's, we're supposed to be content with what we have and not greedy. (But then, greed is considered a separate sin from envy, isn't it? Perhaps they're connected.)


*I'm viewing envy as an extreme. I can want something I don't have, but I see being envious as being taken over by that want.

They are all connected through pride.

 

[Deborah13]

They are all connected through pride.

I think there can be good reasons for jealously that are not connected to pride. Such as a case of past adultery. Even if it's been forgiven there can still be doubt that causes jealousy, I think.