p. 4 | The Sin of Envy by W. A. Gosmer

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 23, 1911

The Sin of Envy

By W. A. Gosmer

W. A. GOSMER

This is one of the commonest as well as one of the oldest sins in existence. It originated in heaven with Lucifer, who was envious of the position of Christ. It entered into man's experience on the day that Eve listened to the voice of the tempter, when the dark characteristics of the father of evil took possession of the race. It is, therefore, common to all men to a greater or less degree. All Christians have detected its workings in their own hearts, and either have overcome it or are struggling against it, recognizing it as no part of the divine nature, no fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Being the opposite of love, it is one of the most selfish and malignant sins in the catalogue of fleshly lusts. The righteous and the innocent have ever been the object of its attacks. This was true in the case of Christ, who was occupying his rightful place with his Father. Lucifer became discontented because another possessed what he wanted for himself. He then started out with insinuation, slander, misrepresentation, falsehood, and underhand working, to undermine the influence of Christ, and to lower him in the estimation of the angels, meanwhile endeavoring so to gain their favor and to put himself in such a light that they would finally acknowledge him as their leader. Although he did this, he could not but know in his heart that Christ was innocent. However, the supreme, overmastering passion to supplant Jesus was so great that Satan was willing to see him go down covered with infamy if only he himself could be exalted to Christ's place. This was the practical outworking of envy.

There were also several prominent Bible characters, all manifestly innocent, who were typical examples of suffering through envy. Cain slew Abel through envy. For the same cause Joseph's brothers sold him into Egypt. The work of Moses was made exceedingly hard and trying by the envy of his brethren. Saul sought to kill David because he envied him. Through envy the politicians of Medo-Persia sought to destroy Daniel. Pilate knew it was “for envy” that the Jews had delivered Christ to death. They also were envious of Paul's success, and endeavored to kill him. Its serious nature is seen in these examples; for had not providence intervened, death would have resulted in every case, through the working of him whom envy had made a “murderer from the beginning.”

To-day, as in ages past, envy does not always terminate in murder, but it is, nevertheless, a source of great evil when it finds its way into the church. Strife for supremacy, divisions, church trials, and consequent loss of souls, are often the result of it. It has even come between workers in the Lord's vineyard. Success on the part of some has caused envy on the part of others. This has been expressed by depreciating the character of the work of the successful ones,

and by insinuations against their characters, amounting in some cases even to falsehood. Thus the work has been hindered, alienation has sprung up, souls have been lost, all through the desire to exalt self at the expense of another.

How entirely different from this evil principle was the attitude of John the Baptist toward Christ. Instead of denying his own commission by envying Christ, or depreciating his work when he saw his own popularity waning, he said to those who called his attention to this phase of his experience, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Instead of feeling downcast at the growing popularity of the Master, he gloried in the thought that his own mission was being accomplished, and that he was the true messenger of the Lord. This element of character made him truly great. Christ himself bore witness that of those born of women, none were greater than John. This principle was also strongly exemplified in the life of Jonathan.

While we recognize that envy has nothing in common with self-renouncing love, while we recognize it as a malignant evil, still there is consolation in the thought that envy, however bitter its attacks, can work no real harm to one whose heart is right with God. To him such an experience means character development and a fitting up for heaven. This was true in the cases of Moses, David, Daniel, Paul, and others. Envy can not hinder the accomplishment of God's purposes. In eternity it will be clearly manifest that through the sufferings of Christ, on account of Satanic envy and all other resultant sins, the universe itself will have been placed upon a basis of everlasting security.

Melrose, Mass.