p. 1 | Editorial by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 24, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 24.

Editorial

By Editor

Envy.—Envy is one of the foulest of all the brood which finds origin and shelter in the unregenerate heart of man or demon. It is defined to be "selfish ill-will toward another because of his superior success, endowments, or possessions; ill-natured grudging in view of what another has or enjoys."—Standard. It is a quality of disposition which does not have even a seeming excuse for existence.

"And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." 1 John 3:12.

Envy and Jealousy.—Envy is sometimes confounded with jealousy, but the two may be widely different. Jealousy may be good as well as bad. God is jealous on account of his people. A wife may be truly jealous of her husband's affections. But envy is wholly bad. "One is envious of that which is another's, and to which he himself has no right or claim." Envy is therefore grounded in covetousness. But one "is jealous of intrusion upon that which is his own, or to which he maintains a right or claim." One may therefore exercise a right jealousy without sinning; but envy is always sin.

The Evil of Envy.—

Envy is wholly selfish. "Love seeketh not her own;" she gives it up for others. But envy seeks not only her own for her own sake, but she covets and seeks for her own sake that which belongs to others. Love rejoices in the success and prosperity of others; but envy is pained because of others' success. "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?" There is a story told by the rabbins of two men, one covetous and the other envious. They were promised whatever they wished, on the condition that the one who chose last should have a double portion. The covetous man would not choose first, for he wanted the larger amount, and the envious man would not choose first, for he could not bear that his neighbor should have more than he. Finally, as the covetous man would not choose, the envious man chose first, and his choice was that one of his eyes should be put out, so that upon his neighbor would come the greater evil of having both eyes blinded. This is envy.

A Corroding Evil.—But the deadliest poison of envy operates upon him who cherishes it, even as acid eats up the metal vessel which contains it. "A sound heart is the life of the flesh; but envy the rottenness of the bones." And this is true even of envy of the wicked. We are sometimes aggrieved because of the wealthy wicked, who use their possessions selfishly; but "envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways." "Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long." "The patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt," but it cost them bitter trial and anguish and humiliation, while God turned it to make Joseph the ruler of the mightiest nation of earth. "The chief priests" "delivered him [Jesus] for envy," but it meant their destruction and the utter undoing of their nation. It is always so. Evil sooner or later comes upon the head of him who originated it, unless stayed by the mercy of God, through the prayer of submissive faith.

The Root of Envy is the selfishness of the unregenerate heart of man. It is in the hearts of all who are not born again of the Spirit of God. This may not be confessed or admitted, because it may not be known, but let circumstances be favorable to its development, and the seeds of selfishness will bring forth envy among its other evil fruitage. Because the "carnal mind [mind of the flesh] is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God [the law of love], neither indeed can be." The same apostle tells us that those who do not like to retain God in their knowledge, who are separate from him, are "full of envy." (See Rom. 1:28—

31.) And again: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.” This is the true picture of the world. This spirit, this disposition, this mind, cherished, has been the cause of all the oppression, the slavery, the persecution of the world.

Cain and Abel.—Envy was in operation in the very beginning. It was because of it that Cain killed Abel. Abel did his brother no wrong. There is no record that Cain ever charged him with this. As the elder son he would naturally have the preeminence. But he selfishly looked to his position to retain this place rather than to his character, the one thing more than all others precious in God’s sight. Abel, humble in his own nothingness, brought his offering for sin as an expression of his faith in a Redeemer who had given himself for the race and who would one day die. Cain, ignoring the great Sacrifice of Heaven, patronizingly brought an offering of his first-fruits. The Lord had respect unto Abel’s offering, and the fire of God’s presence consumed it, showing that the sin it represented had been cleansed away by God’s presence in him. But to Cain’s offering God had not respect. There was no confession of sin there, no manifest trust in the Redeemer. The offering was the mere formal burning of the fruits of the ground. Cain was wroth because God blessed Abel, because he gave Abel what belonged to him in the covenant of grace. Cain might have been blessed. God told him so (Gen. 4:6, 7), and he had blessing sufficient for both. But instead of taking the blessing which God would give him, Cain envied his brother the blessing that he received, and because of his envy slew him. “And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.”

A Lesson for All Time.—Like all the other lessons of Scripture, God has left this on record for the admonition of his children in all ages. Abel was slain because Cain envied him the peace and blessing and power which he received from God. Cain could not bear that another should be blessed more than he. Joseph’s brothers envied him because of his good character, and the blessing God bestowed upon him. So the leaders in rebellion envied Moses because of the position to which God called him, and enviously claimed the same for themselves (Num. 12:2; 16:3), while the language of Moses’ heart was: “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them” (Num. 11:29). So for envy Jesus was delivered by the priests, to be slain. They envied his holy character, his nearness to God, his power over hearts longing to be free from sin. And Jesus tells his people that when they are persecuted by those who think they are doing God service, “these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.” John 16:2, 3. Would to God that those professed Christians who are seeking for human help, human law, human aid, to enforce religious observances, would seek to know the motive of heart which is stirring them up to do this. Why do Russians persecute dissenting sects? Why have Roman Catholics, when they had the power, done the same things? Why are many Protestants following in the same steps? Is it because of the envy of Cain? Is it because they know not Christ? If the former, they may through Jesus Christ share in their brother’s righteousness and blessing. And if they knew the Father and Christ, they would be willing to leave the execution of judgment where the Lord placed it, in the hands of Jesus Christ at his second coming.

No More Envy.—When he comes, when sin and all identified with sin shall be destroyed, when his own people in whom is his own unselfishness stamped, shall be gathered home from every land, there envy will be no more. “The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.” All will be righteous, holy, just, and good, like the blessed law they keep; and all will render all glory, honor, and praise to Him who created all, redeemed all, and gave all the boundless good things which come to the people of God. Would we share that glorious time? Then we must possess that disposition which will fit us to enjoy it. This can be done, will be done, if we give up all of self and accept of Jesus Christ.