I am now tagged as a Spam by the System

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3 years ago
Topics: Religion

I am now marked as a spammer by the system like the others. I've seen my article got downvoted and I don't know the reason why?

This is just a guess, but I think this is related to my articles that are consistently getting tipped by @TheRandomRewarder. It's either that someone hates God or he is just envious of me.

Being envy to others is not good, always remember that.

So what does the Bible say about envy?

"A simple definition of envy is "to desire what belongs to someone else." A more comprehensive description of envy is "a resentful, frustrated longing for the possessions, place, fortune, accomplishments, or achievement of another." The Bible says envy is an act of the flesh, the result of human sin: "The acts of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hate, hate. I advise you, as I have done before, that the kingdom of God will not be inherited by those who live like this (Galatians 5:19–21; see also Romans 1:29; 1 Peter 2:1–2).

In modern Bible translations, envy and jealousy are closely related and often used interchangeably, but they are not exactly interchangeable. Envy is an answer to the lack of anything possessed by another person. Jealousy is a response to the fear or danger we possess of losing something, or sometimes someone. Envy is the anguish or anger that we experience because others have something we don't have. Jealousy is the feeling of dread or suspicion that we experience when it could take away what we have. There is such a thing as godly jealousy (see 2 Corinthians 11:2), but in a positive way, the Bible never talks of envy.

Another term linked closely with envy in the Bible is covetousness. Coveting is an unhealthy desire to possess what belongs to someone else. Covetousness, typically connected to tangible things such as land, is an extreme desire or selfish desire that violates others' fundamental rights (Exodus 20:17; Joshua 7:21).

In Cain and Abel's story, the first bout of envy in the Bible emerges. Cain, the older brother, killed Abel out of jealousy, since God looked favorably at the sacrifice of the younger brother but did not consider the offering of Cain (Genesis 4:3-5). Later, because of the blessings his father Isaac had given him, Esau envied his brother, Jacob (Genesis 27:41). Rachel was envious of her sister because Leah gave birth to Jacob's sons when Rachel was childless (Genesis 30:1). For his success in battle and his popularity among the people, Saul envied David (1 Samuel 15:6–16). Jesus was imprisoned by the Jewish leaders because they were seized with jealousy (Mark 15:10).

The Bible paints a vivid illustration of the destructive consequences of envy. The Bible says envy will lead to spiritual, mental, and physical death if left to grow in one's heart: "A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones" (Proverbs 14:30). The Latest Living Translation here compares envy to "cancer in the bones." And we find this stern warning about the sin of envy in James 3:14-16: "But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not boast or deny the truth about it." Such 'wisdom' does not descend from heaven, but is demonic, earthly, unspiritual. There you find chaos and any evil practice where you have greed and greedy ambition.

Envy is a concern with the heart. Jesus taught that purity and godliness come from within a person and not from outward acts (Mark 7:14–15). "Envy is one of the many inner vices or attitudes of the heart that defile an individual: "It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from inside, from the heart of a human, come evil thoughts . . Foolishness, lustful impulses, jealousy, slander, vanity, and ignorance. All these vile things come from within; what defiles you is what they are (Mark 7:20-23, NLT).

First Corinthians 13:4 says, "Love does not envy." If our brothers and sisters in Christ are envious of us, then we do not love them. Christ's love is empty (Philippians 2:3-8) of selfish ambition and desire. "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of all kinds," Christians are called to dispense with envy (1 Peter 2:1). How do we do it? Believers in Christ died from sin and were made alive by the Spirit of God (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3; Romans 6:7-11). In a real sense, the battle between the existence of sin and the Spirit continues, but through the indwelling Holy Spirit, Christians have the power to help them in the war.

Paul taught in Galatians 5:16-26 that our lives will bear the fruit of the Spirit if we walk by the Spirit, live by the Spirit, and remain in step with the Spirit: "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Let us not be conceited, provoked and envious of one another (verses 25-26).

A discontent heart is the root of envy. When we can't get what our heart wants, we feel envy. The secret of contentment (Philippians 4:10–13), of delighting ourselves in the Lord, we have not yet known. Trusting in the Lord and delighting in Him is the most powerful way to stop envy: "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture." Take pride in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. Trust in him and he will do this: he will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun (Psalm 37:3-6). Commit your way to the LORD.

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