Elijah, I don’t think it’s a problem to be jealous for a relationship. What happens is far more insidious than that. When we’re talking about jealousies that lead to covetousness, which, as you know, is part of the ten commandments, it’s obviously very important to Me. When you yearn for something you can’t have, everything you are goes into that yearning… your thought process, your money, and your time. Covetousness chokes out the things in life that are more important, such as reading the Bible, prayer, and fellowship. Covetousness, when carried to it’s fullest end, leads to sorrow, and is the ultimate sin of distraction. In a Christian’s life that does not covet, I’m available to talk to; I’m reasonably comfortable with his prayer life usually, and I can usually get his attention at the sign of danger.
Jealousy / Covetousness
GGod, I see you’ve marked “jealousies” down in Galatians as a cardinal sin. I know it’s mentioned in the Old Testament as covetousness. Why are jealousies an issue? What’s the problem with them? I’ve heard it commonly related from your example that you are a jealous God, so we should also guard our marriages jealously, but I don’t think that’s the same thing.
