Jealousy is it Good or is it Bad?

By Cal Cook

The book of James is filled with good practical advice. Straightforward sometimes in your face applications of God’s Word. This week’s passage in the New Living Translation seems to be filled with the word ‘jealous’ James 3:14, 15, 16, 4:2, all use jealous or jealousy as a negative attribute of someone who is not wise, of someone who places themselves and their desires over others. Yet depending on your translation jealous is also used in James 4:5 as an attribute of God?

James 4:5

Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”?

Now some might conclude from Study Bible notes and comparing different translations that this verse is difficult to translate or its meaning is uncertain. Some translations seem to be saying God is jealous for us, while others say our spirit is jealous…what’s up with this verse, is jealousy good or bad and who is jealous here?

Before we go off on a tangent let’s be clear, the Bible does say over and over again that God is a jealous God in fact it is part of the Ten Commandments about idols, along with many other places!

Exodus 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God

Deuteronomy 4:24

For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ

This last verse (one of many) here gives us some insight into this idea of jealousy…it can be divine, it can be good, certainly it is an attribute of God. Yet notice the difference in the context. When we are jealous of someone else, of something they have, when selfishness is part of that jealousy then it is bad, it is destructive and evil. Yet when jealousy is a part of a fervent desire for something special, something to be reserved and set apart, not to be shared with everyone, like the love between a husband and a wife…then jealousy can be good! God is jealous for us in that He doesn’t want to share our love with other gods or idols.

Like most everything else what is it in your heart that is motivating you? Is it the desire for possessions or positions of authority you think you deserve…or is it love? Even with love, what kind of love is it, is it a selfish amorous kind of love based in what you do for me or a godly agape kind of love with no strings attached?