Scripture describes God as jealous and jealousy, as sin. Hank Hanegraaff, the host of the ππͺπ£ππ¦ ππ―π΄πΈπ¦π³ ππ’π― broadcast and the ππ’π―π¬ ππ―π±ππΆπ¨π¨π¦π₯ podcast, notes that the second commandment explicitly says that God is a jealous God (Exodus 20:4β5; cf. 34:14); yet in Galatians, Paul condemned jealousy in the same breath as idolatry (Galatians 5:19β20). How can this be? First, there is such a thing as sanctified jealousy. As such, jealousy is the proper response of a husband or wife whose trust has been violated through infidelity. Indeed, when an exclusive covenant relationship is dishonored, sanctified jealousy is the passionate zeal that fights to restore that holy union. The jealousy of God for His holy name and for the exclusive worship of His people as such is sanctified. Just as there is sanctified jealousy, so, too, there is sinful jealousy. In this sense, jealousy is painfully coveting anotherβs advantages. Accordingly, the apostle Paul listed jealousy as an act of the sinful nature: βThe acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissentions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the likeβ, as God personifies sanctified jealousy, so those who reflect His character must be zealous for the things of God.
If jealousy is sin, how can God be jealous?
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