By diligently studying the Bible you will learn what pleases and displeases God.
The Holy Spirit speaks through the Word of God.
Believe the Bible
Articles are All Bible Based.
The Bible makes claims about the creation of the universe, the nature of the God who created the universe and reigns supremely over it, and the fate of mankind. If these claims are true, then the Bible is the most important book in the history of mankind. If the Bible is true, then it holds the answers to life’s biggest questions: “From where did I come?” “Why am I here?” and “What happens to me when I die?” The importance of the Bible’s message demands it receive fair consideration, and the truthfulness of its message is observable, testable, and able to withstand scrutiny.
The writers of the Bible claim that the Bible is God’s very Word. The apostle Paul writes that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). That is to say, all the words recorded in the original writing of Scripture originated from the mouth of God before ever reaching the minds and pens of the biblical writers. The apostle Peter also writes that “prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). The phrase “carried along” is indicative of a sail being propelled by the wind. That is, the writing of Scripture was directed by the Holy Spirit. The Bible does not originate with man and is, then, a product of God and carries the authority of God.
At this point, it is important not to let circular reasoning become the justification for believing the Bible. We cannot say that one should believe the Bible simply because the Bible says it should be believed. If, however, the truth claims of the Bible are found true whenever it is possible to test their veracity or are proved true during historical and scientific discovery, then the internal claims of the Bible’s own trustworthiness are more compelling. The internal evidence works in tandem with the external.
The internal evidence of Scripture’s veracity provides many compelling arguments for why one should believe the Bible. First, the unique message of the Bible sets it apart from other religious texts. The Bible, for instance, teaches that mankind is inherently evil and deserving of eternal death. If man were responsible for the content of the Bible, the view of humanity would not be so dark—we tend to make ourselves look good. The Bible also teaches that humans can do nothing of themselves to remedy their natural state. This, too, goes against human pride.
The unity of the biblical message is further reason for why one should believe the Bible. The Bible was written over a period of approximately 1,550 years, with at least 40 human writers, most of whom did not know each other and were from varying backgrounds (king, fisherman, tax collector, shepherd, etc.). The Bible was written in various environments (desert, prison, royal court, etc.). Three different languages were used to write the Bible, and, despite covering controversial subjects, it carries one harmonious message. The circumstances surrounding the writing of the Bible would seem to guarantee its fallibility, and, yet, the message from Genesis to Revelation is uncannily consistent.
Another reason why one should believe the Bible is its accuracy. The Bible should not be confused with a science textbook, but that does not mean that the Bible does not speak to issues that are scientific in nature. The water cycle was described in Scripture centuries before it was a scientific discovery. In some cases science and the Bible have seemed to be at odds with each other. Yet, when science has advanced, the scientific theories have proved wrong and the Bible proved right. For example, it used to be standard medical practice to bleed patients as a cure for illness. Many people died because of excessive blood loss. Now medical professionals know that bloodletting as a cure for most diseases is counterproductive. The Bible always taught that “the life of a creature is in the blood” (Leviticus 17:11).
The Bible’s truth claims concerning world history have also been substantiated. Skeptics used to criticize the Bible for its mention of the Hittite people (e.g., 2 Kings 7:6). The lack of any archaeological evidence to support the existence of a Hittite culture was often cited as a rebuttal against Scripture. In 1876, however, archaeologists discovered evidence of the Hittite nation, and by the early 20th century the vastness of the Hittite nation and its influence in the ancient world was common knowledge.
The scientific and historical accuracy of the Bible is important evidence of the Bible’s trustworthiness, but the Bible also contains fulfilled prophecies. Some of the biblical writers made claims about future events centuries in advance. If any one of the events predicted had occurred, it would be astounding. But the Bible contains many, many prophecies. Some of the predictions were fulfilled in a short amount of time (Abraham and Sarah had a son, Peter denied Jesus three times, Paul was a witness for Jesus in Rome, etc.). Other predictions were fulfilled hundreds of years later. The 300 messianic prophecies fulfilled by Jesus could not have reasonably been fulfilled by one person unless some greater power was involved. Specific prophecies like Jesus’ birthplace, activities, manner of death, and resurrection demonstrate the preternatural accuracy of Scripture.
When it is put to the test, the Bible is proved true in every area. Its truth extends to the spiritual, as well. That means that when the Bible says the Hittite nation existed, then we can believe that there were Hittites, and when the Bible teaches that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23) and the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), then we need to believe that, too. And, when the Bible tells us that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8) and that “whoever believes in [Jesus] shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16), then we can and should believe that, also.
A simple definition of envy is “to want what belongs to someone else.” A more thorough description of envy is “a resentful, dissatisfied longing for another’s possessions, position, fortune, achievements, or success.” The Bible says envy is an act of the flesh, the result of human sin: “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19–21; see also Romans 1:29; 1 Peter 2:1–2).
Envy and jealousy are closely related and sometimes used interchangeably in modern Bible translations, but they are not quite synonymous. Envy is a reaction to lacking something that another person possesses. Jealousy is a reaction to the fear or threat of losing something, or often someone, we possess. Envy is the distress or resentment we feel when others have what we have not. Jealousy is the sense of dread or suspicion we feel when what we have might be taken away. There is such a thing as godly jealousy (see 2 Corinthians 11:2), but the Bible never speaks of envy in a good light.
Another word in the Bible closely associated with envy is covetousness. To covet is to have an excessive desire to possess what belongs to another. Usually related to tangible items like property, covetousness is an intense craving or selfish desire that threatens the fundamental rights of others (Exodus 20:17; Joshua 7:21).
The first bout of envy in the Bible surfaces in the story of Cain and Abel. Cain, the older brother, killed Abel out of envy because God looked with favor on the younger brother’s sacrifice but did not accept Cain’s offering (Genesis 4:3–5). Later, Esau envied his brother, Jacob, because of the blessing his father Isaac had given him (Genesis 27:41). Rachel envied her sister because Leah gave birth to Jacob’s sons while Rachel remained childless (Genesis 30:1). Saul envied David for his success in battle and his popularity among the people (1 Samuel 15:6–16). The Jewish leaders had Jesus arrested because they were seized with envy (Mark 15:10).
The Bible paints a vivid picture of envy’s devastating effects. If left to grow in one’s heart, envy will lead to spiritual, emotional, and physical death: “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones” (Proverbs 14:30). Here the New Living Translation likens envy to “cancer in the bones.” And in James 3:14–16, we find this stern warning about the sin of envy: “But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Envy is an issue of the heart. Jesus taught that purity and godliness come from inside a person and not from external actions (Mark 7:14–15). Envy is one of many inward vices or heart attitudes that defile a person: “It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, . . . deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you” (Mark 7:20–23, NLT).
First Corinthians 13:4 states, “Love does not envy.” If we are envious of our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we do not love them. The love of Christ is void of selfish ambition and desire (Philippians 2:3–8). Christians are called to dispense with envy: “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind” (1 Peter 2:1). How do we accomplish this? Believers in Jesus Christ have died to sin and have been made alive by the Spirit of God (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3; Romans 6:7–11). In a real sense, the struggle between the sin nature and the Spirit continues, but Christians have power through the indwelling Holy Spirit to strengthen them in the fight.
Paul taught in Galatians 5:16–26 that, if we walk by the Spirit, live by the Spirit, and stay in step with the Spirit, our lives will bear the fruit of the Spirit: “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” (verses 25–26).
The root of envy is a dissatisfied heart. We experience envy when we cannot have what our heart desires. We have not yet learned the secret of contentment (Philippians 4:10–13), of delighting ourselves in the Lord. The most effective way to avoid envy is to trust in the Lord and delight in Him: “Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; 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–
