How Should We Understand the Jealousy of God?

Following are sermons exposited by Dr. Caldwell that will assist you in thinking more deeply and provide additional clarity on this matter of healthy holy jealousy and that which is unholy and doesn't glorify God in its reaction and behaviors:

Fighting for Hearts: https://youtu.be/lYNcfKzJ0K8
The Temple Cleanser: https://youtu.be/U6lyWzkyeL8
A New Kind of Anger for A New Man: https://youtu.be/vM7JZZzKq5M
The Deadliness of Zealous Ignorance: https://youtu.be/WSMBF4igXlo
The Goal of Our Ministry - Part 2: https://youtu.be/s5Dn9m6vXbU
Still Not Ready: https://youtu.be/nPjfYt6YVcE
Two Kinds of Wisdom - Part 1: https://youtu.be/KFMbX16YB04
Two Kinds of Wisdom - Part 2: https://youtu.be/GEs7-1Twi1o
The Source of Our Conflicts: https://youtu.be/ceLsrmj7btA
Defilement: https://youtu.be/SBUFmVNw8Ys
Joy in the Face of Trouble: https://youtu.be/CrhzwAozfxA

Why does it mean for God to be a jealous God? If jealousy is a sin, how can God be jealous? Can a believer ever be jealous and it not be sinful?

What should we make of the jealousy of God? We see this described throughout the Old Testament in many places. God tells us that He is a jealous God, even saying His name is jealous. As we think about jealousy described in the New Testament, it seems that it is always described as sinful. How do we reconcile God telling us He is a jealous God and our understanding of jealousy being sin? Join us and listen to the conversation between Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell as they sit down to help us understand these seemingly confusing and opposing biblical truths.

Dr. Caldwell says that to better understand this, it would help us to think of jealousy in terms of zeal. In fact, the New Testament Greek word for jealousy relates to zeal. So in thinking of it this way, we can understand it as a holy zeal for what rightly belongs to God; it’s a holy jealousy. It is for God to have zeal for what is rightly His.

Another way Dr. Caldwell says that he can explain it is to say that it is God’s zeal for what is the highest good, for what is most appropriate, for that which is perfectly right. So any human jealousy that would be holy would serve in that same interest. It would be a zeal for what’s right in the sight of God. It would be a zeal for what rightly belongs to God.

What goes on in sinful jealousy is mankind's zealousness for himself. In some cases, it’s actually envy, wanting what someone else has. This kind of zeal is self-centered, man-centered, unloving, unholy, and does not glorify God. Dr. Caldwell gives a few examples of what this looks like using marriage. He then turns to 2 Corinthians 11 to share an example of a good kind of jealousy from the Apostle Paul towards the Corinthian church.

Dr. Caldwell says that when we consider jealousy, or zeal, as he has explained it, we need to be discerning. We need to ask ourselves if the jealousy/zeal we are experiencing is selfish or not. Does it align with truth or with error? Is it ultimately for what is right in the sight of God? Are we looking at the situation or circumstance with a Christian perspective, wanting to glorify God for what is right? Or might our motives be insincere? Are we maybe seeking to only protect our own interests? Has someone or something encroached on your territory, maybe in your marriage, parenting, job, or something else? We have got to test our hearts. We have to ask ourselves, 'What’s motivating whatever it is that is bothering me?' Is it selfishness, or are we wanting to be faithful to God? Is it really for the Lord’s sake? Whatever it is that’s making us feel this way, can we say that it is for God’s glory? Are we thinking about this situation and responding with the right kind of zeal for what has been assigned to us?