Sins of Commission #3: Envy
It is on this topic of envy that I write to you today, not in generalities, but in specific personal terms.
Published in 1835 as a book titled, “Finney’s Lectures on Revivals,” these lectures were not actually written by Charles Finney himself, nor were they originally intended to become a book.
Instead, in an attempt to help an old friend save his ailing magazine subscription business, Finney agreed to orate a series of lectures, which would then be transcribed and distributed exclusively through his friend’s paper. In Finney’s words:
I began the course of lectures immediately, and continued them through the winter, preaching one each week. Mr. Leavitt could not write short-hand, but would sit and take notes, abridging what he wrote, in such a way that he could understand it himself; and then the next day he would sit down and fill out his notes, and send them to press. I did not see what he had reported, until I saw it published in his paper. I did not myself write the lectures, of course; they were wholly extemporaneous. I did not make up my mind, from time to time, what the next lecture should be, until I saw his report of my last. Then I could see what the next question was that would naturally need discussion. (The Life of Charles G. Finney)
The venture worked on both accounts - as soon as word got out of the upcoming Lectures, subscriptions soared to their highest rate, and the soon published book sold out of the initial 12,000 print copies practically overnight. Within two short years, the book would be made available overseas and distribution quickly went worldwide, influencing church leaders, missionaries and revivalists in profound ways.
One of these ‘influenced’ many years later by the lectures was a young musician named Keith Green. His wife, Melanie, retells the story of the night her husband read the third chapter of Finney’s Lectures:
"I just got saved!"
BY THE TIME ALL SEVEN HOUSES HEARD ABOUT THE SPECIAL meeting, our community was buzzing with curiosity. Having an early morning meeting was in itself a shock. Usually, no one even saw Keith before 10 a.m. because of his late-night schedule. I watched everyone quietly drift into The School House--throwing questioning glances at each other. It looked like all seventy of us were there--crammed into the living room, and spilling over into the hall and kitchen, anxiously waiting to find out what was going on.
As soon as I saw Keith's face I knew something big was going on. His eyes were clear and bright and his whole face was lit with a broad grin. Something had happened to him!
"You know I've been struggling with a lot of questions about my ministry and the Lord's will for my life," he began, "I've been really wanting God to be more real. Well, I was up all night in 'The Ark' and God showed me so much sin in my life that I spent the whole night weeping and crying out to Him. I told the Lord I wasn't going to leave 'The Ark' until I had a breakthrough--no matter how long it took. Finally, it happened. I had a touch from the Lord like I've never had in my whole life. And I know I just got saved--I just got saved last night." Keith's words stunned everyone as much as they stunned me. I could see it in their faces. Just got saved? I thought, What have you been if you haven't been saved? But Keith just kept talking, either ignoring or not noticing the wide-eyed surprise on everyone's face. "Last night I was reading Finney, and I just couldn't get past a chapter called 'Breaking Up The Fallow Ground'. God convicted me of so much fallow ground in my life--ground that's hard and crusty and needs to be broken up for Him."
Now the happiness in Keith's eyes clouded over as they started to fill with tears. Blinking them back, Keith pulled some sheets of paper out of his Bible and unfolded them as he kept talking.
"I've already gotten these things right with God, now I want to confess them to you and ask for your forgiveness because my sins have affected you. First of all, I know I haven't been a very good leader. I've wounded some of you with my words and my crummy attitudes .... "
Now Keith broke and really started to cry, but he controlled himself enough to go on.
"The Lord has also shown me areas of pride and unbelief in my life. I don't read my Bible enough and I don't pray enough, either. And I'm so undisciplined. I've been a bad example to all of you. I have no excuse except for being lazy and loving myself more than I really love God .... "
He went on for several minutes, pouring his heart out and crying.
"I know my sin has broken God's heart. I know it's hurt you, too--and I'm really, really sorry. I'm not worthy to bear the holy name of Christian. Please forgive me."
Everybody bowed their heads and closed their eyes. Then Keith started praying a very powerful prayer and a hush fell over the room. In just a moment something began to happen.
Suddenly one of the women burst into tears. She'd been sitting on the floor and now she was on her face, her whole body heaving with deep uncontrollable sobs. A few others started to weep, and the next thing we knew we were all on our faces, crying, and calling out to God. Actually, some of us could do little more than moan. The feelings were so deep it was hard to even put them into words. It was a gut-wrenching time of conviction and soul-searching. The sound of wailing started to rise and fill the room--and it went on and on.
After a long time, Keith asked everyone to go and take some time alone with God. "Go home and make out a list. List every area of sin that the Lord is showing you and will continue to show you. List it in detail. Let the Lord shine his spotlight into your hearts."
We met again later that evening and over the next few days-- day and night. We had hours of prayer, weeping, and humble open confession. Everyone was being broken. They'd read their list of sins and ask forgiveness of God and those who'd been affected. There was such an awesome sense of God's presence in the room, sometimes overwhelming. And more often than not after someone shared, tears of sorrow ignited into tears of joy-- and even laughter as many broke through to God at deeper levels than ever before. They said they felt cleansed and refreshed in a brand new way--like their souls had just come alive and the weight of the world was lifted off their shoulders. It seemed like, one by one, this was happening to everybody.
If you were to pick up a copy of Revival Lectures today and turn to the very same chapter that Keith Green read that night, you would find these two lists:
14 Sins of Omission
12 Sins of Commission
Over the course of about 10 pages, Finney works his way through these 26 very specific sins, detailing out the description of each one. As an example, number three on the list of the 12 sins of commission is envy.
Envy. Look at the cases in which you were envious of those whom you thought were above you in any respect. Or perhaps you have envied those who have been more talented or more useful than yourself. Have you not so envied some, that you have been pained to hear them praised? It has been more agreeable to you to dwell upon their faults than upon their virtues, upon their failures than upon their successes. Be honest with yourself; and if you have harboured this spirit of hell, repent deeply before God, or He will never forgive you.
It is on this topic of envy, jealousy and unforgiveness that I write to you today, not in generalities, but in specific personal terms.
When examining my own heart and the commands of Scripture, I found myself sorely lacking and in fact harbouring this sin of envy, which has led me to hate, unforgiveness and a number of other transgressions. In repenting and turning from these sins, I do not want to gloss over the details or speak to you in generalities.
Instead, I intend to do as Finney encourages, “General confession of sin will never do. Your sins were committed one by one; and as far as you can come at them, they ought to be reviewed and repented of one by one.”
I have hated someone for what they’ve done. Hate, which Jesus clarified, is the same in intent as murder.
“And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering He had no regard… So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain…’If you do not do well, sin is crouching at your door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it…And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.” Genesis 4:4-8
I have been unable to forgive someone for what they’ve done. Unforgiveness, which Jesus clarified, leads to our own inability to be forgiven.
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15
I have been unable to hear someone praised and celebrated for what they’ve done.
“Have you not so envied some, that you have been pained to hear them praised?” -Revival Lectures
I have been unable to pray for those who have sinned against me.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:43-44
I have been unable to mourn for those who have sinned against me.
“Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know. They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.”
“But I, when they were sick - I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed to my chest. I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.” Psalms 35:11-14
And finally, I have been unable to do good, to bless, and to give of my own possessions to those who hate, curse and abuse me.
“But I say to you who hear, ‘Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.’”
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:27-28, 35-36
For these sins, I repent. As Keith Green expressed, “I know my sin has broken God's heart. I know it's hurt you, too--and I'm really, really sorry.”
Will you join me in continuing to examine our hearts in great detail? Let us hold nothing back as we strive to live with a clear conscience before both God and man, desiring to live honourably in every way.
In love,
Derek