15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
-James 3:15-16, NLT
Selfishness as Demonic
Few acts are as selfish as cheating. The cheater only sees the immediate gratification they desire and take it. They do not consider the destruction such sin will wrought on their families and communities.
It does not matter.
They believe they deserve it. After all, don’t they deserve to be happy?!
These verses out of James really struck me this morning. I had never seen the verses translated as naming such behavior as demonic. Yet there we have it.
Now, the context isn’t cheating but selfish ambitions and using words for those purposes.
Still, I believe the principle is widely applicable. Cheating clearly qualifies as selfish. That means it is demonic according to these verses.
Whether it is murder, armed robbery, or cheating the base is the same the perp believes they deserve what they are taking, and they believe they deserve to not be murdered/robbed, or cheated on.
It all boils down to ” jealousy and selfish ambition”. How can I get what they have, and if I have to lie, cheat, cause others harm to get it, it is a price I am willing to let them pay. As long as I don’t have to pay the price, it’s all good.