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morality is dead

What is Evil?

Culture, Daily living, God
Evil

Evil is ubiquitous. It is in every corner of the world and in the heart of every person. Evil is the reason the world is the way it is today. Marked by chaos and division, the world suffers from the effects of evil. We should know as much as we can about this malevolent power.

The word occurs frequently in the Bible. The English Standard Version reports 531 results or an average of 8 time per book in the Bible. Jeremiah has the most occurrences but tiny 3rd John has the most per words in the book. Solomon used it often in his review of life and happiness in Ecclesiastes where it occurs roughly 4 times per thousand words. The effects of evil are clearly seen in every Bible book.

Philosophers have tried to define evil apart from the Bible and have been quite unsuccessful. They have gone so far as to use the real existence of evil as evidence against the existence of the God of the Bible.

What the Bible says about evil

Let the Bible Speak

Inasmuch as evil is a spiritual concept, we should allow the Bible to reveal it’s dimensions and define it’s horrors. The Bible is truth (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17).

Evil is personal.

The Bible does not view evil as an ambiguous, vague force. Evil surrounds and defines Satan. Jesus perfectly describes Satan while rebuking the religious leaders of his day.

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 8:44

In Genesis, it was Satan who lied to the first couple. He directly, and personally, contradicted God – in essence calling God a liar – concerning the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The outcome of Satan’s meddling teaches us much about evil. The outcomes are never good. In the Genesis 3 account, the outcome was a severing of the relationship between God and humanity. Man can only serve one master (Matthew 6:24). There has never been a throne big enough for two!

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Romans 6:16

Evil Usurps

Once God was driven from their lives Satan enjoyed freedom to corrupt and destroy. Their family was shattered when their eldest son murdered their youngest son. Cain killed Abel because God was displeased with Cain’s sacrifice. He couldn’t strike out at God but his brother was an easy target. This story is made even more tragic when we realize that God tried to guide Cain. He tried to guide him into a better place.

The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Genesis 4:6, 7

Cain rejected God’s guidance because his heart was blinded by sin. The evil one had taken the place of God in his life and led him to assault and murder his own brother. This is the nature of evil. It forces God off the throne and takes his place with a lawless rule.

Evil is the enemy

Notice the last sentence: “It’s desire is contrary to you…” Despite Satanic protestations to the contrary, sin lies in strong opposition to our God given souls. The NIV translates the passage this way: “it desires to have you…” Sin is the product of evil and actively seeks victims. Peter wrote that “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). An adversary is an opponent. The psalmist often prayed that God would defeat his adversaries. But here, in 1 Peter, the adversary is clearly the devil. The apostles says he is looking for someone he can devour.

Satan is not merely interested in troubling you or causing you inconvenience. He uses evil to consume your life. Like a potent toxin, the devil slowly but completely takes the life of his victim. Yet, we are often unable, or unwilling, to see the danger our adversary contains. He presents himself as a friend, a confidant, or a wizened guide.He may even present himself as a man of faith. He may appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14) or he may come quoting Scripture (Matthew 4:1 – 11). Remember, he presented himself to Eve, disguised, as one who would help her reach her greatest potential (Genesis 3:1-6).

To us, Satan presents himself with the face of our best friend. Perhaps he looks like our wife or our husband. He may appear with the authority of an employer or a government official. He could even appear as a nerdy, bullied, misunderstood teenager who just needs to let off a little harmless steam.

Satan is a liar. However he appears, whatever form he takes, will be false. Like a secret agent in wartime he disguises himself as a friendly when he is really an enemy.

What the Bible says about defeating evil

Evil looses

No matter how it may appear, the devil looses. In December of 1944 German forces fully encircled the Allied troops. The German commander promised to annihilate the US forces if they did not accept the surrender terms. The American commander refused.Four days later the reinforcements arrived. The refreshed troops attacked and drove the Germans back to where the battle began. Sometimes, in the moment, defeat may seem certain. Yet, for the one who perseveres, victory comes.

Jesus said:

and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Matthew 10:22

James wrote:

Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12

And Jesus said again:

Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 2:10

The Lord told Satan that he would loose. Speaking while the forbidden fruit was still fresh in their bellies God said:

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

Genesis 3:15

John says our faith is based upon our faith (1 John 5:4). Paul laughs in the face of defeat and asks “O death, where is your victory” (1 Corinthians 15:55). In the next verse he declares that God has given us the victory through “our Lord Jesus Christ” (vs. 56).

Satan looses.

So, what is evil? Evil is a real, but false force that seems to encompass us on all sides. It is always bad and never seeks good for mankind. It is our enemy and will be destroyed when the Lord returns. For us, we stand strong against every appearance of evil and await the glory that comes from our Lord. There is victory and it is coming.

God and Evil forbidden fruit

God and Evil

Bible General,
God and Evil

Seems an odd question, yes? The idea that the source of good could promote or tolerate evil is beyond thinking. But some Bible passages seem to suggest that God is ok with evil when it suits his purposes. I disagree.

God and Evil: Good vs. Evil

Good and evil have always warred. When God created the heavens and the earth, he declared his finished work to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Only good existed. Surely, God would not declare something good that was evil. Satan was did not spoil the world yet. Goodness ruled Eden.  A unique tree grew in Eden: The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Within its desirable fruit lay the seeds of spiritual catastrophe. Yet the mere existence of the tree was neither good nor evil. It simply existed. Evil would come once mankind rejected the command of God.

Evil was possible, but never desired. God would banish Adam and Eve from the garden because they sinned. Satan had taken man’s eternal life. Death invaded the pristine empire of God. But God had a plan. A savior was coming. God would reveal the details over centuries but man could escape from Satan. A thickly veiled promise from God is in Genesis 3:15. Satan would suffer a terrible head wound from one born of woman.

God and Evil: The Horrific Price of Evil

We know that God does not promote evil because of the terrible, personal, price of evil that God would bear.  The placement of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil created a world with choice – a far better world than one without. But choice brought a dark possibility. If man were to choose wrongly, the result would be catastrophic.

Peter says Jesus was “foreknown before the foundation of the world” as the world’s savior (1 Peter 1:13 – 25, esp. 20. c.f. Proverbs 8:23; Micah 5:2; Ephesians 1:4). God was not surprised by the sin in Eden but was already fully prepared to rescue sinners from their deserved fate. That rescue demanded the death of Jesus so that God might maintain his pure righteousness (Romans 3:21 – 31). Would God tolerate sin while knowing that it would cost the life of Jesus? It is evidence of his extraordinary grace that he has not already destroyed the world. God “desires all people to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4), therefore, he bears with us and provides every person the opportunity for salvation in Jesus Christ alone.

God paid an extreme price for our sins. He will never promote evil.

God Uses Evil But Does Not Cause Evil

This is a crucial point. God has often used evil poeple to accomplish his purposes. Consider characters like Pharaoh, Jephthah, Nebuchadnezzar, The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day, King Herod, Judas, or Pilate, These wicked people chose an evil path but were still useful in God’s overarching plan. Were it not for Pharaoh, Israel’s family would have never survived the great famine and later produced Jesus. God used Nebuchadnezzar to punish Judah (Jeremiah 1:15). He worked through despicable Judas to bring about salvation.  Even the soldiers who nailed the hands of the Savior to the cross were used by God.

God’s ability to precisely know the future allows him to carefully weave his plan through, and in spite of, the evil of men. God knew what Judas would freely choose when faced with temptation to betray Jesus. It was Judas’ choice, and he chose wrongly.  God used Judas’ sin but did not compel his sin.

Scripture says God hardened Pharoah’s heart (Exodus 4:21). But how? Did he compel that hardness or is there another explanation? To be consistent with the entirety of the Bible, we conclude that Pharaoh must have maintained his free choice.

God desired the saving of Pharaoh because he wants all people to be saved. God did not force Pharaoh to be obstinate and hard-hearted. But God understood that Pharaoh was so wicked that when confronted with the purity and truth of God’s demands and power, he would be stubborn. Thus, God’s very nature caused the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart.

Still, God worked through that to bring Israel out of captivity. His mighty works, done at Egypt’s expense, would often be recounted by God and Israel. God can and will work with any freely chosen path to bring about his will. It is a mistake to suggest that God deprived man of his will and forced his sin.

How Satan Works – Part 2

Church Bulletin, Satan, ,

skoczekSatan is always busy, never sleeping, and always looking to ensnare men and women in his traps. Satan has been a liar and deceiver from the beginning and is purely evil. Thankfully, his works are restricted today because of Jesus. Nevertheless. Satan works to deprive men and women of eternal salvation through powerful influence exerted in many ways. One of his most heinous weapons may be closer than you think.

Family

It is a horrible thought. Satan works through family members to attack the Christian. Our closest family can become tools of the evil one. Worse, I can become a tool of the devil to attack those I love the most. Remember, Satan knows no limit in his efforts to capture and destroy people. He will use any tactic, no matter how heinous, to enslave and condemn the righteous.

Notice the very first sin recorded in Scripture. Adam and Eve sinned because they ate of the forbidden Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil.

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths“ (Genesis 3:6, 7).

Please notice that Adam sinned when his wife gave him some of the forbidden fruit. He failed to protect her from sin and she enticed him to sin.

It was the unnamed wife of Job who tempted him to sin. Job was sorely oppressed by devilish curses and could find no relief. His wife had an answer: “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die“ (Job 2:9).

We must not overlook the spiteful Jezebel. She was the daughter of a Sidonian King and a worshipper of the idol Baal. She was married to Ahab, a Jew and the king over Israel. After she is introduced, we see that the King suddenly erects an altar for Baal and an Asherah (an idol worshipping tool). She would also seek to kill Elijah (1 Kings 19:2) and she would connive, probably with Ahab’s tacit approval, to kill Naboth and steal his vineyard that Ahab coveted (1 Kings 16:29-34; 21:1-16).

The story continues until today. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, boyfriends and girlfriends often lure us into temptation and then into sin. Maybe we relax around people we trust. Perhaps we want to avoid an argument. Maybe we are already tempted and look for their tacit approval to sin. It doesn’t matter. We become agents of Satan working against the best interests of those we love.

How often have we seen weak spiritual lives harmed even more by a disinterested spouse? It normally not intentional but the damage is just as bad. Families are often the source of our greatest sin problems.

Jesus taught families to train children “in the way that he should go” (Proverbs 22:6). Surely we encourage our children to learn much about the world and to prepare for successful careers in adulthood. But why the emphasis on scholastics and sports but almost no emphasis on spirituality? People complain that our young people are leaving the church. They are quick to blame the preacher, the youth minister, and the elders. But the problem is usually at home. Parents who do not train their children are working for the devil. Harsh words to be sure but I think you will agree that they are true words.

Satan’s power is limited to how he can influence us. Do not give place to the devil in any way (Ephesians 4:27).

 

Farewell 2012

Culture, Daily living, Encouragement, General, God, Jesus, Satan, Sin, , , , , ,

2012 change 2013We close the books on 2012 today. It’s over and I’m hoping for a better 2013. It has been a difficult year in so many ways. Hardly a month has passed without some horrifying event taking place which rattles us and makes stop to ask “why?” Let’s think about the big events of 2012 and see if we can find some answers:

  • 12 were slaughtered in Aurora, Colorado
  • 27 died at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut
  • 3 dead in a mall shooting in Oregon
  • 125 died in Hurricane Sandy and her aftermath
  • In fact, there were 16 mass shootings this year which, together, took 84 lives.
  • The great winter storm of 2012 claimed 6 lives
  • Lies, name calling and rancor marked our national political system
  • The economy still struggles and many are still without jobs.

I could go on and on and on some more but you get the point. This has been a tough year in many ways. 2013 holds promise for better times or at least that is what we tell ourselves. But the truth is that there will be bad things happening in 2013. We shouldn’t be surprised, Satan is the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31). Although the evil one is greatly restricted his influence is great and his arrogance unabated.

Truth teaches that we will suffer in this world at the hands of the evil people. By inspiration Paul said,

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (1 Timothy 3:12, 13)

We are pilgrims (1 Peter 2:11) and just passing through this old world. As the song continues, “my treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue.” Trouble comes but we are prepared.

What are we to do? If this world is bad and only going to get worse, what can we do? How to we survive? Paul answers immediately after his warning above:

” But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (1 Timothy 3:14-17).

There are three keys for continued life in this sinful world.

Continue and Do Not Give Up

Paul tells Timothy that he already knows and has been taught the truth. It came through the teaching of his mother and his grandmother and through his association with the “sacred writings.”  For Timothy, that would have been what we call the Old Testament. Timothy must not change because of the times. Instead he was to continue.

That’s good advice for us too. We know the sacred writings and we ought remain in them. We have firmly believed  and no matter what may happen in some place near or far we do not change. To surrender is beyond our comprehension.

Know the Book

Do you notice the very central place given to Scripture? We read of both sacred writings and Scripture. Both are the same and are first formed in the mind of God (1 Corinthians 2:11) and then given to man through the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).

The necessity of knowing the truth cannot be overstated. We must take it in (Psalm 119:11) and dwell upon it. I fear that most do not give adequate place in their lives to Bible reading. A horrible pestilence of biblical illiteracy has settled upon us. That ignorance allows and sustains false teaching which arises from the devil himself. If we are to stand against the troubles of this world, we must know the book.

Be Equipped

Any soldier knows that his equipment is vital to the success of his mission and even to his own survival. There is no difference with the disciple. We must equip ourselves for combat knowing that Satan will assault us at every turn (Ephesians 6:16, 1 Peter 5:8). There are many tools with which we must equip ourselves (Ephesians 6:10-18) but none so important as a knowledge of the truth of God’s word. Everything we know about God, about Jesus, about sin and salvation, comes from the word of God. We cannot live without it.

We make so many preparations in this life. We prepare for emergencies with insurance policies, we prepare for retirement with Roths and IRAs, we prepare for a high quality of life with gym memberships and well prepared meals. Do we also prepare for life and the spiritual troubles that are certain to come our way? We must be equipped.

We welcome 2013 with open arms and great hope. We seek more followers for the kingdom this year. We seek to spread the word further. But we know that troubles are on the horizon. Nevertheless we do not faint for out hope is in an unfailing Lord who gave us all!

 

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter  @jbevans.

3 Thoughts on Newtown

Church Bulletin, Culture, Daily living, News, , , ,

Evil is real. We need to understand that the devil is as real as Jesus although, thankfully, he is not as powerful as our Lord. Many are asking questions today about the Connecticut shooting. People want to why such a thing could happen in a peaceful town. Some are questioning God and asking why a loving God would allow such a thing to happen. Others only want to know how to get through the day in the face of such horror. There are answers to their questions but now may not be the best time to enter into deep theological discussions.

Many in Newtown, instinctively turned to God when they heard of the attack. In their hearts they knew that God alone could bring them through the pain. They knew Jesus would care. Let’s remember these three thoughts.

Jesus hurts with his people

The Bible says, “we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched by the feelings of our infirmities” (Hebrews  4:15). I recall a touching moment in Jesus’ life when he saw the grief of those in the home of his dear friend Lazarus. The Bible simply says “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Jesus’ grief over Lazarus himself, for he was about to raise him from the dead, instead Jesus grieved for the people who were so pained at the loss of their brother and friend.

Then there was a widow walking in her only son’s funeral procession. You can feel the pain of this frightened woman. Of this woman, the Bible says, “he had compassion on her” (Luke 7:13).  There is no doubt that this morning our Lord is grieving along with those who lost their loved ones.

Evil is always among us 

Evil is constantly near us but it is not always so obvious. The events of the past few days paint the obvious horrible, demonic picture of Satan at his worst. Thankfully, these shootings are not every day events. But the Bible speaks of evil as always being near. Peter warns,  “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Sometimes, evil is so insidious that we may miss it altogether. Paul warns of Satan, “even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). Our adversary is deceitful and dangerous. It is good that we are horrified at the scenes of such shootings, but never forget, the same devil is always near. Remember, there is always a moment of peace for the antelope just before the tiger pounces.

God heals

Those most affected by this shooting and by others like it, find themselves caught in the swiftly moving currents of life. They are forced to move on but are heavily burdened by grief. There is no way to forget or ignore the pain in this life. But our God will help. In our darkest day, he remains the light. The Sermon on the Mount reminds us of God’s great care. He reminds of the care God gives to a bird or even to a blade of grass and he then asks is we are not greater (Matthew 6:25-34)?

In the life to come, God himself will dry away our tears (Revelation 21:4) God will also bring Satan into final judgment. While we seek justice in this life, God will bring perfect and complete justice to bear on the wicked.

You and I should be praying for the families of Newtown, Connecticut. We should pray often and fervently for their strength. The God of comfort will come near.

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter  @jbevans.

 

Evil Empire

Church Bulletin, Eastern Shore church of Christ, ,

It was on this day in 1983 that President Ronald Reagan proclaimed that the Soviet Union was an “evil empire.” The statement sent shock waves throughout the diplomatic world and many declared that the popular President had set U.S. – Soviet relationships back thirty years. Reagan’s comment was nonetheless true. The Soviets did not believe in God nor did they allow people to worship freely. Personal liberty was unheard of and there were no true civil rights. Within a few short years that empire would crumble and freedom would begin to sweep across eastern Europe and Asia.

There is today an evil empire which exists and is even bigger than the old Soviet Union.  Continue reading Evil Empire →

Oil and Water

Culture, Proverbs, ,

Anyone who has made a salad knows that oil and water do not mix well. Many salad dressings are made of a mixture of oil, water vinegar and spices. While quite good, they must be vigorously shaken at serving because the two products will not bind together for long.

Solomon notes that the righteous and the unrighteous are much like oil and water.

An unjust man is abominable to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is abominable to the wicked.
(Proverbs 27:25)

How true! But isn’t it also true that we try so hard to be liked by others that sometimes we cut too much slack to the evil man? Why do we try so hard to be a part of the world that Satan controls? We must, of course, reach out to the evil and seek to teach them of God’s great love, but we mustn’t seek to be accepted by him. The wicked laugh at us and make sport of the Christian. Let us see him for what he is: Abominable!