Evil is Real, and Is Not Always What You Think It Is

When we think of evil, I am sure most of us want to imagine it as murder, various acts of violence and pillaging throughout history and the like, and we’d be right. However, I think this view is both too broad and too narrow-minded. It’s broad in the sense that we can point to Hitler, Vlad the Impaler and others and say “I’m not as bad as that guy,” and it’s narrow in the sense that we limit evil to what we ourselves or society define as “evil.” Evil IS demonic. Evil IS violent, but evil is also much, much more. It is in all of us at some point, and it needs to be called out, and removed.

In the beginning, God defined what was good, and, by definition of what is good, pinpointed what was evil. When He created something, He defined it as “good.” We can take that term “good,” and since God created and defined things as such, they are also “of God.” Jesus even said, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Mark 10:18). Jesus wasn’t denying his godhood, he was pointing out that God alone has the perspective and Holiness to define good. Therefore, if good is “of God,” the logical conclusion is that “evil” is the absence of God. I have seen people do what we would call good works, and then turn around and use those good works to throw it in the face of someone else, saying “I don’t need your god to be good.” I’ve also seen “good works” used to leverage power and control, and to keep people subdued and ignorant.

And, because evil is the absence of God, every one of us has committed evil. “Wait,” you might say, “you’re telling me that I’m evil, and you say my view is narrow-minded?” Yes, I am saying exactly that. God is the author of creation, and as the Author, his view matters, and a speck of dust on a speck of dust like me (and you) aren’t around long enough in existence to form a proper opinion anyway. When we are outside of our Creator’s design (and we were designed to be in His image), and outside of His will, we are defective, diverging from our intended purpose (relationship with Him, and seeking to be our own gods. It is this rebellion against our purpose that makes us evil. Yet God has made a way out! He Himself has given us a road back to Him, through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. And it is ONLY through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection that we can be restored to the image He intended us to be.

Romans 3:

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,

“That you may be justified in your words,

and prevail when you are judged.”

But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;

no one understands;

no one seeks for God.

All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

no one does good,

not even one.”

“Their throat is an open grave;

they use their tongues to deceive.”

“The venom of asps is under their lips.”

“Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”

“Their feet are swift to shed blood;

in their paths are ruin and misery,

and the way of peace they have not known.”

“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.