More people are waking up to the evil
Unavoidable. More believable daily.
That evil which was once faintly believed, is now overwhelmingly obvious.
Evil is one of the foundational bedrocks of the gospel.
Because evil exists, then also the gospel must exist.
We need rescue FROM some thing. Otherwise, the rescue would be no-news. A nothing burger.
“Oh, you’re saved? From nothing? Cool for you.”
Getting the gospel conversation started … on any of the five points of the gospel is success.
Identity of God
Nature of Sin & Evil
Payment / Penalty
Solution / Savior
Simply Accept
If people are unable to unplug from the news-stream tracking the rise of evil … that’s a good place to launch a meaningful gospel conversation. What? What do you mean? Because solutions are inevitable. They’re going to come up. When there’s a problem … people are only talking about it because they’re hoping there’s an answer.
The problem of evil
It’s a problem. People are waking up to Balenciaga. People are waking up to dystopian, intentional Depop agenda 📔 . People are waking up to the Pharm.
People are waking up to “unreported key elements of international conflicts”. People are reading the Twitter files. People are seeing the suppression of information vital to making good decisions.
The list of evil just continues. In fact, just open your favorite news feed.
Solutions for evil
And … Go. Whadya got? Anything? Need a little bit more time? The natural man response, of course is simply: do good. And that’s partly true. Good does overcome evil. However, looking at the tsunami of evil inbound … we’re going to need a little bit more than just personal righteousness. We require the Ultimate Good. There are no self-saviors.
We’re talking about societal evils. Systemic, pervasive, soul-saturated, century-long evils. We’re talking about generational sins. Not easily dismissed.
Eventually, great evil needs a great answer. And of course we know the Name. The only Name able to conquer all evil.
Compelling people against their will to endanger their health is evil. Intentional harm is evil.
Vicious, anonymous, erratic violence to strangers on the street is booming. Random crimes against innocents. Mind-exploding evil!
3 John 1:11 “… He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.” They haven’t met yet, completely. The natural man will behave naturally. Individuals who have not yet had a face-to-face spiritual moment of “coming clean” with God … are going to behave differently than those who are indwelt by God.
Evil rising
The blinders are off.
There’s evil from several angles. The only solution is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the Righteous, Who stands, arms- outstretched, ready and eager to save!
Look to the Light.
While darkness is growing.
2 Timothy 3:1,13 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. But evil men and seducers shall wax WORSE AND WORSE, deceiving, and being deceived.”
Subtle, selfish evil
1 Timothy 6:10 “For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
Self gain, covetousness, greed, self-empowerment at the EXPENSE of crushing others, is becoming our economic norm.
Of course, we have to put in a paragraph here explaining that money itself is just a paper means of exchange. The craving lust in some, to pursue money at the EXPENSE of causing violence to others … is the evil root pointed-out here. The attitude, “I don’t care what the outcome is, I’ve just got to have it.” The impact to others must be considered with strong empathy. Evil lacks empathy.
How else does evil manifest itself?
1 Timothy 6:4 “He is PROUD, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and STRIFES of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, EVIL surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and DESTITUTE of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”
Pride takes prideful actions.
The precious oil of the Holy Spirit is the best protection against grinding conflict and contention. Be being re-filled afresh with the right Spirit, all the time.
Wherever there’s motion, there’s friction. We all need that oil from God to navigate life’s relationships today.
Evil smells disgusting; it makes you react. By design, evil is repulsive, and we should turn 180° to seek a righteous replacement … in our effort to get as far away from the stench of evil as possible.
Have there been more corrupt seasons on earth? Arguably so.
Is the corruption and debauchery becoming less … going in to 2023? Or is the swell of evil growing?
92% of people surveyed said evil is growing.
Pride.
Violence.
Trafficking.
Degendering.
Blurring of boundaries.
Evil should make us regurgitate.
There’s supposed to be a twisting of our stomach and a surge in the back of our throats.
“Abomination” includes the word abdomen, which means sickness in the belly.
Luke 16:15 “And He said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”
Evil is highly praised in the eyes of men. Makes God vomit.
Ezekiel 16:50 “And they were haughty, and committed abomination before Me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.”
Jeremiah 6:15 “Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.”
Matthew 24:12 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
Evil has an end.
Evil has a solution.
Evil creates appetite for the Savior.
Evil makes us examine options.
Evil is itself emptiness.
Romans 5:20+ “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin ABOUNDED, grace did MUCH MORE abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto ETERNAL LIFE by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
It’s OK to talk about sin. Because the sin conversation turns into the Savior conversation. :)
