IS EVIL INCREASING?
Evil is coming out of the closet. No more hiding in the darkness, we can see it in the daylight. The problem with defining Evil centers around perspective. Those who are captive of sin have a different world view of Evil. This passage from Isaiah reveals why one man’s evil is another mans good.
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
A view of self without the Biblical mirror provided by God gives off a false self image. We see ourselves as the experts on right and wrong. Our rational is primarily guided by our feelings and emotions. Pride rules our decision making and pride separates us from God.
“A view of self without the Biblical mirror provided by God gives off a false self image. We see ourselves as the experts on right and wrong”
The Bible is the only moral guide we have. Outside of it we have chaos. Without a clear moral code, we have everyone deciding for themselves what is their moral truth. We see it all around us, men and women making decisions and choices that are Biblically wrong and in some instances even evil. They justify and rationalize what they do as right for them, declaring their decisions and actions to be truth.
In the Bible; God reveals Himself to us, the origin of mankind, the fallen nature of mankind in sin, the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, clarity on what is good and evil. The only world view that counts is the one that is provided by the creator of the world. We can never get clarity on life by using a starting position that discounts the creator of all life. God is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end. He is Truth! He is the starting point for all life.
“They justify and rationalize what they do as right for them, declaring their decisions and actions to be truth. ”
This article is about the RISE of EVIL in our time. I am not saying there is more evil now than any other time in our world. Evil has always made its presence known on the earth. What I do believe we are seeing now is a Rise of Evil in this time on earth all around us and it is undeniable. One of the key indicators that evil is on the rise at this hour in history can be seen in our cultural unity around sinful behavior. Here are several terms and words we have become familiar with in recent months: Mandates, Cancel Culture, Social Justice, Critical Race Theory, LGBTQ, Silence is Violence, White Privilege. Even if you do not fully understand these words and terms, you have likely heard them mentioned.
They are different but they have one thing in common, they seek universal compliance. There is no room for dissent. No discussion, no other point of view than the cultural acceptable view. We have seen this throughout history, where one group or another rise to power and seek to transform cultural thinking, actions, behaviors. What we see that stand out in our day is the demand for compliance. In the 70’s we had an overall cultural attitude of “live and let live”. In other words, you do your thing and I will do mine we don’t have to agree we must just be tolerant of one another.
In our day “live and let live” has been replaced with what I choose to do you must accept, defend and promote. In such a culture, morality loses its definition. There is very real social pressure to conform to group think. Legislators are passing laws, written to defend immorality. The psalmist wrote: “The wicked conceive evil, they are pregnant with trouble and give birth to lies.” (Ps. 7:14) Those in power are seeking to determine truth for everyone. The battles rage in court, the loses out weigh the wins. Religious freedom is at risk as the hammer of evil rises to crush it.
Through out history there have been evil empires. What we see now, is the coming together of a ONE WORLD empire that seeks the submission of all mankind. An empire where evil is called good and good is called evil. As members of the body of Christ we turn to God with this prayer:“End the evil of those who are wicked and defend the righteous” (Ps. 7:9) We must answer the call to mission to live our values out loud for all the world to see. The prophet Daniel was a captive in an evil empire, the Bible tells us he opened the widow of his room and prayed aloud three times a day. Daniel inspired other Godly men and women to stand for their faith.
Pastor Alan Kirkpatrick MA Practical Theology