INTRODUCTION
This present evil world does not recognize what is good in the
eyes of the Almighty God (Gal 1:4; Rev 18:4). It is blind to the
recognition of evil: its origin and its nature. Evil is the antithesis
of the good defined by the God of truth revealed in the Scriptures.
Recognition of who God is and that He is good, and the antithesis-that
which is contrary to God-Satan and evil-are the two fundamentals
hidden from the world.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (Homebush: St Paul's
Press, 1994) asks Augustine's question, "Where does evil
come from?" (Item 385) and answers with: the evil
of sin unmasked in its true identity [is] humanity's rejection
of God and opposition to him (Item 386). Subsequent paragraphs
deal with the fall of Lucifer (Satan), the fall of Adam
and Eve, "original sin," lust and domination ruling
over marital relations, and the fall of mankind into "the
power of the evil one" (1Jn 5:19; 1Pet 5:8). How well do
we recognize that the history and theology of Catholicism are
not good advertisements for answers to the problems of what is
good and what is evil. Seeking of beatific vision (as does Sufism,
Kabbalah, other forms of mysticism in the East and West, and shamanism)
and the superstition of the fear of hell are not the substance
of godly reality (see Catechism, Items 2548, 1023-24, 1033-37).
The Arabic world, at a confluence of Judaic, Persian, Babylonian,
Egyptian, and Indian culture, offers The Koran (Quran).
It claims to be, by its commentators, the completion of divine
revelation and is the Book of God par excellence. The "portion
of the Book" (Sura III.23; IV.44,51), referring to the Law
of Moses and the Gospel of Jesus, is viewed as the guide to Unbelievers
who uphold Sorcery and Evil (The Holy Quran, Text,
Translation and Commentary by A. Yusuf
Ali (Sh. Muhammad Ashraf: Lahore, 1938, 1972). Satan is seen as
the Power of Evil rather than an entity and the "devils"
are "invisible or hidden force" for evil (cp.
Sura VI.100, fn. 929 and II.36, fn. 52). The clash
of 'doctrine' between Catholicism and Islam has laid the groundwork
for historic religious, cultural, and ethnic wars between these
two religious systems.
Hinduism attempts to offer an answer to the problem of evil. Wendy
O'Flaherty begins her book, The Origins of Evil in Hindu Mythology:
"Theodicy, the term used to designate the problem
of evil and its attempted resolution, is derived from the Greek
theos, god, and dike, justice; … If God
is perfectly good, He must want to abolish evil; if He is unlimitedly
powerful, He must be able to abolish all evil; but evil exists;
therefore either God is not perfectly good or He is not unlimitedly
powerful. In a similar definition, C.S. Lewis [that famous
Christian author] emphasizes the absence of happiness rather
than the presence of evil: "If God were good, He would wish
to make His creatures perfectly happy, and if God were almighty
He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are not
happy. Therefore God either lacks goodness, or power, or both"
(p 1). Self-deceit and imagination have thus dismissed the true
God-"killed him" as Nietzsche said-and have created
illusions of a god or gods that fill the realm of modern religious
mythologies. However, having perused Lewis' The Four Loves
(first published 1960; three years before he died), it is evident
he struggled to know God and the love of God
O'Flaherty then proceeds at great length and complexity to explain
Hindu mythology. Her conclusion includes: "From [the goddess]
Diti [stepmother to Indra, the father of the gods] all the evil
demons are born, and from [the goddess] Aditi all the gods; thus
the war between the gods and demons, the basis of Hindu mythological
theodicy, is a fraternal conflict" (p 349). So one god fathered
both good and evil-a notion common to Neo-Platonism, and from
which developed the dogma of the trinity. The second last sentence
sums up: ""Evil" must be accepted, but "good"
must be sought; these views together provide a working solution
to the problem of evil, a framework in which mankind as a whole,
and each individual, may function in the face of an ultimately
insoluble problem" (p 379). It seems that so many come to
a similar self-defeating conclusion-answers that are humanly devised-and
so typical of most theologians (see Mt 23:1ff.; Jn 8:43-44;
2Tim 3:12-13; 2Pet 2:1-3).
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GOD OF SCRIPTURE
There are apparently more than 30,000 Christian groups
all claiming to know God and the love of God-in their own way.
Are there more than 30,000 definitions of godly love? The Catholic
view is expressed as: "The Church is catholic: she proclaims
the fullness of the faith. She bears in herself and administers
the totality of the means of salvation. She is sent out to all
peoples. She speaks to all men. She encompasses all times ...
She is indestructible (cf. Mt 16:18). She is upheld infallibly
in the truth: Christ governs her through Peter and the other apostles,
who are present in their successors, the Pope and the college
of bishops" (Catechism, Items 868-869). Who dares
to defy her, her love for the gospel and mankind?
Scripture makes it possible to say that since God is love,
he who knows God loves God and loves his neighbour (Mt 7:12;
22:34-40; Lev 19:17-18). Rom 13:10 says, Love does no evil
(Gk kakos) to a neighbour, therefore love is the
fulfilling of the Law. How well the Serbian military have
expressed their love-thanks to the immoral support of clergy and
polity-in hypocrisy, murder, pillage, devastation, terror. And
how courageous is the love of the pseudo-Christian power
of a morally defunct alliance of the world's greatest military
and economic powerhouse, the USA, with NATO and the UNO, in protecting
and sheltering the weak? God is a Shepherd as is the Son of God.
Godly leaders are shepherds like David, king of Israel (cp. Jer
23; Ezk 34). The people of God can have no part, no identification
with worldly anti-Christian institutionalized dynamics as Rev
18:4 Come out of her My people! and 2Cor 6:17-18 Come
out from among them and be separate! say. Characteristic of
the people of God is that they, like God, abhor all evils, and
love what is good in the eyes of God-as these verses amply show:
Amos 5:15; Ps 97:10; Rom 12:9.
May I refer the reader to papers on our web site that add to this
topic: The Parenting of God, The Justice of God,
In the Name of God, The Immutability of God, Confidence
in God, Jesus Christ: The Son of God, God and Evil,
"In Wrath Remember Mercy"; and on the problem
of evil: Christ, the Avenger of Blood, Mystery Babylon,
Atonement and Azazel.
The following Scriptures are descriptive of God's nature:
OT ideas are also expressed in the NT:
Do we notice what this genius of theology says? Jesus'
thoughts are undeveloped. He was untrained in logical consistency.
And these undeveloped thoughts of inconsistency led him to believe
in Satan. Please note the eminent theologian, Bernard McGinn,
Professor of Historical Theology and the History of Christianity
at the University of Chicago, and editor of the 80-volume series,
Classics of Western Spirituality: "Among the many
contributions of apocalyptic eschatology to the religious history
of the West, few have been as important as the development and
dissemination of the myth of Satan, God's angelic opponent in
the struggle between good and evil" (Anti-Christ,
p 22).
THE NATURE OF MAN
The way of the human being is strange and perverse in the eyes
of God; but as for the pure, his work is right (Prov 21:8). What
does it take for the human being to recognize and admit that this
is true for the Bible is overpowering in its description of the
nature of man and his cultures?
In the NT the theme continues.
THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS AND GOD'S RELIGION
(1Tim 3:16)
In the beatitudes of Mt 5:3-12 we read: Blessed
(from the Gk makarios, inner joy, spiritual reward and
comprehension of God and His gospel) are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who
mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who
hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called
sons of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for
righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed
are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds
of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly
glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted
the prophets who were before you.
Mt 5:16 asks us to "Let your light so shine before
men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father
in heaven."
Mt 6:21 reminds us of how we express our commitment to
those who guide us to the salvation of God, viz., God and His
servants: "For where your treasure is, there your heart will
be also."
THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD-GIVEN REPENTANCE
When the resurrected Jesus Christ spoke to the apostles for the
last time before His ascension:
Rom 7:5-25 expresses Paul's dealing with his carnality-hidden
from the judgment of others, but very naked to Paul's perception.
"For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which
were aroused by the Law (spiritual perception works on the basis
of the Law which defines sin) were at work in our members to bear
fruit to death. 6 But now we have been delivered from (penalties
defined by) the Law, having died to what we were held by, so that
we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness
of the letter. 7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Certainly
not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through
the Law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the Law
had said, "You shall not covet."
Attali, Jacques, Millennium, Winners and Losers
in the coming World Order, (New York: Times Books, 1991)
The clash of civilizations in our world continues in the blindness
of not perceiving fundamental issues inherent in religion, philosophy,
culture, and psychology. If two fundamentals or first principles
were universally understood in the high places of religion, philosophy,
culture, psychology, politics, science, technology, industry and
economics then the world would become unrecognizably different
to what it presently is. All geo-political wranglings, lust-driven
global economy ideology, and cultural trends enshrined in the
grotesque symbols of Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Hollywood
and the like are indicators of universal trends that are inherently
anti-Christian-a massive and juggernaut syncretism of many forces
that exploit the weaknesses of the weak and reward the powerful
who are motivated by the greed is good credo. Because
these forces of evil are alienated from the biblical principles
of peace, equity, righteousness, and human well-being, they guide
the whole earth into inevitable catastrophes: religious, social,
cultural, economic, geo-political, environmental. Denial of these
trends will not stop them from coming to fruition (Is 28:14-15).
The nature of God is manifest in what is perhaps the profoundest
statement in Scripture: 'God is love.' One can also say
that Love is of God just as Faith is of God. But
to merely say these words is quite inadequate. What do these words
mean and how does the Bible define them? 1Jn 4:8 says: 'He who
does not love does not know God, for God is love.' The spiritual
understanding and godly practice of love (Gk agape) reveals
the person who is coming to know the true God. How problematic
is the definition of godly love!
Ps 34:8 Oh, taste [an interesting choice of word]
and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man
who trusts in Him!
Here we see, as Heb 2 confirms, that the will of the God and Father
of Jesus Christ is carried out in both love of righteousness and
abhorrence of evil. God is forever good and righteous. If we should
think otherwise then our thinking cannot be right in God's eyes.
Ps 45:6-7 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a sceptre
of righteousness is the sceptre of Your kingdom. 7 You
love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God,
Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than
Your companions.
Ps 85:10 Mercy and truth have met together; righteousness
and peace have kissed.
What a beautiful way of putting this. Mercy, truth, righteous,
peace are inseparable. They are like the beloved ones,
agapetoi in NT Greek, a word freely and so affectionately
used in more than 60 instances (e.g., 2Cor 7:1; Eph 5:1; Phil
4:1; 1Th 2:8; Heb 6:9; 2Pet 3:1; 3Jn 11; Jude 3), and which probably
helps explain the naturalness of the holy kiss (Acts 20:37;
Rom 16:16; 1Cor 16:20; 2Cor 13:12; 1Th 5:26; 1Pet 5:14). All such
qualities are inseparable. No divine quality stands alone. There
is, if we carefully consider, philosophic and righteous coherence
amongst all characteristics of God. Notions that say the God of
the OT is different to the God of the NT are biblically wrong.
The God of Abraham and David is the same God as that of Paul,
John, and all NT saints. Admittedly, the use of the one English
word, God, for the Hebrew El, Eloah, Elohim,
and the Aramaic Elah, Elahin, does not help clarify
the differences in meaning. There is much debate about this and
I hope to contribute, with clarity, with a forthcoming paper on
the subject: GOD, God, god: Who Are You?
Ps 100:5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting,
and His truth endures to all generations.
All NT and OT saints surely identify with this for there cannot
be different concepts among the resurrected saints (Heb 11) about
the Father and the Son of God, their love, mercy, righteousness,
truth, justice, etc.
Ps 106:1 Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD,
for He is good! For His mercy endures forever (107:1;
118:1; 135:3; 136:1; 1Chr 16:34; 2Chr 5:13; Jer 33:11; Nah 1:7).
Ps 107:15 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for
His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children
of men!
Ps 119:128 Therefore all Your precepts concerning all
things I consider to be right; I hate every false way.
Ps 119:142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and Your law is truth.
And it would seem that all the saints would likewise agree here.
Ps 119:159-60 Consider how I love Your precepts; revive
me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness. 160 The entirety
of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments
endures forever.
Again we must admit that if we should think otherwise then we
misunderstand God and His Way.
Ps 119:163-5 I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your Law.
164 Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous
judgments. 165 Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing
causes them to stumble.
If we should privately believe that God is sometimes partial,
capricious, whimsical in His use of mercy then do we know the
God of Scripture?
Ps 145:9 The LORD is good to all, and His tender
mercies are over all His works.
Jn 6:37-40 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me,
and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out (cf.
Ps 23).
We should note the very clear expression of free choice in the
one who comes to God.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but
the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father
who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing,
but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the
will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son
(who hungers and thirsts after righteousness and seeks the perfection
that is in God); and believes in Him may have everlasting life;
and I will raise him up at the last day.
Yes, we are entering into the sphere of how the righteousness
of God is seen and sought by those who want to belong to God (see
2Tim 2:19; Eph 1:5).
Jn 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent
Me draws him (The parable of the sower in Matt 13 explains how
this should be understand. The calling of God is not fatalistic
nor deterministic, but it is based on God's foreknowledge); and
I will raise him up at the last day.
Jn 7:18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory;
but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and
no unrighteousness is in Him.
Jn 8:55 Yet you (Christ speaking to religious leaders)
have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, 'I do not know
Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep
His word.
If any say they know God and love God but do not keep His Law
then they are liars (1Jn 1:6; 2:4; 3:6; 4:7,8,20).
Jn 10:11 I am the good Shepherd. The good shepherd gives
His life for the sheep-as do all the saints (Jn 15:13 be
prepared to lay down our lives for our friends).
SATAN AND EVIL
Jn 10:14-6 I am the good Shepherd; and I know My sheep,
and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even
so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16
And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I
must bring (a process of gathering the faithful), and they
will hear My voice; and there will be one Flock and One
Shepherd (Jer 23:3-7; Ezk 34:23).
In contrast to the Almighty God, who is loving, good, perfect
in wisdom, merciful, truthful, and completely trustworthy, there
is Satan, the arch-enemy of God, of His Christ, and of the saints:
He is also called:
What the NT says about the Devil is not accepted as reality and
Satan is denied as an entity by many theologians (see The Dictionary
of Theology, Editors: S.B. Ferguson, D.F. Wright, J.I. Packer,
(Leicester: IVP, 1988), p 197). Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1976), 'one
of the twentieth century's most influential theologians' brought
into theological discussion the term 'demythologizing' which is
revealed in his Jesus and the Word (London: Ivor Nicholson
& Watson, 1935) which says: "[Jesus'] belief in God as
the cause of all that happens did not, in Jesus' undeveloped thought,
untrained in logical consistency, exclude the assumption of other
active causes of world events; that the strength of Jesus' faith
in God is shown precisely in his holding fast, in spite of the
belief in Satan, to the thought of God as the final cause of all
events" (pp 156-7).
The nature of man contrasts so radically with the nature of God.
We should note the faithfulness, mercy, love of God towards all
mankind, and God is not a respecter of persons. These are reflected
in gracious summaries of His Will:
Jn 3:16-7 For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might
be saved.
The fact that the Gospel demands a call to repentance (Mk 1:14-15;
Act 2:35-38), reveals that man must have a change of heart-for
the carnal mind, the natural mind of all people, is enmity
against God; for it is not subject to the Law of God, which
is spiritual (Rom 7:14), nor indeed can be (8:7).
1Tim 2:4 [God] desires all men to be saved and to come
to the knowledge of the truth.
2Tim 1:9 [God] has saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and
grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began
Tit 1:2 [The servant of God lives] in hope of eternal
life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
2Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise,
as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not
willing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance.
In pre-Flood history we read the perspective of the pre-incarnate
Son of God in Gen 6:5: Then the LORD saw that the wickedness
of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts
of his heart was only evil continually.
Moses' perspective was the same.
Dt 5:29 Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they
would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might
be well with them and with their children forever!
The theme persists in the Scriptures:
Dt 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against
you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing;
therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may
live (but which too few do, as history constantly verifies, and
which the future generations continue to refuse to learn from).
Dt 31:29 (Moses speaking to Israel): For I know that after
my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from
the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in
the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the
LORD, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands.
Dt 32:29 Oh, that they were wise, that they understood
this, that they would consider their latter end! (Man persists
in living for the day, for he is driven by lust rather than godly
vision).
Ps 4:2 How long, O sons of men, will you turn my Glory
to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood?
Again we see that this is said from God's perspective, which we
should always seek.
Ps 28:3-5 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those
who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbours but harbour
malice in their hearts (1Jn 4:20; 2:4). 4 Repay them for their
deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands
have done and bring back upon them what they deserve. 5 Because
they show no regard for the works of the LORD and what
his hands have done, He will tear them down and never build them
up again.
And what do we reject that is godly? What do we refuse to listen
to that is of God?
Ps 52:1-7 Why do you boast of evil, you mighty man (men
of influence)? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace
in the eyes of God? 2 Your tongue plots destruction; it is like
a sharpened razor, you who practice deceit. 3 You love evil rather
than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Selah. (Selah
suggests serious contemplation of what is said and remembering
as one continues reading and thinking about what follows) 4 You
love every harmful word, O deceitful tongue! 5 Surely God will
bring you down to everlasting ruin: He will snatch you up and
tear you from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the
living. Selah. 6 The righteous will see and fear; they will laugh
at him, saying, 7 "Here now is the man who did not make
God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong
by destroying others!"
Jer 6:16-9 This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the
crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the
good Way is, and walk in it (as God reveals by His Spirit), and
you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not
walk in it.' 17 I appointed watchmen over you and said, 'Listen
to the sound of the trumpet!' (Is 58:1: Mic 3:8-12). But you said,
'We will not listen.' 18 Therefore hear, O nations; observe, O
witnesses, what will happen to them. 19 Hear, O earth: I am bringing
disaster on this people, the fruit of their schemes, because they
have not listened to my words and have rejected my Law.
Jer 7:24-7 Yet they did not obey or incline their ear,
but followed the counsels and the dictates of their evil hearts,
and went backward and not forward (in God's Way). 25 Since the
day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this
day, I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily
rising up early and sending them. 26 Yet they did not obey Me
or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse
than their fathers. 27 Therefore you shall speak all these words
to them, but they will not obey you. You shall also call to them,
but they will not answer you (Compare Stephen's courageous words
to the leaders in Acts 7:37-59).
The wisdom and discernment necessary for godly life are based
on reverence for God (Job 28:28; Prov 1:7; 9:10; 15:33). If one
checks or recalls the vain imaginations of people such
as Plato, Philo, Plotinus, Proclus (Rom 1:18-22; 1Cor 1:20-21),
one realizes that their god, One, Intellect, Soul, is a
trinity of absurd abstractions.
Jer 9:13-5 And the LORD said, "Because they have forsaken
My Law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice,
nor walked according to it, 14 but they have walked according
to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baalim
(false lords and gods), which their fathers taught them,"
15 therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Behold,
I will feed them, this people, with wormwood, and give them water
of gall to drink" (i.e., their ways lead to bitter and painful
death).
Jer 10:23 O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself;
it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.
Jer 17:5 Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who
trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs
from the LORD."
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked: Who can know it?
Is 5:20-1 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil
(Some philosophers, like Nietzsche, advocate evil and not good
because "God is dead" and man "has killed him."
Plato, like many others after him advocated a god in the image
of human reason as if man's mind could really imagine a God whose
wisdom is infinite, whose love and mercy such people cannot comprehend,
and) who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put
bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are
wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Mic 3:4-7 Then they (the corrupt and corrupting shepherds)
will cry to the LORD, but He will not hear them; He will even
hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil
in their deeds. 5 Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets (who
teach in the Name of God just as the Pharisees did) who make my
people stray; who chant "Peace" while they chew with
their teeth, but who prepare war against Him who puts nothing
into their mouths: 6 Therefore you shall have night without vision,
and you shall have darkness without divination; the sun shall
go down on the prophets, and the day shall be dark for them. 7
So the seers shall be ashamed, and the diviners abashed; indeed
they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer from
God.
When sins separate leaders from God then the nations career toward
disasters.
Mt 13:14-5 And in them (i.e., the masses of people deceived
by those who should teach them) the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled,
which says (citing Is 6:9-10): 'Hearing you will hear and shall
not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 for
the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard
of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should
see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should
understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them'
(of the diseases of sin: rebellion, fears, doubts, deceits, confusion,
instability, anxiety, which are father to many other ills. Who
wants to stay ill? Who does not want healing of the spirit? And
what characterizes those who want healing of the spirit?)
Mk 7:21-3 outlines what people are unwilling to give up.
However, it should be remembered Jesus is also speaking about
the spirit of the Law as in Matt 5:21-30:
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness,
deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.
In Jn 12:37-43 we read:
But although He had done so many signs before them, they did
not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled, which he spoke (Is 53:1): "Lord, who
has believed our report? (Rom 10:16). And to whom has the arm
of the LORD been revealed?" 39 Therefore they could not believe,
because Isaiah said again: 40 "He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes,
lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that
I should heal them." 41 These things Isaiah said when he
saw His glory and spoke of Him. 42 Nevertheless even among the
rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they
did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;
43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of
God.
The editorial comment by John shows that people prefer to live
their religion within a larger organizational structure that they
were "born into" or "called into" rather than
have the courage to follow the Lamb wherever He leads as Rev 14:4,
and Jn 10:4,5,27 reveal.
Gal 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which
are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness (Gk akatharsia,
physical, religious, immoral licentiousness; examples would be
in finding humour in someone baring their backside in public;
secretly looking at pornography), 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred,
contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions,
dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries,
and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told
you in time past, that those who practise such things will not
inherit the kingdom of God.
The culture of this world is the manure that promotes the growth
and spread of such sins.
1Jn 2:15-6 Do not love the world or the things in the world.
If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is
of the world.
In Mt 4:4 Jesus responded to Satan and said, "It is
written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" And so should we all.
The Christianity of God always challenges the mind, emotions,
and real motivations.
You have heard that it was said (Mt 5:43-8), 'You shall
love your neighbour and hate your enemy' (as then taught in the
current religious culture which Christ condemned). 44 But I say
to you, love your enemies (Do we? How do we love our enemies?),
bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and
pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Love
and bless enemies as Jesus Christ, the apostles Paul and Peter
reveal, and not as pseudo-Christianity promulgates), 45 that you
may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise
on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on
the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward
have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if
you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?
Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be
perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Mt 6:13-5 has part of the 'prayer pattern' in which we
ask: "Do not [let anyone] lead us [but intervene for us so
that we are not led] into temptation, but deliver us from the
Evil One. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever. Amen." 14 (Then we have a prime reminder of how
and when we are heard, i.e., Isa 59:1-2, sins preclude
God's response) For if you forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Will the Evil One ever seek and ask for repentance? Those who
speak of Satan's redemption on the basis of God's unconditional
mercy are, one might assume, blind to their own hidden and unrepentant
sins.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses (on the proviso that they
seek forgiveness as in Matt 18:21-35).
More and more demands are placed on those who are God's. Here
is one of the most difficult of consistent things a Christian
must do:
Mt 7:12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you,
do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets (Lk 6:31).
And if we really are getting ready for what God has in mind (Eph
6:12-15; Josh 1:6-9; Dan 11:32-3):
Therefore pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers
into His harvest (Mt 9:38).
The mighty apostle, Paul, defines the kind of love God demands
of us:
1Cor 13:1-8 Though I speak with the tongues of men and
of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or
a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and
understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have
all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love,
I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and though I give my body to be burned (as a martyr), but have
not love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love suffers long (But love
is generally seen as something that immediately brings personal
gratification and emotional exuberance, rather than the kind of
love that in being given first is unappreciated). [Love] is kind;
love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed
up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked,
thinks no evil (Does not imagine evil where there is none); 6
does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears
all things (as God does), believes all things (that should be
believed according to God's perspective), hopes all things (in
the kind of mental health God defines), endures all things (in
godly patience). 8 Love never fails (just as God cannot fail in
any good [Rom 12:21 overcome evil with good). But whether
there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues,
they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
Many Scriptures describe and list the highest levels of spiritual
life. This following list we probably known by heart:
1Cor 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but
especially that you may prophesy, (i.e., be able to expound, teach,
and proclaim the Gospel of truth (vv 4,9,12,22,24-25).
Gal 5:22-6 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,
self-control (i.e., self-discipline; emotional control; awareness
that all our thoughts are approved by God in that they are held
in captivity and released when judged right; 2Cor 10:5). Against
such there is no law (because law defines sin, and sin demands
judgment and punishment. Where there is no sin the law has no
effect). 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh
with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let
us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking
one another, envying one another.
In Proverbs, there are like demands made on the Christian mind
and behaviour:
Prov 3:1-9 My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart
keep my commands; 2 For length of days and long life and peace
they will add to you. 3 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind
them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart,
4 and so find favour and high esteem in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your
own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct your paths. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and depart from evil. 8 It will be health to your
flesh, and strength to your bones. 9 Honour the LORD with your
possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase.
How does one do this and please God? To whom? Who serves God and
gives you the increase God approves of? Readers might like to
see our paper, History of Tithing from the Bible.
When the apostle Paul first came to Athens he saw that the city
was full of idolatry, but there was evidence that despite ignorance
and blindness, there was a public admission to not having the
answers in a monument dedicated to THE UNKNOWN GOD.
Acts 17:29-31 Therefore, since we are the offspring of
God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold
or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising.
30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands
all men everywhere to repent (Repentance begins when sin is recognized
within, when the righteousness of God is recognized, and when
the massive and ugly contrast with God and alienation from God
are seen). 31 [God demands repentance] because He has appointed
a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the
Man [the Son of Man] whom He has ordained. He has given assurance
of this to all by raising Him from the dead.
Too few heed such words. We surely must. Idolatry is of the mind
and imagination as Ezk 14:1-7 and 1Jn 5:21 indicate.
He said to them (Lk 24:44-7), "These are the words
which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things
must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the
Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." 45 And He opened
their understanding, that they might comprehend the [OT] Scriptures.
46 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it
was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead
the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should
be preached in His Name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
Repentance cannot be preached to all the world, so integral to
the Gospel, unless those who preach are well educated in the Teaching
of Jesus Christ, are repentant, are able to explain what they
know, are striving mightily to live by every word of God, and
have God's support-evident to all when God chooses to make it
visible. Even now we see preachers speaking in the Name of God
attempting to spread the Gospel to some of the world but
by their own power: money, buying TV time, buying advertising
space, and not personally evangelizing as the prophets and apostles
have done. The Gospel will be preached when those appointed by
God are thrust forward by the power of God. I wish I could see
evidence of that now. Let's recall the amazing example that exploded
before the eyes of thousands on the day of Pentecost in 30 AD.
Acts 2:22-38 (The apostle Peter said): "Men of Israel,
hear these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a Man attested to you by
God and by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through
Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know; 23 Him, being
delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God,
you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because
it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David
says concerning Him (Ps 16:8-11): 'I foresaw the LORD always before
my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.
26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; moreover
my flesh also will rest in hope (Here David is prophesying and
identifying himself with the same promise given by the Father
to His Son). 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will
You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known
to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.'
29 "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch
David, that he is both dead and buried (as are all the OT saints
who will be resurrected together with all the NT saints; Heb 11),
and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet,
and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him (i.e., David)
that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh (David understood
that the Son of God would be born of his lineage), He (God the
Father) would raise up the Christ (to the Throne of God in Heaven)
to sit on his (David's) throne (which is not on this earth, but
in Heaven), 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection
of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His
flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which
we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right
hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of
the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.
34 For David did not ascend into the heavens (because he knew
the Christ would ascend first), but he says himself (Ps 110:1):
'The LORD (the Father) said to my Lord (His Son, who has the Name
of the LORD; Ex 23:21), "Sit at My right hand, 35 till I
make Your enemies Your footstool."' 36 Therefore let all
the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus,
whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard
this, they were cut to the heart (But are we by this same knowledge
and understanding?), and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles,
"Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 38 Then Peter
said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized
in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you
shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
The English word repentance (Gk metanoia; change
of mind, view, opinion, approach) is meant to convey the OT and
NT description of completely turning away from all sin in abhorrence
and rejection of evil and then turning to God and the goodness
of God in wholehearted love and complete commitment to His Way
and Law, which is holy, righteous, and spiritual (Rom 7:12,14).
Let's look at an example of an entire congregation repenting:
2Cor 7:1-10 Therefore, having these promises, beloved,
let us cleanse ourselves (by the word of God; Heb 4:12, Eph 5:26)
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.
Prov 20:27 tells us that the spirit of a man is the lamp of the
LORD, searching all the inner depths of his heart by the Spirit
of God acting upon the spirit in man (1Cor 2:10,11,13).
2 Open your hearts to us (to the teaching of Christ, the prophets,
apostles, and those who likewise follow God). We have wronged
no one, we have corrupted no one, we have cheated no one. 3 I
do not say this to condemn; for I have said before that you are
in our hearts, to die together and to live together (Oh where
is this fellowship of the Spirit that exists between the shepherds
and sheep?). 4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great
is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am
exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation. 5 For indeed, when
we (Paul, Luke, and others) came to Macedonia, our bodies had
no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts,
inside were fears. 6 Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast,
comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming,
but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you,
when he told us of your earnest desire (Titus had reported back
to Paul on the response by the church in Corinth to his first
epistle), your mourning, your zeal for me (and for all who love
and serve the true God), so that I rejoiced even more. 8 For even
if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though
I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you
sorry, though only for a while. 9 Now I rejoice, not that you
were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you
were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss
from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading
to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world
produces death (as with Cain, Esau, Judas, and the like, who all
act out a form of religion).
However, Paul was raised as a Pharisee and was well versed in
the OT. He knew before his conversion that the Law forbids covetousness.
But the Law is spiritual. Those who are not Spirit-led are blind,
just as Paul admits he was.
8 But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in
me all manner of evil desire For apart from the Law sin was dead.
The deeper the spiritual conversion the greater the perception
of one's sinfulness. Before conversion one feels fairly comfortable
with one's own humanity.
9 I was alive once without the Law (I was humanly alive but
I did not then know the spiritual Law), but when the commandment
came, sin revived and I died
When the perception of the truth of the Commandments came to
me I recognized sin and I was killed by it.
10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring
death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived
me, and by it killed me.
When the recognition of sin came to me I saw the extent of
my self-deception and that killed me.
12 Therefore the Law (as intended by God and understood by the
Spirit of God) is holy, and the commandment holy and just and
good. 13 Has then what is good become death to me? (Can that
which is good kill?) Certainly not! But sin, that it might
appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so
that sin [as revealed] through the commandment might become exceedingly
sinful. 14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal,
sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand
For the persistence of carnality is so strong that I am overwhelmed
and am left perplexed by its hold on me.
For what I will to do, that I do not practise; but what I hate,
that I do
Because I strive for perfection in every matter, because I
judge myself and fail, I am forced to cry out to God for His power,
His forgiveness, His mercy.
16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the Law
that it is good. 17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but
sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my
flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but
how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that
I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that
I practise. 20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer
I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. 21 I find then a law,
that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. 22
For I delight in the Law of God according to the inward (and spiritual)
man. 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the
Law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin
which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! Who will
deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God; through Jesus
Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the Law
of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
David's experience is the same:
Ps 51:1-19 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your
lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, I have
sinned, and done this evil in Your sight; that You may be found
just when You speak, and blameless when You judge. 5 Behold,
I was brought forth in iniquity (My cultural, social, familial
background was evil), and in sin my mother conceived me. 6
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden
part (of my mind)You will make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge
me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be
whiter than snow. 8 Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones
You have broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins, and
blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away
from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your
generous Spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
and sinners shall be converted to You.
Unless the Church, which is of like-minded people, has this kind
of repentance experience, it cannot preach the Gospel in the Name
of God. How could it preach and teach repentance toward God if
it does not experience God-given repentance (2Tim 2:25-26)?
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my
salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You
do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are
a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart; these, O God,
You will not despise. 18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
build the walls of Jerusalem.
Having repented according to the will of God, David asks prophetically
that the Church should be led by God to like repentance, and then
it can open the gates in the walls of salvation and show people
the Way into the Holy City (Heb 12:22-23; Is 1:27; 40:9; Rev 21:12-14).
19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
with burnt offering and whole burnt offering; then they shall
offer bulls on Your altar.
Ps 73 gives further perspective on this subject of what
God wants for all mankind.
Ps 73:1-17 Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are
pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my
steps had nearly slipped. 3 For I was envious of the boastful,
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no pangs
in their death, but their strength is firm. 5 They are not in
trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like other men. 6
Therefore pride serves as their necklace; violence covers them
like a garment.
Hatred and the spirit of murder are concealed.
7 Their eyes bulge with abundance; they have more than heart could
wish. 8 They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression (They
might condemn oppression, but their way and motives are not right);
they speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens,
and their tongue walks through the earth (They are famous and
their words are widespread). 10 Therefore his people return here
(God's people are mislead and turn to those as described in 2Cor
11:13-15), and waters of a full cup are drained by them (Then
they drink waters of righteousness given them by frauds).
11 And they say (but do not necessarily admit. The inner man has
recognition of the conscience working), "How does God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?" 12 Behold, these
are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches.
13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands
in innocence (The truly righteous may be tempted as they observe
former friends turn to the riches of the world). 14 For all day
long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning. 15 If I
had said, "I will speak thus," behold, I would have
been untrue to the generation of Your children.
Each true Christian has the deeply moral obligation of enduring
and creating a continuity for the Gospel-seeing that the next
generation receives the Truth.
16 When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for
me; 17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood
their end.
Similar thoughts are expressed by Ezekiel.
Ezk 18:26-32 "When a righteous man turns away from
his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because
of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. 27 Again, when
a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed,
and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.
28 Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions
which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
The wages of sin is death. We reap what we sow. We are rewarded
according to our works.
29 Yet the house of Israel says (as also do many in the church),
'The way of the Lord is not fair.' O house of Israel, is it not
My ways which are fair, and your ways which
are not fair? 30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel,
every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent,
and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not
be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which
you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure
in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore
turn and live!"
No-one can escape the judgment of God:
Heb 4:12-3 For the word of God is living and powerful,
and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division
of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner
of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature
hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the
eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Characteristic of the self-satisfaction of today is what God says
to the church in Laodicea:
Rev 3:15-22 I know your works, that you are neither cold
nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you
are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of
My mouth (How do people come to see that they have been vomited
out by God?). 17 Because you say, 'I am rich (I have so much
spiritual understanding), have become wealthy (I have so
much that I can spare some for the poor in spirit), and have
need of nothing' (No-one can give me anything-I teach myself!);
and you do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind,
and naked; 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the
fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be
clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed;
and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
Physical blindness is recognizable both to victim and viewer.
Many of us might readily see blindness in other religions and
other religious groups. If one is right, why does the other party
believe it sees? Indeed, the other party may believe you
are deceived and blind. How can one really know if one
sees as the prophets, apostles, and Jesus Christ? My persistent
reply is: Unless one has a most gratifying identification with
all of the word of God, all of the saints of Scripture; unless
one can walk in the shoes of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac,
Sarah, Rachel, Esther, Mordecai, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Malachi, Peter,
Mary, Timothy, Lydia, and the like-one is blind. One also seeks
to commune with in fellowship and express love to as many as possible
of those who see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten (see also Heb 12:4-12).
How and when do we recognize the chastening of the LORD? Is God's
chastening producing good?
Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door
and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To
him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Is it possible that if we are not overcoming that we might be
poor, blind, and naked? 1Jn 5:5 links overcoming and believing
in Jesus Christ. If one fully identifies with Jesus Christ it
is because one is overcoming and is walking as He walked (1Jn
2:6).
22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches.
Communication of Spirit to spirit, as in 1Cor 2:10-15, in turning
to God is powerfully expressed in:
Ps 19:7-14 The Law of the LORD is perfect, converting the
soul (entire life and being of the individual);
the testimony of the LORD is sure (certain), making wise the simple
(naïve); 8 the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing
the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the
eyes (giving deep insight); 9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring
forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine
gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by
them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great
reward. 12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret
faults (evil things that are hidden from my consciousness but
are deeply resident in my heart and must be rooted out). 13
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not
have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall
be innocent of great transgression. 14 Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
CONCLUSION
Yes, the topic is vast, and profound, and difficult, and painful.
But it is truly rewarding. It is full of hope and promise from
God. Let's look at two more Scriptures and read them with care,
respect, and thought.
1Jn 4:6-21 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he
who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit
of truth and the spirit of error. 7 Beloved, let us love one another,
for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and
knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is
love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that
God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but
that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation
(the means of forgiveness) for our sins. 11 Beloved, if
God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one
has seen God at any time. If we love one another (in the manner
God describes and reveals), God abides in us, and His love has
been perfected in us (more and more). 13 By this we know that
we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His
Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent
the Son as Saviour of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus
is the Son of God (just as the Scriptures teach: Prov 30:4; Jn
20:17; 1Cor 15:24,28; Heb 1:8-9; 1Pet 1:3; Rev 1:6; 3:14; 5:9-10),
God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and
believed the love that God has for us. (This is the love that
C.S. Lewis could not find as he says in his The Four Loves).
God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God
in him. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that
we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He
is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves
torment.
The love the apostle Paul shows for God, the Gospel, the saints
is probably beyond words of description. His epistles are full
of this overflowing love (e.g., Rom 16, Phil 1). Paul's last epistle
reveals the confidence of victory in God, no doubt because of
his love: I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race,
I have kept the Faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown
of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give
me on that Day, and not me only but also all who love His appearing
(2Tim 4:7-8). Paul had no fear of how he would be judged.
But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love
Him because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, "I love
God," and hates his brother (in his heart), he is a liar;
for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can
he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have
from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
It is so very evident that those who belong to God and are shepherded
by His Son are those who fellowship in love and affection for
one another as the Scriptures describe. Unless we conform to the
biblical manner of spiritual sacrifice then we are like Cain and
he did not seek repentance though he seemingly believed that he
believed God. And this is what the Almighty God, who is perfect,
faithful, merciful and gracious, and judges righteously-says to
all peoples and nations:
Ps 2:1-3,10-12 Why do the nations rage, and the people
plot a vain thing? (This refers directly to those who killed the
Son of God; Acts 4:24-29). The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together (the eminent leaders of the
world), against the LORD (the Father) and against His Anointed
(the Messiah, the Son of God), saying, 3 "Let us break their
bonds (i.e., the true relationship between the Father and His
Son. For we do not want that kind of love, as exists between
the Father and His Son, to be part of this world's culture)
[Let us break their bonds] in pieces and cast away their cords
(the inherent attributes of that divine relationship) from us."
For the world is ruled by lust, greed, selfishness. The Love of
God gives goodness, righteousness, peace,
10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges
of the earth (Leading people are given responsibility for error,
for the propagation of evil, for the persistence of all that is
wrong-for they are to be shepherds and not exploiters; Mal 2:1-9;
4:6). 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son (an act of love and affection we looked at earlier
and practised in the Church), lest He be angry, and you perish
in the way (as with the seed that fell by the wayside which Satan
snaps up; Mt 13:19), when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed
are all those who put their trust in Him.
References and a partial bibliography
The following are a sampling of works that describe aspects of
the problem of evil. Many authors seek to address the problem:
none have the complete answer. Many offer possibilities for hope
with suggested change on a universal scale. All religions attempt
to address the problems of good and evil. In the listing below
the works that advocate evil are indicated with an *. Without
the knowledge of the Bible and the revelation of the true God
all works are inadequate and some are perversely misleading. Of
course, there are many more books and essays on the problems of
defining good and evil. Works marked with # are remarkable for
their extra-biblical value.
Augustine, City of God; especially Books X11,
XIII
Bloom, Allan, The Closing of the American Mind,
(New York: Touchstone, 1988)
Bronowski, Jacob, Science and Human Values,
(New York: Harper Colophon Books, 1975)
Carrel, Alexis, Man, the Unknown, (London:
Hamish Hamilton, 1946)
* Carus, Paul, The History of the Devil and the
Idea of Evil, (La Salle: Open Court Publishing Company, 1990)
Cleary, Thomas (Translator), The Book of Leadership
and Strategy, Lessons of the Chinese Masters, (Boston:
Shambhala Publications Inc., 1990)
# Dostoevsky, Fydor, The Brothers Karamazov,
[Book 5, The Grand Inquisitor]
Ellul, Jacques, # Propaganda, The Formation
of Men's Attitudes, (New York: Vintage Books, 1973); The
Meaning of the City, (Paternoster Press, 1997); The Subversion
of Christianity, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988)
Eliade, Mircea, Cosmos and History, (New York:
Harper Torchbooks, 1959)
Frazer, Sir James George, The Golden Bough
Fromm, Erich, Escape from Freedom, (New York:
Avon Books, 1965)
Galbraith, John Kenneth, The Anatomy of Power,
(Corgi, 1985)
Goldberg, Carl, Speaking with the Devil, (Viking,
Penguin, 1996)
Heidel, Alexander, The Babylonian Genesis,
(University of Chicago Press, 1963)
Huxley, Francis, The Dragon, (New York: Macmillan,
1979)
# Huntington, Samuel P., The Clash of Civilizations,
(New York: Touchstone, 1997)
John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor [Encyclical
letter, 1993]
Johnson, Paul, A History of the Modern World,
(London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1984)
Keegan, John, A History of Warfare, (London:
Hutchinson, 1993)
* Machiavelli, Niccolo, The Prince
McGinn, Bernard, Anti-christ, Two Thousand years
of the Human Fascination with Evil, (HarperSanFrancisco, 1994)
Martin, Malachi, Hostage to the Devil, (HarperSanFrancisco,
1992)
Masters, Brian, The Evil that Men Do, (London:
Black Swan, 1997)
Milton, John, Paradise Lost [first published
ca. 1667]
Morrow, G.R., Dillon, J.M., translators, Proclus'
Commentary on Plato's Parmenides, (Princeton Uni. Press, 1987);
# Nugent, Christopher, Masks of Satan, (Westminster,
Maryland: Christian Classics, 1989)
* Nietzsche, Friedrich, Thus Spoke Zarathrustra
and Beyond Good and Evil
O'Flaherty, Wendy, The Origins of Evil in Hindu
Mythology (New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1988)
Packard, Vance, The Hidden Persuaders, (Penguin,
1981)
Pagels, Elaine, Adam, Eve, and the Serpent,
(Vintage Books, 1989)
Peck, M. Scott, The Road Less Travelled, (London:
Rider, 1989); People of the Lie, (New York: Touchstone,
1985)
Phillips, Robert A.J., When Rabbit Howls-the Troops
for Truddi Chase, (London: Pan, 1988)
* Plato, The Republic
Pratkanis and Aronson, Age of Propaganda,
(New York: W.H. Freeman & Company, 1992)
Sargant, William, Battle for the Mind, (London:
Pan Books, 1961)
Smith, T.V. (Editor), From Thales to Plato,
(University of Chicago, 1956)
Szasz, Thomas S., The Manufacture of Madness,
(Paladin, 1973)
Thomson, Oliver, A History of Sin, (Edinburgh:
Canongate Press, 1993)
Toffler, Alvin, Powershift, (Bantam Books,
1991); A & H Toffler, War and Anti-War, (London: Little,
Brown, 1993)
Tuchman, Barbara W., The March of Folly, (London:
Abacus, 1985)
Wiesel, Elie, Night, (Penguin, 1981)