Careful!
We must not become too accustomed to what we see, hear or even experience that is evil—for God condemns all of this! It is sin!
This past couple of weeks the issue of abortion was front and center in US news. The State of New York passed a law to further decriminalize abortions done in later stages of pregnancy. What was so shocking was the reaction of those gathered to celebrate the signing of this bill. Their jubilant cheering and applause for what constitutes murder was, in actual fact, a tribute to unconscionable evil!
The words of God stand in judgment for this kind of abomination:
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).
Evil is an insidious and virulent contamination which is overwhelming the way people think and act—leaving them with seared consciences and more and more open to demonic influence or control (compare 1 Timothy 4:1-2). This is why the Apostle John warned that “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). Satan is called “the god of this age” who has blinded the minds of those he rules over (compare 2 Corinthians 4:4).
The power of evil is the power of Satan to deceive humanity, but Christians must resist him (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9). We can withstand Satan by overcoming him—this is what Jesus Christ did (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13; John 16:33). Jesus was able to do this because He always chose to obey God—He did what was good and not what was evil (1 Peter 2:22).
God’s power for good is far greater than Satan’s power for evil, as Jesus proved. Likewise, we have this challenge set before us:
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
