Do Not Fear the Evil

I’ve seen evil all my life. I was raised in an abusive home where Scripture was sometimes used as a weapon to control instead of as a treasure to see and know God. I joined the Navy, where I saw drunkenness, violence, racism, misused authority, men who loved hiring prostitutes, and even human trafficking. In my few decades, I’ve seen the fallout of many child molestations, abuses, cowardly pastors, and untaught churches. I’ve spoken to men who have been imprisoned for preaching the Gospel by Communists in Ethiopia, seen a Cleric who left Islam because he loved Jesus live in fear of being killed by Muslims, and I watched as churches around these faithful men embrace the prosperity gospel instead of the truth. I’ve also seen evil in the mirror too many times. Evil is an incontrovertible part of life. It is easy to fear evil. Evil is very much a big deal. But the important thing is that we who are held by Jesus Christ do not need to fear evil. 

There are three flavors of evil that I am thinking of right now: The evil within us, the evil of the world, and the evil that pretends to be Christian.

By the saving work of Jesus, I, like a multitude before me, have seen evil destroyed in my life. Having a clear view of my own evil and a clear view of Jesus’ power that has destroyed so much of my personal evil, gives me the confidence to know that Jesus will overcome every evil. It is funny to think of anybody as impressive, most of all yourself. If we know how to be honest, if God has helped us see, we will understand that we are deeply flawed, and we want things that are opposed to beauty, honor, and goodness. I know I have. Yet, as Jesus has changed me, more and more I trust His power and willingness to confront, root out, and destroy the evil of my heart. I have seen it too often not to be confident. He’s begun a good work in my life; Jesus will complete it. Sometimes we can be tempted to believe that we have more power over the sin in us than the sin outside of us. I disagree with this normal but completely incorrect impulse. We could never control our own evil. But yet, God has given much victory, so I know that God has been at work.

The confidence that I have in the Holy Spirit's work in the life of believers like me is why I am confident that I do not need to fear the evil outside of us. Just like my heart, Jesus will confront, root out and destroy the evil of the world and the world that pretends to be the Church.

Some people who claim to be Christians like to fight culture wars. I like apologetics, philosophy, politics, science, education, and social work in their proper places. We, as Christians, should engage in the stewardship of whatever our hands can find to rightly steward. Yet, we are of another Kingdom. The weapons of our warfare aren’t like weak weapons, such as tanks, drones, guns, or nuclear missiles. While each of these weapons may have a place to be used (and far more places they should not be used), they don’t have the power of things such as the Fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control can and have changed the world. Material weapons can change which flawed person or people have power for the moment. The prayers of a saint can do more than the arsenals of the world. I own and train with firearms; they have their place. I look forward to the day when my AR-15 can be converted to a tool for building instead of destruction.  Our hope is not in them. 

A reduction of God’s Word to just eternal salvation ignores much of God’s Word. I hope that we have many apologists, philosophers, politicians, scientists, educators, and social workers who work hard yet know that ultimate power is not in our own hands. Eternal salvation is our great hope. It is the engine that drives the work we do.

To try to fight a culture war to win a nation for our Savior is like boys playing with guns made from LEGO. I hope such people mature away from the toys and the games and engage in what will really help. It is the simple, difficult commands of Scripture that are most effective—love one another, be kind, care for one another, practice hospitality. This is true power, and we can only do this well by the power of the Spirit that dwells in His people.

I remember it was God’s kindness that has often led me to repentance. And it will lead me to future repentance as well. God is kind, and because God is kind, we can be honest about our spiritual deformities. I have many. Yet, I have been healed of many other diseases of my soul. In kindness, we can engage the world. Anger is useful sometimes for a moment or two. There are times for aggression (typically against people who misuse the name of Jesus or the Word of God). There are times for defense. But we will live lopsided lives if we focus on those things. We should remember kindness, forgiveness, and mercy. Our salvation has always depended on God remembering them.

The evils of the world will fall. New evils may rise, only to fall again. They only have the power to kill the body. There also are liars who use God’s Word for their own ends. They, too, will fall. We may need to do work to oppose their distortions, but we do not need to do so out of fear. God is for us, and those who oppose us will not last long. We may even need to be angry for a moment to demonstrate the folly of some, but this should not be our normal mode of life. Evil is here for the time but Jesus has us for an eternity. 

While we are touched by the suffering of the world, we have the help of Jesus. He cares for us, yet our society may fall. Many nations have fallen before us and we are not immune. Perhaps our nation completes it’s rejection of Jesus. Many nations have. Maybe heretics and blasphemers will win the day. I hope not, but they have won the day before only for their work to be undone. Jesus holds His people and we cannot be defeated in the end.

So yes, there are many, many evils. There are even confusing things like evils that pretend to be good. It’s hard to see so much that has gone so wrong. But the goodness of Jesus is bigger than all the evils of the world. We don’t need to react in fear. We don’t need to be cruel. Only occasionally will we need to be angry, but let’s remember that the war is already won. We are good to go. Jesus is on His throne. Do not fear the evil. Instead, fear God and look to Jesus.