What is Good and What is Evil

Let’s review our theme verse for the series together. Read it with me.

Micah 6:8 CSB

8 Mankind, he has told each of you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.

For some of you this morning’s message is going to be hard to hear. Some of you might even think the subject we are going to look at shouldn’t be addressed from the pulpit. I don’t think I have ever given a message quite like this one before. Maybe it has gone overdue. My point is not to offend you, but rather to cause you to think deeply. I don’t have a lot for you to write down this morning. This isn’t a three points and a poem sermon. This is a little different.

You have heard it said, “A pastor should not preach politics.” Is that true? As I was studying this passage for this morning’s message and contemplating the status of our country, I realized a problem. We have let certain groups voice their perspectives, while shutting down the voices of other groups. We have allowed certain ideals to be championed in the public arena, while not allowing others to speak up and speak against them. We have allowed subjects to be thought of as political, when they are not political subjects at all. Is it political to talk about the evil of abortion? Is it political to denounce racism? Is it political to call the exploitation and abuse of people abhorrent?

What is the definition of politics? I had to look it up. What is the definition of politics?

Politics are a a set of beliefs and principles relating to governance.

Now, I am going to sit on this for a moment at the outset of this message. Read the definition again. Politics are a set of beliefs and principles relating to governance. Let me phrase it another way. You start with a set of beliefs and principles and then you apply them to how you view government. Your set of beliefs and principles inform how you think about the role and relationship of government to the people. As a believer, your beliefs and principles are to come from the Word of God. I am going to make a bold assertion. The Bible doesn’t regard politics as a separate set of ideals for the believer. Somehow we have divorced politics from the Bible. For the follower of Jesus Christ, this should not be.

The Bible is all about what we should think. The Bible defines our beliefs and principles. We should never be cheering on a particular political party. We should be championing biblical principles and beliefs if we are truly following of God. The Bible has much to say about what we should believe and what we should think. It is the Bible’s main subject! How have we allowed the separation between what we believe and what we support? It is completely illogical and wrong-headed. When you vote and support political parties, you are defining what you believe and what you value. Do your beliefs and principles line up with biblical beliefs and values? If not, then you are supporting what the Bible does not support. If you are not standing on the truth of God’s Word, then you are not doing justly.

In the Bible, what I believe and what I do, you might say, how I vote, are inextricably tied together. What I believe and what I support are tied together. You cannot tear the two apart. I started thinking that the Bible is an intensely political book because it has so much to say about what we are to believe and the principles we should hold. The Bible often speaks about the kingdom of God. The prophets were all about correcting the errors of the kings of Israel. Jesus was in constant conflict with the Sadducees and Pharisees, which were the two ruling parties of his day in Judea. These two factions were completely involved in the political affairs of their day. The New Testament epistles have much to say about a follower of Jesus’ relationship to the state. As I continued to think, I had to ask myself the question, “Are we in all of the trouble we are in because the church as been silent about matters we should not be silent?” Have we failed in our thinking? I submit to you that the answer is “Yes”. As a whole, we have failed to preach biblical standards and values. We have allowed people to think that they could support, in good conscious, what the Bible wholly condemns. People, who claim the name of Jesus, are being allowing to think they can support political candidates who stand for and promote what God calls evil and be okay before God. It is not okay. It is a grave error.

Open your Bible to Isaiah chapter 1.

The prophet Isaiah wrote about this problem in the nation of Israel. They had the same problem we do. They were separating God from their behavior. They thought they could worship God and yet support positions God condemned. Actually, God said he was tired of them. He said their festivals, which were supposed to be times of worship, had become tiresome to him. He said he was tired of putting up with them. He even said, in Isaiah 1:15, when his people prayed, he wouldn’t even look at them because of what they were doing.

God has allowed things to happen in this land, hard things, and difficult things. Why? I believe God is allowing these things to happen to get our attention. He wants his people to turn back to him. He wants his people to reconnect what they believe and what they do. I think God has had it with his people saying them love him while voting for a political party which advocates for the killing of babies, even up to the moment of birth. I think God is sickened by seeing his people support a movement which advocates for the destruction of the family. I think God is saddened to see his people support representatives who are corrupt and are exploiting people. Perhaps God has had enough of those who would further the racial divide and create more division in our nation. Take a look at the cities around this nation. It is in the cities that we see the oppression of minorities and the destruction of the family. Most all of these cities are controlled by one political party and they are going directly against God’s will to do justly. If their policies were just, then these places should be flourishing, but they are failing. Just take a drive downtown in our own city and see what has happened when our city council, mayor, and other officials have failed to do justly. We are responsible because we put these people into the position they have.

Unless we repent and turn to God, we can expect the promise of Isaiah 1:20 to come to pass.

Isaiah 1:20 CSB

20 But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

I want you to remember this next statement.

You will have no peace with God until you learn to do justly according to God’s standards.

Here is a question to consider. How do we transform our society?

We transform our society by learning to do what is good.

What does this look like? Look at Isaiah 1:16

Isaiah 1:16–17 CSB

16 “Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from my sight. Stop doing evil. 17 Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause.

Doing justly always involves the fair treatment of the weakest and most vulnerable in a society. The Bible often talks about doing what is right concerning three groups of people: the orphans, the widows, and the immigrants. These people represent the helpless and the impoverished. It is quite obvious to me that most of our representatives are not interested in the fair treatment of the weakest and most vulnerable in our society. They are interested in power consolidation. They are interested in enriching themselves. They are interested in holding onto their positions. They are interested in doing harm to further their agenda. They want you to cower in fear of their authority and power so that you will do what they want you to do. Many of our representatives have become our oppressors. They want to strip us of our God-given freedoms. Stop doing evil by supporting evil agendas.

The agenda being pursed by the left in our country is evil. It is time we called it for what it is. It is evil. If you support the party of those who would advocate and support abortion, you are doing evil. You are going directly against the will of our Father God who calls all life precious in his sight.

If you will vote for those who encourage and support open borders and sanctuary cities, you not doing justly. You are encouraging the exploitation of the helpless and sex traffickers. You are supporting the death of thousands as they try to come to this country illegally. You are supporting the rape of women as they are trafficked by coyotes and abusers.

You are supporting the LGBTQ agenda by voting for those who are their champions in government. You are supporting the normalization of sexual deviance.

Do you understand? Do you see? To say, “I love God and want to follow his ways.”, but then support agendas directly against God’s way is really saying that you are refusing to obey God and is rebellion against God.

Isaiah 1:17 CSB

17 Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause.

It is time for God’s people to correct, to straighten out the oppressor. Those who would take away our freedoms and rights are oppressors. Our freedoms and rights do not come from government, they come from God. This nation was founded on biblical principles and it is time to reclaim them. Learn to do what is good.

The fatherless and the widows were the ones being exploited in Isaiah’s day. The fatherless were without resources. They had no one to be their advocate. A woman whose husband had died had no property rights and was easily exploited. It was easy in Isaiah’s day to exploit these two categories of vulnerable people. In our day, because of the changes in our society, we have different groups of people who are exploited.

Young people are exploited. Their minds are twisted to believe things that are untrue by our colleges and universities. They are fed propaganda by godless teachers and professors. Then, they are sent out to destroy the nation which has given them so much. Parents, I am going to say this as gently as I can. If at all possible, get your children out of these godless institutions. If you can’t, be so very involved in their education. Don’t allow them to be fed evil. Teachers in our school systems, I urge you to fight against the evil. Take a stand against the evil teachings being pushed on our kids. We are seeing the results of a generation who are being exploited by our government.

The poor are being exploited. They are vulnerable and they look to the government to support them. The government has created policies which encourage women to have children outside of marriage. Instead of helping these people out of their situation, they encourage them to perpetuate the cycle. They have worked to create a permanent underclass in our society and then, they encourage more people to come to our country illegally to exploit them as a political issue. This is evil and insidious.

Dwight Longenecker said, “First we overlook evil. Then we permit evil. Then we legalize evil. Then we promote evil. Then we celebrate evil. Then we persecute those who still call it evil.”

Isaiah 5:20 CSB

20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.

This is happening right now in our country. Good is being called evil and evil is being called good. The left in this country has adopted evil as their national platform. They are standing directly against God. They stand for and call good what God has called evil. Romans 1 is very clear about how God views these things. God has said that people who advocate homosexuality and who would kill babies hate him. Do not stand with these people. They will be judged by God for their evil. This is not about politics. This is about what is good and what is evil. This is not about economics or foreign policy. We could talk about that. This is about standing for the truth of God’s Word.

Learn to do what is good. The days are evil. As I said before it the beginning of this message, unless we repent and turn to God, we can expect the judgment of God. It starts with God’s people. It starts with us. You and I need to decide to call evil what it is. I beg you to stop being informed by the retail media and social media. I urge you to stand on the truth of God’s Word for Jesus is the only Rock which will stand.

Perhaps this message was convicting to you. Maybe it even made you upset or mad at me. If so, rather than getting mad at me, search the Scriptures. Spend time in prayer. Seek the truth found in God’s Word. Perhaps you have allowed the influences of a godless agenda to shape your thinking. Perhaps you have allowed yourself to drift from where you should be. Perhaps you thought you were standing still, but really you have moved from the foundation of God’s Word. It is easy to do. You don’t even have to do it on purpose. Drifting is natural.

When you are on a boat, sometimes it is hard to know if you are drifting or not. One of the keys to making sure you are not drifting off course is to have a fixed position. Even an anchor may not be enough to stop you from drifting if your anchor is not secure. The only way we can be sure that we are not drifting from the truth is to stay securely tethered to the Word of God. The currents of this world will push you. The winds of change will blow you, but if you are firmly fixed on God’s Word, you will not be shaken. I believe too many people who say they are followers of God are not firmly planted in God’s Word.

Listen to these words of God from the prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 1:18–20 CSB

18 “Come, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are crimson red, they will be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land. 20 But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

God is urging his people to come back to him. He is urging you to come back to him. Let’s settle this. Let’s get this over with. God is offering you forgiveness. Will you repent of your errors? Will you repent of your support for those who call evil good and good evil? Stop pointing fingers at the other side and examine your own heart and your own positions. Does what you believe and who you support align with the word of God? If you don’ know, search it out. Come and talk with me. Give me a call. Let’s reason together based on the truth of God’s Word.

Let’s pray together.

Father God, move on our hearts and minds. Renew us that we would be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Unstop our ears that we might listen to the truth. Give us a discerning heart to know what is right and pleasing to you. Show us where we have failed to live according to your standard. Forgive us for supporting and endorsing things you call evil. Give us courage to change and to stand for the truth. Draw people to yourself. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

One of the things I am very careful to do is to make sure the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed from this pulpit every Sunday. Do you know what the good news of Jesus Christ is? The good news is that God loves you so much that he sent his son Jesus into the world. Jesus, who is God, took on flesh and became the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus died for the forgiveness of your sins.

We need forgiveness. Jesus offers you forgiveness. Anything and everything you have ever done can be forgiven by God and you can be made clean. When Jesus washes away your sin, he cleanses you and he’s not only to be your Savior, but also your Lord. He is to be Lord of your life. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. If you look at your life right now, how you spend your time, the way you spend your money, the way you invest your life, and the things you value, you would have to say, Jesus is not my Lord. Do you feel the Holy Spirit calling to you? You know you need Jesus to save you – to deliver you from your sins. You know you need forgiveness.

I invite you to pray this prayer with me – “Heavenly Father, forgive me for my sins, make me clean. I ask Jesus to be my Savior and to be the Lord of my life, first in every way. My life is not my own, I give it to you. Thank you for new life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

With heads bowed and eyes closed, if you prayed that prayer for the first time and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord, will you raise your hand this morning?

Close in Prayer.