The Heb. word comes from a root meaning ‘to spoil’, ‘to break in pieces’: being broken and so made worthless. It is essentially what is unpleasant, disagreeable, offensive. The word binds together the evil deed and its consequences.

Much physical evil is due to moral evil: suffering and sin are not necessarily connected in individual cases, but human selfishness and sin explain much of the world’s ills

Jesus told us to pray in Matthew 6:13,

Matthew 6:13 ESV

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Evil

The problem of evil is its presence and our knowledge of an all powerful God- why does it exist?

The answer lies in each of us. The ability to choose. See James 1.13-15

James 1:13–15 ESV

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

On behalf of the whole Church, I ask you: Do you renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin?

I do.

Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?

I do.

We should be reminded that evil has been around for a long time...

Genesis 6:5–8 ESV

5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

We should likewise be reminded that the story of the rainbow is our usual focus, and rightfully so. God will not do this again. However, we generally fail to remember what precipitated the events of the flood. Evil thoughts continually.

In the New Testament, Paul tells us exactly what the results of this kind of evil will bring us. Romans 1:28-31;

Romans 1:28–31 ESV

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

We do not live in Gotham City and our arch enemy is not the Joker who can be taken down with the likes of batman. Our enemy is the devil, Satan… but he gets destroyed in the end. Until that time , it seems our arch enemy is ourselves.

We live in a world with evil people and evil thoughts and evil things… and they confront us as the body of Christ- and sometimes even live among us and our fellowship… and we keep praying but not doing anything about ourselves. Deliver us from evil, in some instances, would be rendered Deliver us from ourselves.

Proverbs 6:12–19 ESV

12 A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, 13 winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, 14 with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; 15 therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing. 16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Paul, in Romans 12;14-21 gives us great advice related to evil and the evil ones among us...

Romans 12:14–21 ESV

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

It is never our right or our response to offer evil as a response to evil… it is our responsibility to overcome evil with good. It is that simple.

Cancel Culture of our day.

What your opinion is , is your opinion. What you think is your business, but it is not illegal.

It may become illegal when you act upon it, but thought is not illegal.

You can’t legislate morality, and you can’t expect all of us to share the same opinions.

Cancel Culture.

Insignificant little yellow turd.

Matthew 5:21–24 ESV

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

You fool. You are insignificant. Your worthless. You are dead.

These things pose the greatest danger. When we say that someone’s differing thoughts make them eligible to be devalued to nothing.i.e. cancel culture- then we are saying that the imprint of God, the inherent value of each of us being formed in God’s image is insignificant. Without merit. Of no count.

That is violence without a gun or a knife.

Our words matter. Our words matter. Social media posts matter.

Our words matter. James says the tongue is a great fire, and it is set on fire from hell.

What about evil?

Bottom Line:

Our Answer to Evil Is Not a Problem, It’s a Person

The cross is God’s final answer to the problem of evil. See Romans 5.8 and Romans 8.32

Romans 8:32 ESV

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The sign of that work is us. It is changed lives and changed people who are witnesses to the power of the cross.

When the change in people aligns us with who Christ is, then the final victory of God is effected.

God’s final answerL Revelation 21:1-8

Revelation 21:1–8 ESV

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

English Standard Version Chapter 6

“Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name.

10  Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11  Give us this day our daily bread,

12  and forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13  And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.