What Every Christian Should Do in Response to Evil

What should every Christian do in response to sin and evil that assaults our senses, affects and infects us?

1. Actively Reject Evil. You can’t reject evil passively. It’s like weeds; it will take over unless you take decisive action. Since God doesn’t like evil and sin, we need to be aware of it in our lives! Otherwise, it will be like a pile of dirty clothes or a pile of garbage we never pick up that get smellier and smellier. Our sin makes us stinky. One of the worst aspects of sin is delusion and deception, when you see things wrongly but think you are seeing them rightly. Like looking through a dirty window. 1 John 1:9 Confess sin, live a life of repentance. 1 Pet. 5:8-9 be self controlled and alert, your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, resist him, firm in your faith, knowing all Christians are experiencing the same kind of suffering. James 4:7 Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 1 Thess. 5:22 Abstain from every appearance of evil. Not all evil is blatant. Satan disguises himself as an angel of light, his servants do too. 2 Cor. 11:13-15. Is. 5:2 woe to those who call evil good and good evil. God has Satan on a short leash. You walk your dog, you put him on a leash. He can only go so far. Satan is limited by God’s oversight of the universe.

2. Adamantly Rest in God's power. His power restrains evil and restores what sin destroys. Call on Jesus, deliver us from evil. Confess, repent of, forsake sin. Eph. 6:10-13 be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Rom. 8:13 If by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. Kill sin or it will kill you. John Owen said He who does not kill sin along the way is making no progress in his journey...the vigor, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh. We cannot do it apart from Christ; with Him we can do all things pleasing to Him. What God calls us to do He enables us to do by the power of His Holy Spirit. Magic eraser. Rest in God’s conscience-clearing power.

3. Appropriately Reach for what is good. Run to Jesus. Cling to Him. Phil. 3:13-14. The problem of evil has been dealt with decisively and ultimately in the Lord Jesus Christ. Sin is like a disease, and the only medicine for it is Jesus! If a person is truly concerned about the problem of evil, it's ultimate eradication and elimination, they will run, flee to Jesus from the wrath to come. Rom. 12:9 abhor hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good. Rom. 12:21. Do not be overcome by evil, overcome evil with good. If you reach for good you won't choose what's bad for you...shopping. If you reach for stuff that's good for you, flax seeds and fruits and vegetables and hummus and sardines, you won't be tempted to go after stuff that is bad for you like ice cream and bacon and donuts. It must become the habit of your life to seek after that which is good. Prov. 11:27; Matt. 5:16; 1 Pet. 2:12, 15; Gal. 6:9 do not grow weary in doing good. 1 Thess. 5:21 hold fast to what is good.

4. Always Rejoice in God’s goodness and glory knowing the final outcome is assured. 1 Cor. 10:31 do all to the glory of God. Eph. 1:12 be to the praise of His glory. Phil. 2:8-11 For this reason… Because of the cross. God exalted Jesus so everyone would one day bow and worship Jesus. God puts up with sin so those He plans to save would acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as their only hope for salvation from the just wrath of God and would worship Jesus to the utmost daily and for all eternity. Rev. 5. So while you are here on earthy, 1 Thess. 5:16-17 rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Phil. 1:6. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen. 2 Peter 3:18b.

God puts up with evil in order to bring maximum glory to Himself. God makes sin serve His purposes and plan. God planned for sin and evil to be a part of the picture; that it would result in Jesus Christ receiving maximum glory through the cross. These are hard words to say, but in view of my own sinfulness, & the evil present in the world, and the realization that all is not well in the universe and that many sins, faults, and injuries assault those who seek a God-saturated view of all things – it’s the only answer that will hold up and build substance in us. God is merciful, gracious and holy and terrible things happen and He is not indifferent, absent or surprised by any of it. He predestined all things even evil, sickness, suffering and pain while knowing the end of all things. Joseph told his brothers Gen. 50:20, "you meant it for evil but God meant it for good". This is the way God designed that things would work.

The worst sin ever committed the most heinous crime ever perpetrated was the murder of Jesus on the cross and it was planned by God, it happened according to the predetermined plan of God. Acts 4:27-28, 2:23. The death of Christ was planned by God but carried out by sinful hands. God made sin work against itself at the cross. God made sin serve His purposes at the cross so that we might fulfill our purpose of praising the glory of His grace. We understand the big picture of sin and evil only to the degree we understand the same disease infects us. And there is only one cure...the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. God's ultimate triumph over evil comes through the cross of Christ.