Evil Doers and their Evil Plans
To conquer evil, what is in the Christian arsenal? As a scripturalist Christian you have no doubt discovered that you do not fit into society. You cannot wholeheartedly embrace the ideologies of any of the highly partisan political tribes. For some of your acquaintances your scriptural perspectives are perhaps too ‘conservative.’ But for others, your views are just too ‘liberal.’ Isaiah’s prophecy of the nature of the time before the return of the Lord God as King of Kings rings true to you. Isaiah wrote of the fools who would make evil plans, would enrich themselves, and call themselves “liberal.’ When in reality they would reject the liberal ideals. The ideals of generosity, kindness, and community that are the basis of our constitutional freedoms.
So what is a Christian to do to conquer evil, in a time like ours?
It’s a Matter of Priorities and Principles
Our first duty will be to remember our priorities. Our King and Lord must be first in our allegiance and love. We are citizens of God’s kingdom first, but we have other responsibilities as citizens in our communities and the world. Daniel, Joseph, Mordecai, and many other biblical heroes understood how to manage sometimes competing allegiances. Like these ancestors in the faith, we should align ourselves at times with those whose values align with biblical ones. For pragmatic reasons, and to be able to function in society we cannot just remain silently in the shadows when evil presents itself. One of today’s salient issues is the ‘sanctity of life.’ So, in order to conquer evil in our community we would associate with and support others who are battling the issues of abortion and euthanasia.
When Evil Holds Power
Paul encourages believers, who had to live under a corrupt Roman occupational force, to use their opportunities in the world to do good. While concurrently being aware of the danger of abusing an over reliance on worldly methods of achieving good aims.
David warns us of the danger of becoming confused and bitter over the injustices committed by evil doers who seem to prosper. They seem to mock God, speak evil, and cruelly oppress others, while enjoying lives of ease. David encourages us to conquer evil by understanding God’s purpose and having vision. Ultimately the wicked will not prosper, and only the pure in heart who trust in God will stand in the test of time.
When Good Conquers Evil
Both David and Paul understood the temptation to exact vengeance upon the evil-doers. But they cautioned believers to bring their worry, anger, or envy under control, so as to avoid being provoked into doing evil. Rather, their words encourage us to conquer evil by doing good. God has a great plan for all of humanity, and he wants us to ‘feed’ on this truth, so that it gives us the energy and sustenance to serve God in spite of the evils in society. Living in Nero’s Rome, Paul told brethren to feed and clothe the enemy, and show God’s kindness to those who hated God. Since God has been kind and patient with us, waiting for us to repent, and change, and grow, he wants us to have this same response to others.
Jesus, also told his followers to conquer evil with good. If a Roman soldier asked you to carry his pack for a mile, offer to carry it two miles. Jesus wanted his disciples to be motivated by Godly love, agape. This kind of love does what is in the best interest of others. It enables people to love their enemies and pray for those who may persecute you – the cheaters, liars, or thieves. To conquer evil, God counsels his people to have integrity and a pure heart. David understood that the saints, those who serve God for eternity, will only be those who are blameless, and have served faithfully with integrity. It is this confidence in God’s promise and vision of the future that will help us conquer evil today.
Our Arsenal to Conquer Evil
When the wicked are in power, we must remember they will not be there forever. We must remember that vengeance is God’s. It is not our responsibility to chasten the evil-doers. Rather, God tells us to conquer evil by doing good. This could be a matter of using our citizenship in the world to support righteous causes. Or, it could be showing God’s kindness to others in our daily lives, both to friends and ‘enemies.’ As companions of Christ, our King, we will preserve his ways with integrity, and encourage others to walk with us as we walk with God. Let’s do good as God gives us opportunity to do so, and play our role in conquering evil.
God’s teaching on “Love Your Neighbour”
https://cogwebcast.com/sermons/video-archives/finding-true-love-love-your-neighbour/