Thought for Today

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat from any tree in the garden'?"  

Genesis 4:8 Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him.  

Matthew 5:11 "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  

John 3:19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.  

Where did evil come from? Is evil inevitable? Is it necessary? We are told that the serpent “was more crafty.” Was that serpent evil? Having been raised on the Texas Gulf Coast, I am fully aware of the dangers of some reptiles. Coral snakes, water moccasins and allegators are all dangerous, all potentially deadly; but, are they evil? I do know that my mother and my Boy Scout leader taught me to avoid those dangers. But, why did God even create such creatures? While I am questioning, why did God create mosquitos and cockroaches? I am certain both creatures are both bad and evil.

Reading the Creation Story in Genesis, I wonder which day evil was created. The author(s) of Genesis somehow omitted that detail. We are told that the acts of Creation were good. Where and when did evil raise its ugly head? Why did evil raise its ugly head? Why doesn’t the Bible tell us?

Despite all my questions, evil does exist. Evil is prevalent, pernicious, and far too often seductively attractive. Some days, evil even seems to be victorious. Do I believe in evil? I just acknowledged its existence. How then can I ask myself whether I believe in evil? Truthfully, I do not believe in evil! I merely acknowledge its existence. When asked about this seeming contradiction, I reply that I believe in, “John 3:16 ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.’”

Am I merely playing word games? Am I being deliberately confounding and confusing? Am I merely hopelessly confused on the entire subject? No, No, No, and possibly. I am puzzled about the entire subject of evil. Included in my confusion is the issue about the personification of evil. Do I believe in Satan, in the Devil? I believe in the confession of Peter, a confession I myself have often repeated publicly, “Mark 8:29 . . . ‘You are the Messiah.’" In Greek, Peter confessed Jesus as the “Χριστός, οῦ, ὁ strictly one who has been anointed, symbolizing appointment to a task; as a title for Jesus, designating him as the Messiah sent from God (see JN 1.41), Christ, (the) Anointed One (MT 1.16); as a personal name for Jesus, Christ.” (Friberg, Analytical Greek Lexicon)

Where did evil come from? Is evil inevitable? Do I believe in evil? All interesting questions. All questions whose answers may well be ‘above our paygrade.’ At the end of all my confusion, however, I cannot help but wonder whether knowing the answers would truly help me, would advance the coming of the Kingdom of God. I know evil exists; I believe in Jesus, the Christ. I know about Jesus’ Incarnation, ministry, Crucifixion and Resurrection.

Maybe most importantly, I know what scriptures tell me about what is required of me. “Micah 6:8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” I know Jesus’ words about what is important, “Luke 10:27 . . .    ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’"  I know and believe Paul’s words, “Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—”

That knowledge is enough for me. That knowledge guides me in doing my part to advance the full realization of the Kingdom of God.

Ask yourself what you believe, find your guiding principles, trust God,

Pastor Ray