What Is Evil

Understanding Evil from a Biblical Perspective

What is evil? Evil is two things:

• • The absence of good.
• • Those things said and done that go against God's perfect will for the lives of humankind.

Defining Evil

Evil is not a person, a thing, or a substance. Instead, it is the absence of something good. This is important because when people hear that God created everything, they incorrectly assume that He created evil. He did not!

Examples of Evil

Here is a short list—not comprehensive—of what God considers evil:

• • Not having a relationship with Him
• • Death (it was not God's original plan for mankind)
• • Not praying (talking)to Him
• • Murder
• • Not worshipping Him
• • Rape
• • Not giving thanks to Him
• • Incest
• • Not praising Him
• • Stealing
• • Speaking badly of others
• • Lying / Dishonesty / Deceit
• • Lust / Lasciviousness
• • Pride / Envy / Coveting
• • Idolatry (the worship of anything or anyone other than God)
• • Any sexual activity outside of marriage
• • Disease

The Path to Redemption

This list shows us where we've missed God's mark of perfection. Only perfect people go to Heaven. And since we've all messed up, it shows that we all need a Savior! How can we become perfect? Consider the following:

1. Pray and admit to God we've violated His Laws.
2. Humbly ask Him for forgiveness from all of our sins.
3. Invite Him into our daily life as Savior and Lord.
4. Begin to learn His Ways by reading and studying His Word, and then obey Him.

Why Choose Redemption?

God has given us a choice. We can choose to live with Him or without Him. The choice is ours. Here are some things to consider:

1. When we die, we will live forever somewhere.
2. If we don't invite Him into our life, He will honor our decision and give us an eternity away from Him and His people, outside of His protection and His blessings. We will then end up paying for our sins, forever. Many don't realize God's blessings. Here are just a few examples: the sun, water, air, health, food, warmth, comfort, freedom, speech, friendship and togetherness,etc. In THAT place, away from God's presence and blessings, these things will be absent!
3. If we do invite Him into our life, He will honor our decision and give us an eternity with Him, His people, His protection, His blessings, and within His Eternal Kingdom - on the New Earth and in the New Heaven!
4. When we seek after Him with our whole heart, we will find a joy that is unexplainable.
5. All of this is free! We don't need to join a church or put money into an offering plate to receive them.

God's Greater Purpose

While evil is still present in this life, we can have full confidence knowing that God can accomplish His Will. This life is not all there is. There is another life beyond this life on Earth — one that true Christ-followers long for, because it will be a place without sickness, death, tears, pain, or sorrow. Don't you want to go there?

A Personal Testimony

My coming into being was the result of an act of evil (adultery). Plus, I'm sad to say, my life was filled with thousands of evil acts. So, which parts of the whole story will a person choose to focus on? The evil act that started it all? The deceptions that followed? The child's VERY imperfect life? The child's salvation and rebirth? The child's acts of rebellion after salvation? The child's sacrificial helping of hundreds of people? The miracles? The 20+ years of hypocritical living? The child's saving of lives? The thousands of acts of kindness? The development of this website?

Our Lord can use an imperfect and wretched sinner like me, someone born out of evil circumstances...and He can do the same thing in any life that is submitted to Him!

If you have questions or comments, email me here and let's talk.

Thank you for your time,

Roy