Defining Evil

Allow me to go into a bit more detail:

• Evil is not a person, a thing, or a substance. Instead, it is the absence of something good.

This is important to know and understand because very often, when people hear that God created everything in our universe, they incorrectly believe that He created evil. He did not!

Examples of Evil

To give you an idea of what is evil, allow me to share with you a shortlist. And while this list is not comprehensive, it will give you a better sense of what God considers evil:

• Death (it was not God's original plan for mankind).
• Not praying to Him (God desires conversation and fellowship with His people).
• Murder (God alone is the God alone is the giver and taker of life).
• Not worshipping Him (God alone is worthy of our worship).
• Rape (This is self-explanatory).
• Not giving thanks to Him (He alone is worthy of thanksgiving because of all He's given to us).
• Incest (This is self-explanatory).
• Not praising Him (He alone is worthy of our praise).
• Stealing (This is self-explanatory).
• Speaking badly of others.
• Lying (This is self-explanatory).
• Dishonesty/deceit (This is self-explanatory).
• Lust.
• Lasciviousness (unrestrained sexual behavior).
• Pride.
• Envy.
• Coveting (a deep desire for something that belongs to someone else, accompanied by envy).
• Idolatry (placing someone or something above God in their lives).
• Any sexual activity outside of marriage.
• Disease (Because this is related to death, it is self-explanatory).

The Path to Redemption

This is important because the list shows all of us where we've missed God's mark and calling for our lives, which is "Perfection." Only perfect people go to Heaven and live forever with Him.

So, since we've all messed up, how can we become perfect? Simple:

1. Pray to God and admit you've violated His Laws...
2. Ask Him for forgiveness – and He will forgive you...
3. Invite Him into your daily life as Savior (someone who's redeemed you) and Lord (the Ruler and Master of your life).
4. Begin to learn His Ways (by reading/studying His Word) and then obey Him.

Why Choose Redemption?

Why should a person consider doing this? Here are what I believe are four (4) compelling reasons:

1. When you die, you will live forever with God in His Kingdom and with His people. This Kingdom is perfect and without evil.
2. The opposite is also true. If you don't invite Him into your life, when you die, He will honor your decision to exclude Him from your life – and will then give you an eternity away from Him, His people, His protection, and blessings. And, you will live there in isolation from all people, forever.
3. When you begin to seek after Him with your whole heart, not just out of curiosity, you will find a joy that is unexplainable! Nothing will compare to this joy!
4. All of this is free! You don't need to join a church or put money into an offering plate to receive them!

God's Greater Purpose

So, while evil is present in this life of ours, we can have full confidence knowing that God can accomplish His Will. How so, you ask? We must remember that this life IS NOT all there is! There is another life beyond ours – one that is beyond our full comprehension and understanding! This other life is what true Christ-followers long for, because it will be a place without any of the things listed above! More on this in subsequent articles.

A Personal Testimony

Let me finish with a story:

My coming into being was the result of an act of evil (i.e., adultery). Some know this. Some don't.

Now, which parts of the whole story will a person CHOOSE to focus on? The evil act itself – the one that brought about my conception? The deceptions that followed? The child's imperfect life? The child's salvation and rebirth? The child's acts of rebellion, disobedience, and hypocrisy after salvation? The child's sacrificial helping of hundreds of people? The miracles that happened in the child's life? The 20+ years of hypocritical living the child lived? The child's saving of lives? The child's thousands of acts of kindness and generosity? The child's development of this website?

Which parts will a person focus on? And, which parts will matter most?

Do you see how our Lord used an imperfect and wretched sinner like me, someone born out of evil circumstances?

He can do the same thing in any life that is submitted to Him!