From the very beginning of creation when God created the Garden of Eden, it was good. Everything He created was good, and man and woman were very good. He gave man one command, to refrain from eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If mankind obeyed, he would receive blessings. If mankind disobeyed, he would receive the curse.
In creation, mankind was given freedom to choose. The choice ultimately was to trust and obey God, the Creator, or not.
In the beginning, before the fall, mankind had no knowledge of evil.
Good is characterized by truth, freedom, and service to others. Good is evident in love, peace, kindness, gentleness, and self-control, from a heart in total submission to the One, True and Living GOD. Good is on display when we are united in obedience, worship of our Creator, and service to one another.
Evil is characterized by lies, fear, and self-focus. Evil is evident in hate, chaos, confusion, division, obsession with power, pride, and self-seeking glorification. Evil is ultimately wanting to be our own god, like Satan. Trusting in oneself.
Today, we live in a war. This war is ultimately between God and Satan in how we exercise our free will. It is a war between good and evil for men’s souls.
In some sense, we are like Adam and Eve. We are mostly unaware of the evil around us. We are distracted by the good things in life, which bring us happiness, comfort, recognition from others, and more. We stay focused on ourselves, our children, career, etc.
We have lost sight of why we were created: to know God, love Him, and worship Him. We do this primarily by placing our trust in Him with humble obedience to anything He commands.
As long as evil does not get too personal with us, it is much easier to ignore. As long as the thief is stealing from others, abducting someone else’s child, raping and abusing people I have no personal relationship with.
When evil strikes home, personally impacting me, I get angry and mad. I want to avenge the injustice by engaging in sinful behavior myself. I quit being like God, full of long-suffering, caring for others more than myself.
Or I can be stirred to action, to be the salt and light to the world as God intended. Seeking to overcome evil with good, as God does, with kindness, love, respect, humility, balancing justice with mercy. Loving the sinner while hating the sin.
In my lifetime, good people, God’s people, the Church, have stopped shining the light of God in their families, work, neighborhoods, and society, by allowing the government to do things God instructed His Church to do.
Programs like Social Security, Unemployment, Welfare, National Education, Child Protection Services, and more do not belong in the government. These are responsibilities of the Church. As Christians removed themselves from these areas of life, evil crept in. Now these programs are full of evil, have enabled the government to replace God, and people in a sense have become slaves of the state.
I believe the first step to reverse the situation we find ourselves in is for the Church to reclaim these areas of life and to once again function as God intended. For God’s people to provide for their families, the fatherless, widows, and those in need. For us to be bold in declaring sin, sin. And not allowing sin in our own homes. To educate our children in the ways of the LORD.
Let us encourage one another to love and good works, to be light to the world, to make a difference where God has placed us.