Are we evil?

By Beth Peltola

There’s a lot of evil around.

Depending on who you talk to, evil will look different to different people. Modern society has little boundaries on what is considered ‘wrong’, but even with current society’s excesses, a sense of evil might break through into people’s consciences.

For some, evil is committed only by a select group, and if your own group engages in similar deeds, it is no longer considered evil. For others, evil is done only by a certain religious group, or, only the religious, or an ethnic group; But thine own group shalt do no wrong.

Human beings are hypocrites; Across the board. Humans lack grace. Offer little kindness. Harbour hearts of division.

The Human race engages in horrific atrocities, especially when the healing hand of Christ no longer sears our consciences.

Human philosophies try to grapple with the felt pain of evil.

Some tell us evil is needed to balance good. This need for evil, is simply cruel. Others teach control and suppression, as a way to kill off behaviour unbefitting to their particular cause. Others encourage its adherents to act out evil against those who do not agree with them. Vehicles, knives and threats become righteous, when used against non-believers. Some encourage hysteria, then control. Still others empower mayhem, destruction, and aggression, when if done in the name of a their cause, is then deemed righteous. But lives are left hurt and destroyed. Hard hearts look the other way, holding fast to the misconception that it was for the better good. More oppressive laws are implemented trying to bandage deep wounds impossible to heal. The hope is that those on ‘the other side’ will have their excesses, usually called freedom, reigned in.

There’s a disregard for life in the Western world. A battle for control over others. Excessive destruction of the tiniest of lives, the youngest of us all, through to the elderly, sometimes disregarded, and left alone to die.

Trials and arrests allow for no mistake, and when rulings disagree with your cause, calls for hatred and harm ring from mansion owners, sitting rulers, down to street-dwellers. Hatred reigns, communities hurt, families divide.

Make no mistake - we are evil.

But there is a way to secure transformation and healing…

You won’t find Christ-followers (Christians) throwing bricks through windows, burning down another person’s property, threatening to kill, stabbing politicians or mowing down Christmas parades. You won’t hear hate, or threat, or abuse in those who truly know Christ.

If you do - they don’t know Christ. Christ is not their King, nor the one who has dominion over their lives.

To be clear, if you claim to be a Christian, yet the following verses describe you, only a cry of repentance and surrender to the healing hand of Christ will rescue (and transform) you:

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.Christ outlines what His character will look like, when He resides through the Holy Spirit, in those that truly love Him
Galatians 5:19-21

What a clear description of modern society!

Galatians 5:19-21 is the current western world. For sure, it describes the world-over, but for now we are commenting on the condition of Western society.

Every day, without fail, Western societies churn out dissension, riots, hate, selfish ambition, lies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, lewdness, outbursts of wrath… Our news channels make sure we never forget. The mirror they hold up - often distorted to their particular biasses - cannot hide the destruction of the heart and mind of the Western World.

We are broken.

But our story does not need to end here.

Throughout this beautiful earth there are people who quietly follow the Christ. He calls us to have dominion over this world; Dominion, when imbued with God’s exhortation, leads human beings to nurture, restore and explore God’s incredible earth, and seek the same for every other human being around us.

The character of Christ reigns in the lives of those who love and worship him. They are free to display love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, mercy and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

Holy Scripture affirms the right standing of God’s people:

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
(Galations 5:1)

This is what society is looking for - freedom from bondage. Christ offers it to all who wish to receive it.

Many cry out against their enslavement, the bonds around their heart and mind, societal discomfort and and feelings of suppression, felt, historical, real or made up. It, is at the heart of many a persons angst and hatred. Yet Christ has provided the release from this bondage, historical or present, real or imagined.

We, and our ancestors, have all suffered some form of bondage at some point, yet we can all be free.

For the Christian, freedom is secure, even in the tumult of suppression and persecution. For the love of Christ is always our path to freedom.

The Lord wishes to remove human law from our hearts - the law that leads to rage and excessive hate, riots, looting and destruction. In its place He promises the transforming power of the Spirit of God to live within us, nurture and empower us to also be able to nurture and empower others to good, beauty and freedom.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Galatians 5:19-21

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Christian, if you are of Christ, the Spirit given to you has given you freedom to be the healing balm society so desperately needs.

We do not need to remain evil.

Now therefore be filled with the Spirit of God:

‘love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…’. Against this, there is no law, simply freedom.