Check the news stories
across the U.S. and around the world every day and you can plainly
see the daily battle between 'Good versus Evil' taking place. Think terrorists, drug cartels, greedy corporations, corrupt politicians... You can see that the difference between Good and Evil have
apparently never been explained to hundreds of millions of people. It's amazing
to observe.
I tend to come at these
concepts from a Christian point of view, but the definition of what
is Good and Evil tend to be very consistent across all religions and
societies in the world. Think about this and you'll probably agree
with that observation.
As you read the rest of
this article, think about the people and events in the news and judge
for yourself who are performing 'Good versus Evil' acts. As you might
expect, many of the Evil acts are performed by people and
organizations that are very self-centered, closed minded, and in hot
pursuit of power and money.
Contrast this in your mind
with the acts of those pursuing Good - trying to help, serve, and
care for other people and God's creation.
[Selected
Excerpts From the Bible]
Romans
12:9-21. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted
to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving
God. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless
those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those
who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one
another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of
low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for
evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it
is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with
everyone.
Do
not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it
is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the
Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he
is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap
burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evil
Matthew
15:19. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery,
sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
Mark
7:21-22. For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts,
sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
Romans
1:29-31. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness,
evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife,
deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters,
insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they
disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless,
ruthless.
1
Timothy 1: 9-10. We also know that law is made not for the righteous
but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy
and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for
murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars
and perjurers--and for whatever else is contrary to the sound
doctrine
2
Timothy 3:1-5. There will be terrible times in the last days. People
will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud,
abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without
love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not
lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of God-- having a form of godliness but denying
its power. Have nothing to do with them.
Galatians
5:19-21. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual
immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred,
discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions,
factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
Revelation
21:8. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers,
the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters
and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning
sulfur.
Revelation
22:15. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the
sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves
and practices falsehood.
Examples
of Words Describing Evil Traits or Behavior
murder
adultery
sexual
immorality
theft
false
testimony
slander
greed
malice
deceit
lewdness
envy
arrogance
wickedness
depravity
strife
malice
gossips
vile
rebellious
lawbreakers
|
sinful
unholy
perverts
slave
traders
liars
perjurers
lovers
of themselves
lovers
of money
proud
abusive
ungrateful
unholy
without
love
unforgiving
lacking
self-control
brutal
treacherous
God-haters
insolent
boastful
|
rash
conceited
debauchery
idolatry
witchcraft
hatred
discord
jealousy
fits
of rage
selfish
ambition
dissensions
envious
drunkenness
cowardly
unbelieving
disobedient
senseless
faithless
heartless
ruthless
|
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Good
1
Timothy 6:11. You, man of God, flee from all this [love of money],
and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and
gentleness.
Galatians
5:22-23. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Colossians
3:12. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience.
1
Corinthians 13:4-7. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy,
it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not
self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1
Thessalonians 5:13-18. Live in peace with each other. And we urge
you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the
weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong
for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone
else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all
circumstances.
Titus
3:1-2. Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to
be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one,
to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all
men.
2
Peter 1:5-7. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your
faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge,
self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance,
godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly
kindness, love.
Examples
of Words Describing Good Traits or Behavior
righteous
godliness
self-control
love
gentleness
kind
endurance
joyful
peaceable
patience
|
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
considerate
self-control
compassion
goodness
humility
humble
patient
|
trusting
hopeful
persevering
peace-maker
encouraging
helpful
joyful
prayerful
thankful
obedient
|
Why
do so many people not understand the difference between Good and
Evil? Apparently, there is a need to teach people the difference
because somewhere along the line they have never learned the
difference.
Think
of Islamic terrorists, drug cartels, greedy corporations, corrupt
politicians, ... Think about those that are reflecting 'Good versus Evil'
behavior. It should be obvious.
Share
this brief lesson explaining the difference between Good and Evil
with others. Apparently, many people need it. If you don't like the
heavy emphasis on Christian scripture, strip it out and share the
lesson in your own words.
