Here are some of the Bible passages that present the ideas found in the series, A Reflection on Our Fear of Death.
What Do We Learn about Evil in this World?
Some of us will only live for moments in this fallen world. Others of us will spend many years here. Why that is the case remains a mystery. But during our time here, we are learning important truths about evil.
We are learning that evil inhabits every single one of us and that we are all unable to live perfect lives.
- Romans 3:23: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
We are discovering that evil in all its forms is ultimately destructive and harmful to ourselves and others.
- Galatians 5:15,19-21: If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. [...] The acts of the flesh 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. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Evil also fills us with fear, shame, and guilt and makes us want to hide from others, ourselves, and God.
- Genesis 3:7-8: Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
We are being awakened to the fact that our inability to rule this earth the way God wants is the source of injustice, wars, interpersonal conflicts, disasters, destruction, and suffering.
This suffering helps us understand that we need to be freed from evil, be restored to God’s perfect image, and learn to rule this world under his orders and not his enemy’s.
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Matthew 6:9-13: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
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Romans 8:29: For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.
And that deliverance from evil is exactly what God’s solution to death invites us to experience.
Next: God’s Planned Solution to Our Rebellion
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