Good Vs Evil : God Is Victorious

Good Vs Evil: God is Victorious

This month we are looking into the theme of Good Vs evil. And this month is probably the most appropriate month to look at the theme in India. These couple of months are the months of Puja around us, The Dusserah, the Duga Puaja and then the Diwali. If you have looked into the causes of these festivals, you will realise that all of them originate from the Good Vs Evil concept. The victory of Good Vs Evil. So the concept of Good Vs Evil itself is not new nor is it specific to us Christians. I guess ever since the fall, the concept of Good Vs Evil has attracted attention, and the fallen world continues to look for ways to keep this topic alive.

So what makes this topic special to us? How are we different, how can we celebrate our victory over evil in a different manner?

Let us look at the reading for today. 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 (NKJV) “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For "He has put all things under His feet." But when He says "all things are put under Him," it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”

The victory of Good over evil that we celebrate is brought about by no ordinary act. It is not just through the physical slaying and defeat of one evil being. It is not by any ordinary sacrifice. The victory of good over evil that we are called to celebrate is brought about by the death and the resurrection of God’s own son Jesus Christ. If through Adam, death came to mankind, through Jesus Christ came the resurrection. So our victory comes with an eternal hope. Hope and assurance of an eternal life with Jesus. The reading says “all shall be made alive” . That is the glorious promise of the victory that Jesus won on the cross and the empty tomb.

However, I am sure some of us might have asked, and it is a genuine question, if we have won the battle, why do we still have pain and suffering? Why do we have unbelief? Why do we have rape and murder and riots and accidents and illnesses and natural calamities etc etc?

Here is where our reading from today comes to our rescue. True, God has given us victory already. 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 (NKJV) says “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” And the beauty is that there is more to come. Much more to come. 1 Corinthians 15:24-26 (NKJV) says “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” He will put an end to all authority and power the word says. He will put all enemies under his feet, says the word, death has been defeated on the cross, and this verse here says it will be destroyed finally. So, that is the hope that we have in Christ. So, while we shake our heads at the things happening in the world today, while we mourn sickness and suffering and death in this current world, we are called to stand firm in this promise that all evil will come to an end and the whole creation will be delivered to God the Father.

Now, let us remember that this victory is given to us through Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57). Hence it is important to examine how Jesus brings the victory. He does not bring victory by the worldly standards. He has his own methods of bringing in the victory