SATAN’S WORLD: GOOD VS. EVIL
By: C. Mason Davis
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Isaiah 5:20: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
How do you define good? How do you define bad? How do you define evil? How do you compare good to bad and good to evil? Some say that the definition of good is the absence of bad and that bad is the absence of good. Some also say the same about evil, that evil is the absence of good. We can combine the bad and evil into one categorical definition except that evil goes deeper than just being morally bad. Being bad could be things like speeding, lying, stealing, or just a bad choice. While evil could include murder, assault, and actions that show a person doesn’t care about anyone or anything to the point of having no remorse. Evil is far worse behavior than just being bad because it’s a corruption and twisting of God’s Word in a much more heinous way. But I’ll just use the word, “Evil” as to not be as repetitive during this message. Deuteronomy 30:15: “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil.” Make no mistake though, bad and evil still aren’t good no matter what one’s perception is.
God defines good as what aligns with His holiness, and evil as unbelief, idolatry, and blasphemy, or what is contrary to His laws. Romans 12:21: "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." It also warns against redefining good and evil, and emphasizes that God ultimately judges both. Psalm 37:27: "Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore." The fact is that to have good means you have to have something like evil/bad. Why? How do you know what good is without evil/bad and vice versa. The same applies to comparing good to evil. How do you know what’s bad or evil without knowing what’s good? Does that make sense to you?
What is the point of good vs evil? Good vs. evil is a fundamental moral dichotomy that represents the struggle between forces that promote virtue, justice, and morality (good) and those that lead to corruption, injustice, and immorality (evil). And what does good vs evil represent? The terms “good” and “evil” are often employed to discuss ethical actions. “Good” generally denotes behaviors that are considered upright such, as aiding others in speaking the truth, and avoiding harm. On the other hand, “evil” pertains to actions that are seen as incorrect like lying, cheating, or causing harm. But what does God say about good vs evil? God, according to the Bible, is inherently good and created a good world, but also allows for the reality of evil as a consequence of humanity's rejection of God and the exercise of free will. Hebrews 5:14: “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." The Bible commands followers to turn from evil, do good, and to "overcome evil with good" rather than returning evil for evil. Psalm 34:14: "Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it." Evil arises from human desire and is also a consequence of rejecting God's goodness.
Good is defined as what aligns with God's intentions and character, while evil is anything that departs from that, breaking relationships with God and others. Hardship teaches patience and the ability to persevere, which are important virtues for spiritual development. Difficult experiences can push individuals to rely more deeply on God for comfort, hope, and guidance, thereby increasing their trust in Him. Experiencing suffering can make people more sensitive and compassionate toward others who are also suffering. James 1:2-3: says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” Suffering can sometimes serve as an atonement for sins, or to bring others to repentance.
Another reason why God has given us both good and evil is that He wants us to come willingly to a life with Him through Jesus Christ and not forceably. This is done through God giving us “free will” so we can choose between good or evil. This freedom of choice and the resulting accountability are necessary for spiritual growth and for people to develop genuine faith and love. He could easily have created each of us to be good and without sin instead of giving us the ability to choose between good and evil. The rebellion of Satan and humanity against God is seen as the origin of evil and suffering in the world. This is also why God has allowed Satan to have authority over the current system of opposition to God. 2 Corinthians 4:4: “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News.” Thus, this is Satan’s world.
In combating the evil of Satan when we’re trying to keep the evil from distracting and deceiving us, we need to utilize the weapons that God has given us to use in spiritual wars, often referred to as the "full armor of God.” God has supplied us with 7 weapons for use in a spiritual war which are: truth, righteousness, the Gospel, faith, the hope of our salvation, the Word of God, and prayer. The word of God has been thought to be the most productive weapon to use. Utilizing the Bible is a must. Why? The Bible is the primary source of truth about God, His plan for humanity, and how to live a life pleasing to Him. The Bible is not only our foundation for truth, but it is also for guidance, spiritual growth and instruction as it equips and gives examples of discipleship, as well as addresses the challenges to every issue of life you can experience, 2,000, 3,000 or more years ago and even today.
Satan has been known to use the 3 D’s to break your faith which are distraction, deception and discouragement as he tries to capture you in three ways. First, Satan tries to get you through your vows. Don’t ever say something like; “I will never take another drink again.” You are not capable of doing that because self-control is a fruit of the spirit. Instead, you should ask Jesus Christ to make it possible to not take another drink again. That is a completely different thing than believing that I alone can take on the evil and the devices of Satan. Matthew 5:37 states: “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” What did Jesus mean by let your yes be yes and your no be no? Christ's command for believers is simple: let the words "yes" and "no" be binding in all cases. Satan is waiting for you to take a vow as he's a taunter and then able to taunt you with your own vow to work at eroding your faith. As soon as you make a vow, it's held over your head as he uses it to wear you down. Instead, you should realize that you are not enough to win this battle alone, so ask Jesus to take your place to fight the spiritual battle for you. Psalm 55:22: “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” When you do this you will feel incredibly liberated and so Jesus will come in and will win that battle. The second way is that Satan takes hold when we are disobedient especially in terms of the flesh. Satan is a master of being able to capture us when we engage in repetitive intentional fleshly sin. These are the things that feel good that we know are not good for us especially in the sexual domain. That's where Satan is licking his chops because he knows he's got you. He knows that's where human beings are their weakest. This is why it says in the New Testament to flee from sexual immorality. In first Peter 5:8; it says: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” The third thing is who you surround yourself with and what you put into your mind and soul when you’re with them. It's very important to know this because you are a combined moving average of the five people you spend the most time with. Are those five people glorifying God and benefitting your life?
The truth is not only always pleasant, but it can even be used to promote evil. "A truth that's told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent." Satan is the father of lies, but he reveals right from the start that he recognizes that truth can often be even more effective than lies in accomplishing his purpose. 1 Corinthians 15:33: "Do not be deceived: Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” If you think the devil never tells the truth, then you have not read Gen. 3 very closely. In verse 5 the subtle serpent tells Eve that when she eats of the forbidden fruit her eyes will be opened, and she will be like God knowing good and evil. Fallen man is more divine than an innocent man, and so the fall must have been good. Jeremiah 13:23: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." Many conclude that God intended man to fall just because it was the way for Him to become more godlike. Man does have this knowledge and is a moral being, and is responsible for choosing good and avoiding evil. Genesis 3:22: "And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever." The Bible refers to the knowledge of good and evil as a precious gift. God admits here that it is a quality of His own nature, and so to have it is to partake of the divine nature. In 1 Kings 3:9: “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?”
In 2 Samuel 14:17; “Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.” If man lives forever with the knowledge of good and evil, but with a will that is not committed to good and loyalty to God, he will be an eternal rebel. God already has eternal rebels in Satan and his fallen angels. He does not intend to allow man to himself. This way He can give them eternal life and win an ultimate victory over Satan. God's plan is not to have men who are living forever, but to have men who are living forever in fellowship with Him. A Christ like person can have the knowledge of good and evil, but only those who can die can be resurrected and restored to perfection. When the angels fell God cast them into hell to await the judgment, but man is not put in a place of torment, but in a place of toil, but with a promise of deliverance. There is no comparison between the fall of angels and the fall of man. The angels fell from within, but men fell because of outside pressure, and so there was a radical difference in the nature of their fall, and in the nature of their judgment.
Today I challenge you to live to a higher standard instead of seeking to triumph over others in worldly battles. Find true victory by overcoming the evil within yourself. The struggle between good and evil is not just about broad issues, but about the "transformed heart" that is consistently turned toward God. The victory is decided in the choice to seek and know God. This transforms the fight from an external battle into a personal, spiritual one. When you leave here today, extend God's peace to the world and refuse to be anyone’s enemy. Remind yourself that responding to evil with kindness, grace, and humility is one of the greatest demonstrations of the strength of your faith in God. And this I pray for us all. Amen.
