Into the Fire

                       (Originally posted on March 15, 2017)

There is no good in evil. The parallel opposites run infinitely into oblivion. On a daily basis humanity is asked to choose one behavior over another time and time again. It's not always an easy choice to make. We'd like to think it is. But it is not.

The human kind are incessantly lured into evil. In school we tend to think some of it is "cool", "hip", "whatever". Hopefully in adulthood we've learned some of the hard consequences of entertaining and/or practicing some evil. Because evil isn't always wrapped up in psychopathic personas with horrendous weaponry and vulgarity. Often it's portrayed beautifully, richly, elegantly, and softly beckons us to participate in its poisonous brew. If it was always so obvious, only the deviants would be captivated by it.

Yes, if you asked ten people to define evil, you might get ten different opinions and be startled by the responses. Evil has been modified over the passing number of years, eroding the starkness of its definition. The moral compass of acceptable conduct has stretched to an ugly length and tucked many into adopting its deceit.

The saddest part of the acceleration of evil is when Christians slide into it without reservation, accumulating habits and behaviors they initially rejected because of their resistance toward evil. Somehow, they've been beguiled by the master of evil into thinking much of what they formerly embraced and respected has become less attractive, too rigid, and not as much fun as the regression into who they once were before Jesus rescued them.

It was once called "back-sliding" but now it's somehow covered by a human definition of God's endless love. Rather than the knowledge of what is encompassed in the declaration of God is love, they ignore the overall character of God's inclusion of discipline and judgment, enabling evil through pious exaltations of false grace and liberty while criticizing other believers who recognize the danger of "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil."

There is no good in evil. Dressed up or dressed down, evil will destroy us if we welcome it into our lives in any of its various forms. We play with it, we pay for it. Our God is merciful and full of grace, but He doesn't tolerate His saints embracing sin. Ultimately there is hell to pay. That Blood is too precious to be disregarded and forgotten in order to practice an evil of choice.

The decision to choose good or evil only matters when God's good is at the base of that choice. He is it. He defines it. His definition is the only one that counts.

There is no good in evil.

Father, help me to resist the various ways evil taunts me. Please continue to help me be the one you want me to be. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.