We live in a darkened world. It seems that wherever we go darkness is invading our nation and our world. Whether it’s violence, hatred, verbal abuse, greed, lying or stealing, evil is all to obvious and pervasive now-a-days. What as once called evil is now called good. What once was considered sinful is now being paraded around as virtue. Biblical truth is being blamed for many societal problems. Satan certainly appears to be having his hay-day in the world today.
However, we should realize that the world began in darkness -there was no light until God created it (Genesis 1:2-3). The physical light in our world comes from the sun, and as the world revolves around the sun we have alternate periods of light and darkness. But, in reality darkness is the absence of light. And anyone understands how dark it gets when there’s no light around. When stumble around at night in our homes until we can turn a light on. Darkness causes fear because we can not see what’s around that might harm us.
But there is also spiritual darkness. Before Jesus was born, spiritual darkness existed in the world. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God the world had become a place of darkness and evil. Even God’s people rebelled against Him over and over again. When the Romans began oppressing the Jewish people, the only hope left was the coming of the Messiah Jesus who had been prophesied in the Old Testament (Isaiah 9:6).
When Jesus was born as the promised Savior it was not a glorious beginning with lots fanfare and celebration, but with a humble birth in a cattle stall. He was only celebrated by some lowly shepherds. But it certainly was a world changing event. God had become man and entered the world to save us from darkness. Jesus was born to bring light to a darkened world.
1 John 1:9 says that, “God is light, in him there is no darkness at all..” So, in order to combat spiritual darkness , it was necessary for God to send his son to bring light into humanity. Sadly, there are people who reject that light and have chosen to live in darkness and evil instead. And most haven’t even realized they have done so.
“Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds are evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will exposed.“ -John 3:19-20
Over the past 2000 years people reject Jesus and his message of salvation and continue to live in darkness and perfect evil. Paul wrote in Romans 16:19 “be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. Today we all need discernment about what is evil and what is good in our nation and the world. “Hate evil and do what is good.”(Romans 12:9). In other words we should turn away from evil and see what is good. Paul’s advice to us in Romans 12:21 is “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
We should not despair about what’s going on in the world or lose hope because there is still light in the world, even though other people don’t think so. Jesus still reigns in our world, he hasn’t taken his light away yet.
Chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that we may declare the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light.
If we have the light of Jesus, we should be able to see the evil and darkness around us. That is what we need to be able to discern the evil and declare what is truly good.
Their are people who are very clever who make virtuous-sounding arguments that are harmful to us if we pursue or follow them. The best way to stand against that is to stand on God’s Word. The best weapon we have to stand against the evil in the world is God’s Word. The Bible has to become our armor to withstand Satan’s attacks.
We must accept God’s call to share his light with others so they can come out of the darkness. No one likes to be pressured into believing something. But, we can love people, and not spread hate for anyone.
We can share the light by loving people and not loving the darkness in them.
“Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will real a harvest if we do not give up.“ -Galatians 6:9
Let’s overcome the evil in our world with God’s goodness. Love and not hate. Good and not repaying evil for evil.
From Pity to Praise 