Sept 27th, 2021: Evil in The World
There is so much happening in the world today, and it is almost impossible for us to discern what is true. Tension and angst are what we commonly experience in human relationships these days. We utter threads at each other. People don't talk to one another because they disagree. People get upset because they have different stands on issues. We are experiencing the nature of evil in the world, and we don't even have the honesty and courage to name it.
The following three manifested aspects of evils are in our society today.
Unbelief: We are now showing contempt toward God by expressing our unbelief towards God. The spirit of unbelief has dwelt within the hearts of many leaders who are responsible for the well-being of nations. There is a void that comes after unbelief. What don't know how to discern meaning, exercise trust, and entertain hope. We feel deep restlessness because we have no idea how to deal with internal and external conflicts. We become fearful and insecure.
Idolatry: We will create idols when we take God out of the picture. There are many kinds of idolatry: power, reputation, control, manipulation, advancement, wealth, health, and many more. What we see happening in our world today is the clash and the fight among these idolatries. Have we ever considered how a health crisis likes Covid-19 has divided us so severely? Maybe, we are caught in our own idolatry in how to deal with it and one another.
Blasphemy: We need to be careful about when we use God's name and how we go about His business. Taking advantage of the Name of God to advance one's ambition is blasphemy. God's plan for the world is not about making ways for a specific political, social, or sexual agenda. His plan is always about the redemption of our sinful and broken world. It is blasphemy to think His plan can only be our ways of doing things. We need to put ourselves in the position to see how God reveals Himself in the lives of people with whom we disagree. Our responsibility is to discern His truth. There is truth within us, and so is falsehood.
Colossians 3:5
"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry."
Hebrews 11: 1
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
Revelation 16: 9
"Men were scorched with fierce heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory."