The Fact of Evil and wickedness.

[brakelite]

As the title suggests, there is evil in this world. It cannot be denied, glossed over, nor ignored. The question many ask however is 'why doesn't God do something about it'? The answer is, He has. He has established a people who in the midst of the evil can represent Him.
As we witness the evil of this world, be it on our news channels, next door, or in our own families, our relationship with Jesus gives each of us the basis for how we react. Those without Christ can over time and under repeated experiences, become cold and indifferent. For those of us however who have the love of God abiding in our hearts, we react quite differently. Revulsion...horror...for the act; compassion, pity, for the victim; even love and mercy for the perpetrator (unless of course we are witnesses to a natural disaster). What we have that helps us all to cope, is hope. Hope in the power of the gospel to change lives. Hope in the power of God to heal and mend the broken-hearted. And hope that in the final analysis, judgement, justice and mercy shall finally declare the child of God innocent and all our tears, fears, anxieties, sorrows, and pain shall be forgotten in the midst of eternal joy and love.
For the present, it is the hope of the gospel that we have to share with those who are without hope. It is in the power of a risen Savior that all who are suffering as a result of evil may find peace, despite pain, and fear.

"For I know the thoughts I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you grounds for hope. Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

 

[farout]

Greetings and Merry Christmas Brakelite! New Zeland is a far away place from Missouri where I live. I think where you live we call it "down under".
Yes the Lord does indeed know our thoughts. The world today all over is searching for something to fill their hearts. Sex, drugs, material things, all seem like the answer to some, but they never find real peace or love that God has for those who seek Him with all their hearts. Our world is filled with hate, murder, and sins of all kinds. I join you in your love for Jesus Christ and telling others of the LOve God has shown us by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Blessings to you.

 

[brakelite]

LOL @farout yes, greetings to you also and a very merry Christmas from 'down under' to you and your family. I think that when 'down under' is referred to most connect the term with Australia, that great sand dune over the ditch from us. But we Kiwis, as distant cousins, and close neighbors, are not too averse from accepting that we also live 'down under', even more so from the majority of Aussies.
What I particularly like about that quoted verse from Jeremiah 29:11-13, is that it reveals to us what His thoughts are toward us. Not thoughts of damnation, or condemnation, not even to the unsaved, but thoughts of peace. Thoughts of atonement, thoughts of reconciliation. As Jesus said, He did not come to condemn, but "to seek and save that which was lost". This is tremendously encouraging. Even for the unsaved...especially for the unsaved. God does not desire to see the wicked perish, no no, but earnestly desires and seeks to convert each sinner into a saint....to change lives for good....to change them for ever.....to free everyone (saint and sinner alike) from the shackles of sin, addictions, depression, mental illness, sickness, and give them power to make positive choices that lead to an abundant life.
To all who don't know Jesus....don't let the devil and the powers of darkness dominate and destroy your futures nor the futures of your children....read again the words of Jeremiah 29:11-13; these are words of hope for you and your families. Jesus desires that you live abundant, rich, peaceful and contented lives.

 

[HarpT]

As the title suggests, there is evil in this world. It cannot be denied, glossed over, nor ignored. The question many ask however is 'why doesn't God do something about it'? The answer is, He has. He has established a people who in the midst of the evil can represent Him.
As we witness the evil of this world, be it on our news channels, next door, or in our own families, our relationship with Jesus gives each of us the basis for how we react. Those without Christ can over time and under repeated experiences, become cold and indifferent. For those of us however who have the love of God abiding in our hearts, we react quite differently. Revulsion...horror...for the act; compassion, pity, for the victim; even love and mercy for the perpetrator (unless of course we are witnesses to a natural disaster). What we have that helps us all to cope, is hope. Hope in the power of the gospel to change lives. Hope in the power of God to heal and mend the broken-hearted. And hope that in the final analysis, judgement, justice and mercy shall finally declare the child of God innocent and all our tears, fears, anxieties, sorrows, and pain shall be forgotten in the midst of eternal joy and love.
For the present, it is the hope of the gospel that we have to share with those who are without hope. It is in the power of a risen Savior that all who are suffering as a result of evil may find peace, despite pain, and fear.

"For I know the thoughts I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you grounds for hope. Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13

Perhaps a more apt response to, "Why isn't God doing something about it?" could be, "Well, why don't you do anything about it?" It seems far too often when people make this disclaimer, that "God isn't doing anything about it" is more like an excuse for them to dismiss it and do nothing themselves. "God could do something if He wanted to, but it's still happening so why should I take time to get involved?" But the thing about it is that God isn't responsible and it's not something that He's doing. The evil in this world is what people do to each other and that can hardly be blamed on God.

 

[Last Things]

This is 'the question of evil' which has no simple answer. Any attempt to answer undermines the deep questions and personal experiences of those that experience it.

 

[brakelite]

Perhaps a more apt response to, "Why isn't God doing something about it?" could be, "Well, why don't you do anything about it?" It seems far too often when people make this disclaimer, that "God isn't doing anything about it" is more like an excuse for them to dismiss it and do nothing themselves. "God could do something if He wanted to, but it's still happening so why should I take time to get involved?" But the thing about it is that God isn't responsible and it's not something that He's doing. The evil in this world is what people do to each other and that can hardly be blamed on God.

I remember several years ago the well known British commentator Malcolm Muggeridge was asked in an interview, "What is wrong with the world?" to which Muggeridge answered, "I am."
I agree with your view, although I believe it is really another way of saying what I had already said, that God has in fact done something about the evil of this world. By the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, God's people are living witnesses to the power of the gospel in its ability to change lives. God is in the business of changing lives. From taking the raw material of a sinful wicked man or woman and giving them heart transplants which totally reverses their mindset. Now having the mind of Christ, they eschew evil and walk in the righteous steps of their Shepherd.

 

[HarpT]

I remember several years ago the well known British commentator Malcolm Muggeridge was asked in an interview, "What is wrong with the world?" to which Muggeridge answered, "I am."
I agree with your view, although I believe it is really another way of saying what I had already said, that God has in fact done something about the evil of this world. By the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, God's people are living witnesses to the power of the gospel in its ability to change lives. God is in the business of changing lives. From taking the raw material of a sinful wicked man or woman and giving them heart transplants which totally reverses their mindset. Now having the mind of Christ, they eschew evil and walk in the righteous steps of their Shepherd.

Amen to that, brother.

 

[Christ4Ever]

I am currently reading in Isaiah and came across this. "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things."

I ask you then, does this then help us in how we are to see, experience the evil that happens in the world? Keeping in mind that we lack knowing His exact purpose in each persons life, while still keeping in mind Jeremiah 29:11-13?
YBIC
C4E
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