How Evil Always Works

Scripture: For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. Therefore, did what is good become death to me? Absolutely not! But sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure. Romans 7:11-13

Observation: Paul makes an interesting argument about the Law, though he has to carefully discuss it for the matter is complex. The simplified version is this. In order to teach man not to sin, the Lord gave us guidance about what is right and wrong behavior. As a result of that very guidance, we sin. If we didn't have the guidance we would just do as God says, but upon being given a choice, evil steps in and we do the wrong thing.

This does NOT make the Law evil. This does not make the definition of 'good' a source of evil because knowledge of good results in us doing something else. However, this does make the Law and knowledge about good a place where the deceiver ... evil ... satan ... can create the lies to lead us into missteps. Today, just like in Paul's time, that twisting of the Law and what is good creates evil in human hearts.

Application: When I knowingly commit sin, it is almost always coupled with the idea that I am doing good, or at least that I am not breaking God's teaching. A simple example ... when I lie in order to spare someone's feelings, I tell myself I am showing kindness toward them as Jesus taught us ... yet I am lying, I violation of the 9th commandment.

And that is just the most basic example, applying to me and likely easily applying to almost every person of faith who desires to be obedient to Jesus. In the world today, so many good things have been twisted into evil purposes, and so many good intentions directly produce sin. All around us, humans find ways of justifying sin through the lens of goodness and love ... or at least I do.

This is the way evil always works. It is perfectly comfortable in pointing out that 'yes, this is the commandment and teaching of God' ... then guides us into finding a loophole, works on our pride to make us believe we can make good judgments, and creates the scenario where such decisions and tradeoffs are necessary. I wish I recognized this in real time more often.

Prayer: Lord, again today I say, thank you for your love and mercy. Without them, I would be a dead man walking without hope. It is only by your forgiveness that I have a future. Please again forgive me of my sins this day, and guide me in the way of your Word. May I cling to, and meditate upon, your Word day and night. Amen.