ABSTAINING FROM EVIL

A primary school teacher once asked his pupils for the synonym of evil, he got a chorus answer -'bad', 'wicked', 'devilish', 'dreadful', 'painful' etc he asked further if someone could describe  the word 'evil',one of the pupils got up not having a word of expression grinned and frowned deeply then said 'something very very baaaad'. 

This is just a human view point,what about God's,ponder on this.
Men do evil when they are subtly deceived by the devil through his multifaceted wiles and schemes and for some their consciences have been seared with a hot iron and so habitually do evil.

Evil in its simplest  form is the opposite of good while good itself is anything worthy of commendation because of its inherent moral value and beneficial external effects.

Worthy of note first of all is that, evil can never be good, evil proves harmful always,causing great loss and suffering.  Evil can be traced to the devil,infact the world is said to lie in the power of the evil one (1Jn5;19,Eph 2;2),the devil with his various schemes subtly deceives men to do evil,scriptures refer to him as the deceiver of the whole world (Rev12;9) though some men habitually disobey God because they have seared their conscience with a hot iron,nevertheless the devil is the source of evil which he introduced at the fall of man.        

In shedding light on this topic it would be necessary to take a look at the position of the christian as it concerns this world,evil and the devil.

This world in context does not just talk about the physical earth but a system,an order an apt and harmonious arrangement being referred to in the Greek as the word "cosmos". That the devil reigns over the system of this world is clear from bible (Jn12;31,Jn14;30,2Cor4;4),when Adam and eve were deceived and made a choice for the devil they lost dominion and the devil began to reign in the affairs of this world (Rom6:19),this is evident throughout the ages until the advent of Christ Jesus. The christian is one who has been delivered from the meshes of the fallen world,through his faith in Christ Jesus he has experienced a rebirthing from God (Jn1;13) and he is no longer a natural man but posseses a new nature which empowers him to live above evil.   

The christian though in this world is no longer of the world that is though living in this world is not part of the fallen world system,he has been redeemed but lives in it as a stranger and an ambassador for Christ and handles the world as his field of service.

Living in this world however one is faced with varying situations and circumstances that puts one in positions of either obeying God or responding positively to our natural apppetites or the flesh.      

To abstain from evil therefore is to actively hold oneself back from evil,this requires a deliberate step of knowing the will of God,identifying a potential pitfall and refraining from the path of evil with an intention to obey God.When the devil brings those evil suggestions to our minds,instead of brooding over them we should rather take a position for Christ and completely avoid such compromising situations,it could come in the form of undefined relationships,ungodly associations,harmful exposures like obscenity,pornography or bad habits as anger,malice,addictions or things generally which are not convienient,evil does not usually present itself as so,but as one tows its path it reveals itself and brings unpleasant consequences.

Obedience is the key to abstain from evil, a life completely governed by God evidenced through the leading of the Spirit is one who abstains from evil.When evil suggestions flashes our mind let us know like in the temptation of Jesus that the christian's allegiance is solely to God and our response is to obey him and fulfil his will.THIS IS THE WAY TO ABSTAIN FROM EVIL.

IN THE EVIL DAYS (Eph 5:16, 6:10-18)

When we see a scripture like Eph 5:16 which describe the days as evil, and Eph 6:13, which talks about the evil day, it begs the question – “What are the evil days?”  From scriptures, the days we live in are the evil days. The days are evil because of the evil world system orchestrated by the Devil, which is against the cause of Christians and Christianity. It is a major cause of the antagonism, battles, temptations and contrary situations and several challenges that assail us on several fronts. If there is anytime we need to walk as believers circumspectly, it is the days that we live in – for scriptures tell us how to walk in these evil days (Eph 5:15-16].

There could be a tendency to see the things that happen to us as accidental. But it is key for us to know that nothing happens to us by accident. As believers our lives and the circumstances that we face are predicated on God’s purpose, such that even when we face contrary situations, God’s purpose is to bring out the best in us. There is a perspective to adopt when we face situations in life, whether good or bad. It is important that we have a proper approach to facing the things that come our way. An understanding of the way the world system functions is strategic, if we are not to focus on the wrong things. For example, there is a tendency to focus on people who we consider enemies and situations, without looking beyond them to the real cause – the world system and its wiles orchestrated by the Devil.

Ephesians 6 speaks of the wiles of the Devil. This connotes subtlety and deceitfulness. The system of this world operates in such a way that you are ensnared and taken unawares before you realize it. For example work is legitimate and bible encourages it, but there are some work places and demands which could constitute a stumbling block to our spiritual progress. There is a way to work and a way not to work. A backslidden state could gradually creep in when because of work demands a believer does not have time for study of God’s word, prayers, fellowship. Alternatively, it could be through wasting time on fleshly pleasures, films, internet and other things which we fill our minds with, which affects our thought life and decisions and reactions to circumstances beyond what we realize. These are some of the subtle means the Devil uses which we are often unaware of. Doubtless, the Devil is a great schemer, but for God through His Spirit within us, we have the greatest edge we ever need. To stand against the wiles of the devil in the evil day, Bible instructs us to put on the whole armour of God (Eph 6:11).

The instruction about putting on the whole armour of God in Ephesians 6:11 is prefaced by the charge for believers to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might in Ephesians 6:10. This is instructive as it emphasizes the God-factor as the key to our triumph when faced with challenges of the evil day. When you see your strength in the living God you can counter and overcome whatever wiles come your way. Your confidence should be in the Lord, knowing that all power is in His hands (Mt 28:17). Focus should therefore never be on the wiles, on a sin problem, but on the Lord. Furthermore, the responsibility of putting on the whole armour of God is on the believer, not on God or of the pastors. It is something which the believer must do himself. It must also be something that must be done on a continual basis.

Before examining the pieces or constituents of the Christian armour, it is important to see the emphasis that scriptures put on the word, “stand”. Thrice in Eph 6:11, 13, and 14 the word is repeated. In essence it is a war won by standing – standing in the faith.

Elements of Christian armour

Truth [Eph 6:14]:  The state of the heart answering to God's truth; inward, practical acknowledgment of the truth as it is in Him: the agreement of our convictions with God's revelation. Secondarily, it involves truthfulness, sincerity, straightforwardness (Col 3:9, Eph 4:25). Without truth we cannot stand against the wiles of the Devil.

Breastplate of righteousness [Eph 6:14]:  The breastplate protected the heart of the Roman soldier. In the same way, we are to allow the consciousness of the righteousness we obtained in Christ pervade and guard our hearts

Gospel of peace [Eph 6:15]: The same way the shoes of the Roman soldier protected his feet, and gave him surefooting, we are to allow the gospel do the same for us. The gospel breeds confidence, assurance and peace, irrespective of whatever circumstances we find ourselves (Rom 8:37-39)

Shield of faith [Eph 6:16]: This essentially speak of allowing trust and confidence in the ability of the living God be act as a shield of defence against the assault and wiles of the Devil, much the same way the shield of the Roman soldier was his defense from the fiery darts (arrows) of the enemy. We should let our faith/trust be in God. You know your trust is in God when a situation threatens to overwhelm you, but you are quick to rely on God alone, and not on anything external. We should realize that trust in the living God will never fail. Man could fail, but He that believes in Him will never be put to shame.

Helmet of salvation [Eph 6:17]:   The head is a critical part of the body, and the helmet offered protection for the head of the Roman soldier. For the believer, against the wiles of the Devil, and in spiritual warfare, salvation should play the critical role of the helmet. Consciousness of the integrity, security and reality of our salvation is an extremely potent weapon of defence against the wiles of the Devil.

The Sword of the Spirit [Eph 6:17]:  The weapon of offense, attack and advancement of the Roman soldier was the sword. In a spiritual sense, the equivalent for the believer is the word of God. This brings to the fore the importance of consistent study and application of the word of God. It programmes us to react appropriately when the wiles come, as they inevitably always do

Conclusion

If we are to stand in the evil days that we live in, we should learn to rely always on the strength of the Lord and put on His armour at all times. Finally, we should also bear in mind that it is our responsibility and not God’s or any other person to equip ourselves with that armour at all times.

KNOWLEDGE FOR PROGRESS

The world can be divided into two broad categories, using knowledge as a parameter – those that know; and those that do not know. Christianity is primarily about knowing. In the mundane, what makes someone better, what gives an edge or superiority is usually the insight, understanding or knowledge he possesses. This is why they say knowledge is power. If you are ignorant, you are marginalized. Ignorance is not an excuse. Knowledge places you above the rest. Little wonder Moses desired to know God’s ways, while all the other Israelites knew were His acts (Ex 33:13). He understood the fundamental importance of the knowledge of God. The bible places a high premium on knowledge and the Church must never desist from this biblical prescription – that is why churches that recognize this always recommend that Christians should know.

Some, perhaps due to disillusionment with those possessed with great quantum of knowledge, not living by it, erroneously  endorse ignorance. Ignorance is however never a viable alternative. Some express similar sentiments and even downplay knowledge citing scriptures, “knowledge puffs up but love edifies”. In other words, they say that love is what matters, and not knowledge. However, the Bible actually indicates that knowledge is the bedrock of the expression of Christian love (Php 1:9). The antidote to not living by the knowledge we are possessed of it is to know it better, and encourage people to live by what they know. When it comes to Christianity the fallacy that “what you do not know cannot kill you”, does not hold water. For even in the world, such reasoning is flawed. It does not make sense for a person with HIV that makes this kind of statement would pay for it with premature death. What has accounted for the extremely lower deaths from HIV and infant mortality in developed countries, relative to underdeveloped countries is one crucial factor – KNOWLEDGE. They did not choose to be ignorant about those diseases, they sought knowledge applied the knowledge and were able to bring it under near total control in terms of deaths. Knowledge is key to life – not human knowledge, but divine knowledge. This is knowledge that is therefore being advocated for Christian progress.

The knowledge of God differs from human knowledge (Is 55:8), in addition, it is superior to human knowledge (Is 55:9), and far above the knowledge of man, whether it is science or philosophy. It is different and superior to knowledge acquired from the several manmade religions of the world, including the so-called “Christian religion” (for Christianity is not a religion). Even man’s knowledge that there is a God (called general revelation), as revealed in creation and described for example in Rom 1:18-19 is not divine knowledge. The knowledge of God is not obtained from school or by smartness, but that which has been revealed by God in His word, as evaluated through the lens of redemption. This knowledge is the key to our Christianity (Rom 10:12-15). If we do not know God or seek to understand Him, there can be no true progress in Christianity. No knowledge, no progress! It is knowledge (of the truth) that separates the believer from the unbeliever, as believers are regarded as those that KNOW THE TRUTH/GOD and have accepted/obeyed/believed the gospel, while unbelievers are described as those that DO NOT KNOW THE TRUTH/GOD or have not accepted/obeyed/believed the gospel (1 Tim 4:3,  1 John 2:13-14,20-21, 2 Thes 1:8). This is why salvation is described as knowing/ or coming to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:4, John 8:32).

God revealed himself in nature (General revelation; Rom 1:19-20), but He has now revealed Himself in Christ Jesus (i.e special /divine revelation, John 1:18, Heb 1:1-3). Generally, every type of knowledge is ultimately from God, for example, science tests nature – but nature itself comes from God. Science is not necessarily anti-God. Branches of science such as Philosophy and Astrology (‘i.e studying the moon) are however, clearly anti-God and not from Him. However, the knowledge that is being emphasised as being key to progress is divine knowledge – the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus (John 14:6, Jn 8:32). It is not the knowledge of religion, for knowledge of religion is not from God (Acts 17:21-24). It is the knowledge of God revealed in Christ that saves (Acts 10:1-6,32-33,[Cornelius and family], Eph 1:12-13, 1 Tim 2:4, 2 Pt 1:3), and that fosters growth (Col 2:6-7). This is what believers should pursue and grow in an understanding of with a view to making progress.

A quest for knowledge is crucial to good Christianity (Col 3:9-10). Faith is not a leap in the dark. It does not defy logic. It might not agree with human logic, but it is always in tune with spiritual logic. Faith is also not anti-knowledge like some assert. On the contrary, there is no real faith outside knowledge (Rom 10:11-15).A man cannot be saved outside the knowledge of the gospel (1 Cor 15:1-2). In the same measure a Christian cannot make progress without knowledge, and that is why believers are exhorted to crave for (1 Pet 2:2: like a baby for its mother’s milk) and grow in knowledge (2 Pet 3:18). Many times laziness is an obstacle to this. Consequently, the bible sometimes associates laziness with ignorance – on that reasoning it can be said that laziness is not unnecessarily unwillingness to DO, but unwillingness to KNOW. As Christians and students of the word, we should seek to know and understand.

In Ephesians 1:17-18, Paul emphasised the place of knowledge in the life of the Christian in his prayers for the Ephesian church. It was his desire and prayer that in view of their blessedness in all its variegated facets such as election, predestination, adoption into sonship, acceptance, redemption, forgiveness, inheritance, salvation, sealing (Eph1:3-14) that they had an attitude of “spirit of wisdom and revelation” in the knowledge of God as revealed in Christ(Eph 1:18). The word, ‘spirit’ as used in the foregoing phrase does not mean the Holy Spirit, or the recreated human spirit, but an attitude. Without that attitude, the knowledge revealed and taught by Paul will be mere positional or theoretical truths, without any practical effects. We cannot live outside an understanding of the knowledge of God revealed in Christ Jesus. We cannot please God outside knowledge. The gap between being a Christian and living, walking in the benefits, and making progress in Christianity is knowledge (Col 1:9-12, Philemon 1:6). Whatever we know as accurate knowledge of God in the light of Christ, His person and work, we should know it more, and better.

The church today is no longer functioning properly in the proper position God placed it. The church is distinct from every other body/organization on earth, because it is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim 3:15). Rather than upholding and preserving the true knowledge of God, it has become a place where human knowledge is being proclaimed. It has become the place where management, business principles, self-help, metaphysical concepts and human motivational principles not anchored in God’s word are dispensed. This ought not to be. What gives the church its distinctiveness is the knowledge of God revealed in Christ Jesus. A man cannot know God without Jesus (John 14:6), who is the image of God and revealed God to man (Heb 1:3, John 1:1,14-18)- and without the knowledge of God He gave to humanity.  This should be the forte of the Church and what it should proclaim always – the knowledge of God.

The knowledge of God essential for progress is not mere casual knowledge, or a ‘my-pastor-said’ kind of knowledge, but knowledge matched by insight, understanding and borne out of a personal conviction (Acts 17:11-12 John 4:39-42).  This knowledge has benefits, three of which will be highlighted below.

THREE THINGS THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD WILL DO

1. It establishes our hearts in grace (Heb 13:9): To be established by grace is to be established by truth – the truth of God’s word in Christ Jesus. That is why we see that when the word “grace” is seen is scriptures, the word “truth” is sometimes annexed to it (John 1:17, 2 Pet 3:18). Receiving the grace of God in vain as seen in 2 Cor 6:1, in the light of the foregoing is being a recipient of God’s grace as believers but lacking the requisite understanding or knowledge to make progress in it. Knowledge will stabilize our hearts in the grace of God and guide us. That was why Jesus’ heart was fixed, while the disciples were not when the storms beat violently against their boat.

2. It answers the question “why”:  This is a difference between Christianity and the religions of the worlds. Religion is blind, and demands action without giving a rationale. Christianity, in stark contrast gives us a rationale for the conduct or action expected of us. Sadly, religion has crept into Christianity, for many Christians do things without having a rationale for it. Knowledge tells us why – why we should pray, give, come to church, serve, etc, and by giving us the rationale it helps keeps us stable.

3. It renews our minds (Rom 12:2): Knowledge changes what and how we think (our outlook to life) and brings it in tune with God’s outlook. It enables us to think the way He thinks, and see life and things from His perspective, and not from human or worldly perspective. For example, when we renew or minds through knowledge, we see why we should not retaliate, or repay evil with evil and leave vengeance to God instead (Heb 10:30, Rom 12:19) while relating well with those that hurt or hate us (Rom 12:14-21,1 Pet 2:18-23, 3:9). Vengeance may mean God repaying the enemy (Heb 1:13, Heb 10:13, Rev 6:9-11, 11:18,20:4: the death of Jesus will be avenged!). When God avenges, many times it vindicates the believer. However, God’s vengeance may mean also God occasioning repentance on the part of the enemy (Rom 12:20), like the Centurion at the foot of Jesus’ cross and Paul on the road to Damascus (Mt 27:54, Acts 9:1-8).

HOW TO GET KNOWLEDGE?

1. Reading: The same Paul that prayed that the Ephesians should have a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God (Eph 1:17) , also underscored READING as a key to acquiring knowledge (Eph 3:4). Reading cannot be substituted with Christian movies, Christian novels, conferences, tapes, or prayers. The Greek word for ‘read’ as, used in the original is ‘anaginosko’, which means “to know again”, to know with certainty or know with understanding. You should ask questions on what you read with a view to understanding and getting insight. Your must read your bible. When the questions of life arise, they do not ask you what your pastor said, rather it challenges  the knowledge in your heart on the issue. To respond appropriately, you need to be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding (Col 1:9-10), which makes reading crucial.

2. Considering (2 Tim 2:7): This means to think or meditate about what we read. We must ask ourselves about the meaning of what we read, and think of applications to our lives. That is what would enable us act on God’s word and make progress (1 Tim 4:15)

GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY

These were the words spoken by the angel some thousands of years ago. His task was to announce the birth of a child. His mere appearance and then the message he brought were captivating for his audience of shepherds in a field. Soon enough a choir of angels would burst out in joyous song ascribing glory to God (Luke 2: 10-14).

What made the angels rejoice? What was so special about that night?

Centuries after that memorable day, the whole world still celebrates. Santa Claus. Christmas trees. Boughs of holly. Red and green coloured decorations. Gifts and cards. Hampers. New clothes and shoes for the kids. These have all become the hallmark of our Christmas celebrations.

Sadly, not many realize the essence of that original night. More saddening is the fact that a large number of people have not experienced the impact of that unique time in history. But what made it extra-ordinary?

‘For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a SAVIOUR, which is CHRIST the LORD’ (Emphasis mine)

That child wrapped in swaddling clothes was the Lord Himself come to earth in the fashion of men (Philippians 2: 7 & 8). The very Creator had chosen to reveal Himself in the form of the created (John 1: 3 & 14). That was a miracle and a wonder to behold indeed (1^st Timothy 3: 16).

Christ was born to accomplish one purpose and one purpose alone: He was born to save us from the clutches of sin and from the hold of the devil, to reconcile us to God and make us sons of God (Matthew 1: 21, John 1: 12, Colossians 1: 20).

Before He came, all people in every place and every age stood condemned and by nature remained powerless to break free from the firm grasp of death and sin (Romans 3: 23, Ephesians 2: 1-3). Godless and hopeless, blind and weak (Ephesians 2: 12, 2^nd Corinthians 4: 4, Romans 5: 6). That is how humanity is without the work of our Saviour Jesus. But we thank God that Jesus has redeemed us.

Have you my friend experienced the liberation Jesus brought? Are you reconciled with God yet?  Do you still wallow in the miry mud of sin’s dreadful hold?

Here and now there is still an open invitation for you. Anyone that receives the offer will not be turned away. It is not a call to a religion or a sect. This is about a transformation, a miracle of inner recreation that God Himself accomplishes in everyone who believes.

Make this day a special one. Allow God do a unique thing today in you. Accept our Lord’s offer of salvation, believe in His completed work and in prayer to God declare your acceptance and conviction.

Its good tidings of great joy indeed!