From the Pulpit: This Present Evil World

Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen -Galatians 1:3-5

            The book of Genesis teaches us God created the universe and all that it contains in seven days. An integral part of that creation is this world along with all it comprises, and when He is done the Lord looks over all He has made and views it to be “…very good” (Genesis 1:31). In the beginning, before the original sin of Adam and Eve, the world exists in perfection, beauty and holiness. But in the third chapter of Genesis Satan appears in the form of a serpent and tempts Adam and Eve to transgress God’s command, resulting in His perfect creation becoming marred and fallen. Suddenly, that which is good becomes both wicked and vile, which means this world is less than a perfect environment.  In our text, the apostle Paul refers to the Earth as this present evil world (v 4), and as we examine this concept, we are going to discover three fundamental truths.

            First of all, this present evil world is controlled by Satan. In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul refers to the devil as “…the god of this world…” (2 Corinthians 4:4), but this doesn’t mean Jehovah God has ceded this world to Satan; instead, it means fallen humanity has “…changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator…” (Romans 1:25). Rather than yielding to the authority of God, people believe the devil’s lies, allow him to influence their decisions and blindly follow him in their everyday lives. Due to the sin of Adam and Eve the entire human race is in a depraved state and thereby subject to the persuasion of the devil.

            There are two factors we need to keep in mind when it comes to the control Satan has over this world, and the first of these is the truth that he wields great power.  In the book of Revelation we are told “…the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth…” (Revelation 12:9), and following this a loud voice out of Heaven declares “…Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath…” (Revelation 12:12). We can witness the power of the evil one as innocent babies are aborted by the thousands, children are exploited by pedophiles and pornographers, drugs, alcohol, gambling and other addictions destroy lives and wickedness permeates every aspect of society.  With a legion of demons at his disposal, “…the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  But the truth believers need to keep in mind is the apostle John’s glorious declaration “…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

            A second factor we need to be aware of concerning Satan’s power is the reality that he is working out an evil, sadistic plan. We know that God has a plan in place whereby He is redeeming fallen humanity and preparing for them a glorious place in eternity, but the devil is likewise doing all he can to drag lost souls into the bowels of hell. It is Satan’s purpose to undermine all God is endeavoring to do through any means possible. He uses lies, disguises himself as an angel of light, and attempts to deceive the very elect in an attempt to tear down all thatthe Almighty is attempting to build up.  But the truth of the matter is Satan’s evil plans will one day come to naught as Christ appears to gather the saints of God unto Himself.  In that day “…The kingdoms of this world [will] become the kingdoms of our Lord…” (Revelation 11: 15), and “…the righteous [shall] shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father…” (Matthew 13:43).

         Not only is this present evil world controlled by Satan, but second of all it is contaminated by sin.  As we seek to understand the impact of sin upon our lives, we need to realize first of all that it is anything contrary to God’s will.  This means if He instructs us to do a certain deed and we fail to do it, we have sinned (the sin of omission).  Likewise, if He forbids us from performing a specific action and we do it anyway, we have sinned (the sin of commission).  God’s will is always best for our lives in that it radiates from a heart of live, furthers His divine plan and results in His blessings and favor upon our lives.

            Secondly, as we seek to understand the impact of sin upon our lives, we need to realize that it is motivated by pride and arrogance. As Satan confronts Eve concerning eating of the forbidden fruit, he tells her that by partaking of it “…ye shall be as gods…” (Genesis 3:5). In other words, the devil is appealing to Eve’s ego in that he is telling her she can possess something greater than God intended for her to have and thereby become something greater than He intended for her to be. Pride lies at the root of all sin, for by transgressing God’s commands we are placing our will above His. We have been created with free will, which means we have the ability to choose; therefore, we can either humbly accept God’s perfect will for our lives, or we can arrogantly ignore His will as we seek to become the master’s of our own destiny.

            As we further seek to understand the impact of sin upon our lives, we must understand that it is more deadly, damaging, and damning than we realize.  Most people view sin as nothing more than a flaw in their character, a bump in the road of life or a simple mistake.  We tend to compare ourselves to other people, and by doing so see ourselves in a positive light.  But we need to start viewing sin from Heaven’s perspective, for by doing so we see it as the hideous, revolting, devastating evil it is.  Sin is so repulsive that it takes the blood of Calvary to eradicate it and so appalling in the sight of God that Jesus Christ has to die in order that it might be destroyed.  All of us “…like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way [but] the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53: 6).  Only Christ the Lord can save our immortal soul and thereby assure us of a home in Heaven when our life on Earth is over.

            Not only is this present evil world controlled by Satan and contaminated by sin, but third of all it is condemned by Scripture. Christians may have to live in the world, but they don’t have to be of the world. It is possible to live our lives in such a way that we avoid worldliness altogether.  We don’t have to go to the world’s bars, gambling palaces and houses of prostitution, and we don’t have to laugh at the world’s dirty jokes, accept the world’s evil policies or associate with the world’s wicked ways.  We don’t have to look like the world, sound like the world or smell like the world; instead, we are called upon to be both salt and light as we attempt to have a positive, godly impact upon all we meet.

            The apostle John instructs us to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world…” (1 John 2:15), and he goes on to say “…If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15-16).  Both the Old and the New Testament admonish believers to live separated lives from this world as they come out from among them and touch no unclean thing (see Isaiah 52:11; 2 Corinthians 6: 17), and the apostle James warns us that “…the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).

            In the days of Noah humanity had become so wretched, willful, wanton and worldly that God destroyed them with a devastating flood, but following the deluge He gives the promise that He will never again destroy the Earth with water.  Instead, through the apostle Peter we are told “…the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).  This will result in “…new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13), and this revamped (purified) Earth will exist throughout eternity. 

            In conclusion, in his epistle to the Galatians, Paul refers to this present evil world (v 4), and through this message, we have discovered that it is controlled by Satan, contaminated by sin, and condemned by Scripture. This world can be a dark and foreboding place fraught with danger, doom, and destruction, but the children of God are promised peace and protection as they hold to God’s unchanging hand.  In the present day and time, the world may be dominated by evil tendencies, but it is still under God’s divine control.  In a time of the Almighty’s choosing, Christ will return, Christians will be raptured, and the world will be transformed.  “…Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20)!