Empowering Evil
Am I leveraging my limited thought, energy, finances, and effort on swapping bandages to cover festering wounds, or am I treating the root disease?
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. —2 Chronicles 7:14
God allows no neutrality. Am I part of the problem, or am I part of the solution?
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” —Matthew 12:30
If enough people in my
Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. —1 Corinthians 5:6b–8
Tolerating my own personal sin in one area normalizes behavior and empowers others to tolerate sin in other “unrelated” areas
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. —Hebrews 12:14–16
Scripture interprets Scripture! “Root of Bitterness” does not mean hanging on to resentment over past hurts.
Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from Yahweh our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, 19 one who, when he hears the words of this sworn covenant, blesses himself in his heart, saying, ‘I shall be safe, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart.’ This will lead to the sweeping away of moist and dry alike. 20 Yahweh will not be willing to forgive him, but rather the anger of Yahweh and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and the curses written in this book will settle upon him, and Yahweh will blot out his name from under heaven. —Deuteronomy 29:18–20
Genuine disciples of Jesus Christ have forfeited the luxury of thinking only about themselves without regard for the effect of their lives on the world around them
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” —Matthew 5:13–16
If you want to see genuine restoration and renewal in the world around you…
- Govern yourself according to the Way of Jesus Christ by the power of God’s Spirit
But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed —Romans 6:17
For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (see also Ezekiel 36:26-27) —Romans 8:13
- Work with your church body to recruit others our of the domain of darkness and call to govern themselves according to the Way of Jesus Christ by the power of God’s Spirit
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” —Matthew 28:18–20
