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Definition Of Evil In The Bible

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What Is The Definition Of Evil

A dictionary definition of evil is morally reprehensible, sinful, wicked. The definition of evil in the Bible falls into two categories: evil against one another and evil against God . From the prohibition against eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden , to the destruction of Babylon the Great , the Bible speaks of evil.

For many centuries Christians have struggled with both the existence and the nature of evil. Most people would acknowledge that evil is real and has always had devastating effects on our world. From the sexual abuse of children to the horrific terrorist attacks on 9/11, evil continues to rear its ugly head in our own time. Many people are left wondering what exactly is evil and why does it exist.

The existence of evil has been used as a weapon by opponents of theismand Christian theism in particularfor some time. The so-called problem of evil has been the subject of various arguments by atheists in an attempt to demonstrate that a God who is good simply cannot exist. By implying that God must be the creator of evil, Gods holy character has been called into question. There have been many arguments used to indict God as the cause of evil. Here is one of them:

1) God is the creator of everything that exists.2) Evil exists.3) Therefore, God is the creator of evil.

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What Are Necessary Evils

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The phrase necessary evil is closely related to the phrase lesser of two evils. Neither of these phrases is biblical as they are both condoning sin. As human beings, it is easy for us to rationalize our sinful behaviors, yet there cannot be true freedom if we are living a life of sin.

If we live in accordance with the sinful nature, we are a slave to sin. Romans 8:5 tells us, Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

In other words, we choose if we are going to live in conformity to the Holy Spirit or the sinful nature. If we live according to the sinful flesh, we will only experience pain and an impaired relationship with Christ.

However, if we choose to live according to the Holy Spirit, we will live in the light, truth, and love of God.

Choosing to steer clear of evil can be difficult for all of us, including the most spiritually mature Christians. Due to our sinful natures, we will constantly be tempted by our sinful natures to do evil.

With the addition of the teachings of the world around us, it is not surprising that even as Christians, we try to rationalize sin or cause it as a necessary evil.

The world tells us it is okay or even necessary to lie, cheat, or manipulate a situation in order to achieve the outcome we desire. The Bible teaches the exact opposite, as evil is never acceptable.

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Bible Verses About Good And Evil

What does the Bible say about good?

This is not an exhaustive list, just a good place to start!

Gods Goodness

Good and upright is the LORD therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. -Psalm 25:8

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good his love endures forever. -1 Chronicles 16:34

The LORD is upright he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him. -Psalm 92:15b

The Lord is good to all he has compassion on all he has made. -Psalm 145:9

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. -James 1:17

Our Goodness

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. -Matthew 5:16

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. -Galatians 6:9

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. -Galatians 5:22-23

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faithand this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast.For we are Gods handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. -Ephesians 2:8-10

Other Verses About Goodness

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil hold fast to what is good. -Romans 12:9

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Is The Phrase Necessary Evil Biblical

Evil is never necessary. Rather than rationalizing evil and sin in our lives, we need to take a stand against it. This phrase is not biblical, and it can lead many individuals into sin. Even in the hardest of situations, it is never biblical to do evil.

The phrase necessary evil is a popular phrase spoken today as well as in the past. This phrase goes back to Greek times, yet it is still popular in the modern day. With any phrase, we need to be cautious of using them as not every old phrase of the past is biblical.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the phrase necessary evil means something unpleasant that must be accepted in order to achieve a particular result. While this phrase and its meaning are accepted in the modern day, is it biblical?

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To begin with, its misleading to think of evil as a thing. Evil isnt a substance that has a traceable source. Biblically speaking, evil is an aspect of relationship.

As your question implies, the real issue is not How could God create evil? Its How could God create another self separate from and independent of His own Self? This is the real miracle of Creation, especially the creation of mankind. Man had to be an entity entirely from God. He had to be a creature with a genuine will of his own. Otherwise, there could be no such thing as relationship or love. The possibility of love between man and God springs directly out of mans freedom to choose. But this possibility also entails an element of risk. It includes the potential for pain. Through the exercise of free will, man has broken his relationship with God. Thats what evil is all about.

What about Isaiah 45:7? Lets take a closer look at this passage. There are two different words for evil used in the pages of the Old Testament. First, there is evil in the sense of calamity,disaster,misfortune, or hardship in other words, those aspects of existence in this world that we consider bad because they hurt us or inconvenience us in some way. The Hebrew word for this type of evil is raah. It should be sharply distinguished from the second word for evil,rasha wickedness or evil in the moral sense.

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Choosing Good Over Evil

We know that God is sovereign over evil. However, we are still rightly held responsible for our actions. The forces of evil are still warring against our souls, and there is a heavenly battle being waged that the Lord will win and has already won.

In Scripture, God entreats us again and again to turn from evil and follow Him. He mourns the godlessness of people, and desires that they live a holy life. In Christ, we get to be a part of fighting against evil. We are not helpless in the war we have been equipped with the armour of God.

Romans 6:13-14 says And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under the law but under grace. How exciting! We get to be weapons of righteousness in the hand of the Lord!

So how do we do this in real time? It doesnt take mustering up our own goodness or living a perfect life it takes relying on God and being conformed to the image of Christ. Going back to our definition of evilfinding superior satisfaction in anything but Godwe see that turning away from evil requires a turning to something else, our Creator.

Evil can be disguised as good

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, Did God really say, You must not eat from any tree in the garden?

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We have a strange illusion that mere time cancels sin. I have heard others, and I have heard myself, recounting cruelties and falsehoods committed in boyhood as if they were no concern of the present speakers, and even with laughter. But mere time does nothing either to the fact or to the guilt of a sin. The guilt is washed out not by time but by repentance and the blood of Christ: if we have repented these early sins we should remember the price of our forgiveness and be humble. C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

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What Is The Biblical Definition Of Evil

Why Does Evil Exist? #1 – The Biblical Definition Of Evil

The Christian Bible exercises the dominant influence upon ideas about God and evil in the Western world. In the Old Testament, evil is understood to be an opposition to God as well as something unsuitable or inferior such as the leader of the fallen angels Satan In the New Testament the Greek word poneros is used to

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Discussing The Concept Of Evil

Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may ...

The Bible never tells us that evil is okay, nor does the Bible tell us it is permissible. Evil did not come into the world until the Fall of Man.

The Bible tells us God hates evil and sin as Proverbs 6:16-19 says, There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Evil and sin are polar opposites of God. God is full of mercy, forgiveness, and love. Evil is only full of pain and darkness. Since the Bible tells us that God hates evil, we can ascertain that the phrase necessary evil is not biblical. Never is it necessary for evil to be used in a situation.

The Bible warns us to stay away from evil as Paul tells us, Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them . The Lord doesnt want us to have anything to do with evil.

We are all born with a sinful nature, and we all freely commit sin, but God wants us to work against the sinful nature and the evil that easily creeps into our souls. James 1:21 tells us, Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

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