Where Evil Flourishes

I have been faithfully married to my husband for nearly 32 years. I strive to serve others and lead by example. My encouragement and generosity is well-known in my community. I avoid profanity and alcohol, and I make every effort to honor my parents. Much like the rich, young ruler, I can say I have followed God’s law most of my life- not perfectly, but with intention.

It would be quite easy for me to look around and consider myself better than, more righteous than most. I enjoy the blessing of the Lord on my life and I am grateful. It would be very easy indeed for me to read passages of Scripture like the one that follows and apply it to “them” and not to me. Except I can’t.

“Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.

Their tongues are filled with lies.

Snake venom drips from their lips.

Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.

They rush to commit murder.

Destruction and misery always follow them.

They don’t know where to find peace.

They have no fear of God at all.”

Romans 3:13-18 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.3.13-18.NLT

Self-righteousness was the sin of the Pharisees and Jesus condemned them for it. When Scripture says none are righteous, not one, and all have sinned, no one is excluded except Jesus, God the Son. The only righteousness that exists is His. His righteousness can be imputed to me, but I cannot manufacture any of my own and neither can you.

“Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:

“Two men went to the Temple to pray.

One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer:

‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector!

I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed.

Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’

I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God.

For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.””

Luke 18:9-14 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.18.9-14.NLT

Jesus’s choice of words- a Pharisee and a despised tax collector- pointed to the fact that He recognized the hierarchical society of the age in which He dwelled bodily on the earth. Of course the tax collector was the villain and the exalted teacher of the Law was the hero. Not so, said Jesus, for God sees the heart. Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, but those who humble themselves before God Almighty will be exalted in due time.

“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,

“The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.

So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example.

For they don’t practice what they teach.

They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.

Everything they do is for show.

On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.

And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues.

They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’

Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.

And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father.

And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah.

The greatest among you must be a servant.

But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees.

Hypocrites!

For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces.

You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees.

Hypocrites!

For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!

You blind Pharisee!

First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees.

Hypocrites!

For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.

Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Matthew 23:1-13, 25-28 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.23.1-28.NLT

Everything they did was for show. All of their righteousness was nothing more than filthy rags. They compared themselves to others. God compared them to Jesus. Jesus called them hypocrites! Followers of Christ are often labeled with the same term by unbelievers today. Many have smart sounding comebacks, but Jesus commands us to do to others as we would have them do to us. It is Mine to avenge, says the Lord. If someone presses you to carry their load one mile, go the extra mile. Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you.

Obviously, nobody is capable of obeying the Law of God completely, and Scripture teaches that if we break it in even one point, we are guilty of breaking it all. (James 2:10) So are we hypocritical? Of course we are for all have sinned and fall short of the glory God intends.

“True, some of them were unfaithful; but just because they were unfaithful, does that mean God will be unfaithful?

Of course not!

Even if everyone else is a liar, God is true.

As the Scriptures say about him, “You will be proved right in what you say, and you will win your case in court.”

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God.

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands.

The law simply shows us how sinful we are.”

Romans 3:3-4, 19-20 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.3.3-4.NLT

““But,” some might say, “our sinfulness serves a good purpose, for it helps people see how righteous God is.

Isn’t it unfair, then, for him to punish us?”

(This is merely a human point of view.)

Of course not!

If God were not entirely fair, how would he be qualified to judge the world?

“But,” someone might still argue, “how can God condemn me as a sinner if my dishonesty highlights his truthfulness and brings him more glory?”

And some people even slander us by claiming that we say, “The more we sin, the better it is!” Those who say such things deserve to be condemned.

As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”

Romans 3:5-8, 10-12, 23 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.3.5-23.NLT

As tempting as it can be to look around at all the flagrant sin in this age and feel justified in our own personal transgressions, we do well to heed the warnings of scripture, taking care lest we too fall prey to the evil one.

“Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

But evil people and impostors will flourish.

They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.

But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught.

You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.

You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.

It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:12-17 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/2ti.3.12-17.NLT

Jesus didn’t mince words and He spoke only truth, but he was despised and rejected. He warned those of us who follow Him that we will be treated likewise. Nevertheless, we are to remain steadfast.

“So humble yourselves before God.

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Come close to God, and God will come close to you.

Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

Let there be tears for what you have done.

Let there be sorrow and deep grief.

Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.

Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters.

If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law.

But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.

God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge.

He alone has the power to save or to destroy.

So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?”

James 4:7-9, 11-12 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jas.4.11.NLT

“For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.

But thank God!

He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable.

Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”

1 Corinthians 15:56-58 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/1co.15.56-58.NLT