Overcoming Evil

It can be a bit overwhelming to watch the news anymore. We see an endless parade of images of death, hatred, injustice, and strife.

Over the last week, I've seen countless videos and still photos of the shooting in Las Vegas. I have heard harrowing tales of escape and horror. I've heard the debate over standing or sitting during the national anthem at football games. I've read the hatred on Facebook and Twitter, much of it centered around politics.

Evil is everywhere and it can seem overwhelming at times. When we see hatred and injustice and terror and violence and death, how are we, as Christians, supposed to respond?

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, tells us how. In Roman 12:21, Paul says that we are to overcome evil with good. Good includes love and service and help for those in need. It includes understanding and pitching in. It means we don't just pray for those who are hurting, but we go to them and try to ease their pain.

More than anything it means we need Christ to overcome evil. Only Christ is good. In fact, Paul says without Christ, you will never had true good in you. He says no one is worthy of salvation because all have sinned and fall short of God's standards. We call that a sinful nature. It means, on our own, we are inherently bad.

So if I have a sinful nature. If I am bad and rebellious at my core, how can I be good and overcome evil? You give your life to Christ. Only he can make your heart righteous and pure. Only he can change your attitude and hate and prejudices.

We often seek political solutions to the problems of our world. They won't work. They can't change a heart. Often times, they struggle to change behavior. Jesus, though, changes both. He allows us to love when we don't like. He gives us the power to turn the other cheek when we want to fight back. He does not allow hate to infect our heart or violence to gain a foothold over our soul.

We can only overcome evil with good, and there is no greater good than Jesus Christ.

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