The Romance of Romans-Part 128

Romans Chapter 16 cont'd

The testimony of your faithfulness to God has been reported throughout the whole world and I am glad that you've been honored like this. Just make sure that you preserve your spirit of innocence- be "streetwise" in good, but not in evil! And soon, the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Yes, Lord, let it be!

Comments:

The "problem of evil" in this world has been pondered and debated with great angst and energy by many throughout human history. And...it has been, maybe the major, stumbling block for people accepting a belief in the all-powerful and good God that the scriptures clearly declare him to be. C. S. Lewis wrote somewhere that we may not be able to fully comprehend the "why" of evil, but we all must face the "fact" that evil exists. Moreover, we must face the fact that we ourselves are more than capable of choosing a evil course of being and/or doing...and indeed...that we have done so at times.

Why would an all-powerful and good Creator allow an enemy to even exist and mess up his creation? Apparently he has. However, the two basic philosophical alternatives to this difficult scenario are even more troubling in my estimation: 1) There is an all-powerful God, but he is not good. 2) There is no creator and we are the products of the impersonal forces of time plus chance. I won't take the time to elaborate, but there are very troubling ramifications of embracing these two alternative philosophical viewpoints that poses more difficulties than simply accepting the biblical premise that our all-powerful, holy and loving Creator has allowed evil to affect his good creation.

Here is a brief overview of what the scripture teaches about the "problem of evil":

1) Long ago, a holy archangel rebelled against God in the highest heavens and was powerful and seductive enough to lure a third of the holy angels into his ill-fated attempt to displace God. This rebellion was the genesis of sin, Satan (the accuser) and the demonic forces that are present in and around our world.

2) Rather than immediately eradicating or finally judging his "fallen" angelic enemies, God banished them from dwelling in his highest heaven. However, he allowed the devil and his hosts to continue to exist and operate within a limited realm.

3) In addition, he wisely chose...and this is where the high drama of it all takes on new dimensions...to incorporate Satan's presence and plots into a greater master plan that would mysteriously reveal his love, power, mercy and glory to the crowning touch of his creation...human beings...whom he made to reflect his own image and likeness and from there to the whole of his creation.

4) In order to prepare human beings for our eternal destiny to rule and reign with him over all other things in the ages to come, he has "used" the presence of evil and our exposure to evil spirits as a developmental "testing ground" that challenges us to face and surmount sin, Satan, demonic powers and death. This has all been a part of his loving master plan. It can even be said that love is not full and mature if it is not tested, tried and entered into with freedom of choice.

5) Our first parents succumbed to the wiles of Satan in a garden paradise which they were divinely called to rule, cultivate and, apparently, export to the rest of the planet. However, as a result of cooperating with the devil, sin, and its consequence, "death"...spiritual, social and physical...entered the human nature and human race. The aftermath has been a spreading of both sin and death to all people throughout the nations of the earth and throughout all human history. We live in a "fallen" world that is agonizing under the burdens that evil and its ripple effects have created for us all.

6) But God!...has not been distant or silent throughout the centuries...though a spiritual war has been raging and there have been many sobering casualties and tragedies. His heart of love and his powerful acts have been at work...he has been passionately involved with humanity and patiently working out his master plan...what I have called "God's Big God-Story"...to rescue and redeem his beloved creation from the grip of evil.

7) God carefully prepared the earth for this intervention through many centuries by making amazing promises to his chosen human vessels (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and others of their progeny), sending prophets to foretell the future and tell forth his will, raising up and removing regimes, performing astounding signs and wonders, providentially sustaining human life with his good gifts of food and waters in addition to many other such kindnesses. Then...at a strategic moment in human history...he visited the earth "in person" by sending his Son, who co-created all things and who dwelt with the Father and the Holy Spirit in fully divine union from eternity past, as a fully human being. He came in love to show forth the "face"...the nature...of God and to deal radically with problem of evil in both the invisible and visible realms by the reality and ramifications of his incarnation, life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension back to highest heaven.

8) The kingdom of darkness and its principalities and powers were dealt a mortal blow through all that ensued with the first coming of Christ. Those who put their personal trust in Jesus Christ receive into their souls his eternal life here and now and enter into his victory of love over all evil...sin, demons and death. This regeneration and the empowering of the Holy Spirit in their lives equip them with the divine grace needed to progressively overcome evil just as their Lord and King overcame evil. They are living witnesses to the fact that the new creation, that will assuredly "swallow up" the old, has already been inaugurated. They are "executing the judgment that has been written" against evil as ambassadors of Jesus the Christ and his mercy, truth and justice. The conflicts continue throughout this age...temptations, hassles, persecutions, trials, disappointments, human failures, tragedies, wars, afflictions, false accusations, imperfections, physical death...but in addition to God providing many experiences that help Christ-followers to counteract and surmount these evil assaults, he is also "using" the spiritual warfare that they endure to both conform them more fully to the image of his Son Jesus and to prepare them to receive their full inheritance and walk in their destiny in the age to come.

9) On a personal level, the powers of darkness yet have the oppressive ability to whisper accusations, lies, temptations to sin and horrendous thoughts of evil into the souls and minds of people...even the followers of Jesus. Satan's main weapon is deception that leads to the committing of sins that destroy the joys of human existence. This is a suffering that we encounter and must endure during our pilgrimage in this life. However, a Christ-follower is called to be awake to these subtle schemes of the devil, expose their source and firmly resist his attempt to find a lodging place for some kind of a deception or a compromise within them. The Holy Spirit will warn them about and grant them the power to rebuke and overcome these crafty camouflaged demonic affronts and assaults. As they grow in their spiritual life they can also train others to do the same. This is the joy of partnering with the living Christ in ministry.

10) Ultimately, when Jesus Christ returns and the visible and invisible realms are fully integrated into a new heavens and new earth, God will banish Satan and his hoards to a divinely constructed "hell" from which they will never escape to again spread their evil influence amidst God's redeemed and renewed creation. They will suffer an unimaginable and, actually indescribable, eternal punishment away from all that is good. More tragically, many humans who sided with God's ancient enemy and who rejected his Son will be forever banished from God's presence as well. This alone should break our hearts for the salvation of other people through Jesus...even our greatest enemy. On that day, no fallen angel and no human being will be able to point their finger at God and accuse him of being unjust or lacking in love or wisdom (as they do now). Everything will be "right-wised", all our doubts and troubling questions will be resolved, all our tears will be wiped away, all our temptations will disappear, all weariness and heaviness will flee away and our true identity and calling will be known, seen and affirmed by all. Our innate longing for true justice, that can become so confused and twisted in this life, will actually be fulfilled. We will be perfected people living fully in a perfect place...forever and ever in the love of God.