End To Evil

I have previously written about the non-creation of evil. This does not mean that it has no existence. We continuously deal with it. I find myself relying more and more on the blood of Christ alone to cure it. I do not see any other option.

I have said before that evil cannot stand up to good. Yet, we must recognize the same thing as Jesus. No one is good but the Father. He must be the source of our goodness. The promise for such is born within the blood of Christ. This blood speaks a better word that the blood of Adam flowing through our veins. It speaks a better word than the blood of Abel covering our hands.

Christ's blood must also become our very life. The breath of God (nefas) or our soul, was made to reside in the blood. I take this to figuratively mean that our souls must reside in the blood of Christ to live. Adam's blood is not pure. Our union with Christ is one based on blood. Our new lives have not been fully revealed yet they are ours. These lives are 'treasured up'/hidden/stored up in Christ. Apart from Christ we are cut off. It is the root who gives nutrients through fluid to the leaves or the will wither and die. It is the sun who causes plants to grow. The same connectedness is that which we have with Christ.

At times, it is hard to see how far we are from yesterday because of sin. Yet, we are not any farther from perfection than we were Yesterday. I ask myself what has changed on God's part. The answer 'Nothing' does not seem to satisfy me. I try to ask myself what is wrong with me. I find out that it is everything. I ask for change, just for its own sake, but find it slow coming. I seek to kill sin, while I am still too infatuated with its false warmth to do anything. I feel the weight of condemnation and wonder if I am carrying a cross or I am carrying the hammer to drive the nails. to break the knees out of malice that need not be broken for Christ's death.

If it be a cross, I know that I aught to pick up it as a criminal and take it to calvary as a saint. I know that I can be relieved of this burden. No other way. Yet, the cross often lays right where I left it. If only I would return sooner. Oh how I would see myself free in Christ sooner. Oh how I wish that I didn't participate in killing Christ. Yet, it is something all men do with crosses or hammers.

In this effort may I die with Christ, Oh Lord. So that I may be raised with Him in the next life. Evil shall then be no more. The temple in heaven looks east. This is a sign that it is watching for the Son to rise and shine in all its glory. The night is almost gone and the son is already shining. We can see rays off in the distance over the mountain tops of thy Word. Bring forth more radience onto your people and your land. Remove us from this domain of darkness that plagues your lands for we are the kingdom of light. Deliever us from temptation and ransack the works of the devil.Let us be justified by your blood. Let us grasp the promises of your blood. Let us reside in your blood Christ Jesus. It offers us an eternal home and rest. Send to us godliness which is 'heaven on earth'. Let evil be put under your feet as a footstool for your saints and your kingdom. Have this happen not a moment too soon!

The Nature of Evil, part III

Darkness cannot defeat the light. The light always shines in darkness. No purpose of God will return to him void. The same principle applies to Good and Evil. Evil can only exist with permission. It can only exists in the absence of good.

How does something without substance prevent something that does? If the universe was duelistic, evil would to have substance too. This is not the case. How can something like darkness prevent light. How can things that are cold prevent heat? They cannot. Evil cannot prevent good. This is seen over and over. Good is fully capable of circumventing evil. This is on full display on the cross. Good claims every victory from any battle. It matters only on the intent of God in such. This intent and council of God is inscruitable till judgment. We cannot see what God purposes on the whole as it is still being worked out.

Now, Grace is something with substance coming forth from God. Grace is real and abiding. Furthermore, much can be said about a link between grace and life as well as new creation. These things have substance. It would be ridiculous to assume that it does not have substance. To allow a grace an option of defeat, is to say that grace has no substance. It is to say that it is on the same plane of existence as evil. It relies upon the good already existing for its own existence. Yet, what good is in existence when it was brought to nothing by evil? I cannot say something without substance was purchased christ's infinite worth in blood. I cannot say that grace is without substance when Christ's himself is the source of all substance and being.

This returns me to what 1 Corinthians said. "But by his doing you are in Christ." God has become such and such for us. He is becomes our source of being as we acknowledge our own deaths. Then accepted our lives raised in him. God himself and his goodness are invincible in such actions.

The Nature of Evil, part 2

Man has their source and being within God. I believe that 'being' itself has something good in it even for those who perish in hell. It is like: "It is to better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." but for life. It is the very breath of God that gives life in his act of creation. This breath remained entirely good until corruption came. The breath or this soul retains all the goodness in the image of God but not in being and nature. Evil would not be what it is if it did not constantly invent ways to lie about the image of the incorruptible God that we bear even still. We are guilty for such continual deceit. God cannnot allow such to continue without judgment.

Evil's main purpose at every turn is to profane the image of God that is retained. It is from this evil sought and corrupted all of mankind completely. We are to be images bearers of God but we would now rather paint over his picture with obscenities and abominations. God cannot rightly cannot stand for such hostility toward himself. We are guilty for being rebels by nature and trying to kill God himself.

Every created thing was made weak and susceptible to corruption. This would have been ok had not corruption taken root. This corruption reaches far into whatever good remained and turned it black. No island remains untouched. Evil would assault the image and person of God Himself if it had any substance to do so. God took on flesh was crucified by evil. Evil and death tried to kill the very source of being and life but things without substance could not keep Christ down.

Like Augustine, I believe that evil has no real substance. God did not make it. One can be good without evil being there. Yet, one cannot be evil without something good and the corruption of something good. Light can exist without darkness. Darkness needs the absence of light to exists. Heat can exist without cold. Cold cannot exist, or be defined, without heat. Absolute Zero is defined by the lack of heat (atomic vibration). These cannot defined by themselves. Evil is like this.

Somethings exists because they are virtues in and of themselves. They exist without aid. Other things exist merely because they lack these vitrues. Evil is such. It is a parasite that requires something that was created good and with being in order to live. Augustine went as far sin was an act of uncreation and the taking away of good.

This begs to question. How can something that has no substance stand up to something that does have? It is clear here that Darkness can only persist by God allowing it. Corinthians seems to answer "the why and to what end."

Evil is but a "base thing of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may bring to nothing that are. So that no man may boast before God. But by -His doing- you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD." (1 corinthians 1:28-31). Evil is to destroy the present so that by Grace everything will be summed up in Christ.

Furthermore, creation and continued existance cannot be evil since they themselves are good. God shall show such on Judgment day. No hardship or suffering can out do the goodness of life itself. Evil may try to multiple these ills but life is a greater gift. This itself will cause every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess God in all his attributes on judgment day.

It was kindness that Adam was not judged and killed in the Garden. God had the right but his lovingkindness continued. Spiritually dead men have the fires of hell lit by the kindnesses of God in their present life. Wraith is when these kindnesses depart. Eternal Wraith is where everything but one's eternal soul and substance is destroyed.

For the redeemed, Evil is present so that our hope, our boasts, our wisdom, our sanctification, our righteousness, our redemption, and our very life and our very being remain in the Lord. And not of ourselves.

Part III Grace invincible.

The Nature of Evil, part 1

Do you know what the worst book ever is? Moby Dick hands down.

Long, boring, and blasphemous.

It beats out The House on Mango Street by just a little. A character getting raped by a Clown is not quite as bad as attacking God who symbolically is the white whale in the Moby Dick. Ahab is symbolically man. A man who is revenge filled at striking back at God for causing him to fall. The whale was following the ship the whole time. The author calls this malice on the whale's part.

It demonizes the whale so that no one cannot sympathize for it. He makes God into a monster who he says is all the more evil because it appears white. One can only question if they should sympathize for Ahab. You are left with a mixed impression. It attacks the idea of man creating the human race and condemning the majority of it (for their sin). The book attacks original sin, the right of God for judgment, calvinism, fatalism, and power/control of God over man.

Did you know that 'Moby Dick' is a Unitarian book in disguise?

If the relationship between God and Man was rightly described in this book. Ahab would be striking out against the very ship he was standing on. See part two for a response.