Tags

, , ,

Overcome Evil with Good – Romans 12:21 (Week 31) - Life323

Jesus stands firm against evil. Jesus challenges us to do the same.

As God’s children, we walk according to this command: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”

Romans 12:21

God is love. The absence of love in a person is un-God-like and therefore evil.

And an absence of love manifests itself in unloving behavior. The same can be said concerning God’s mercy, justice, patience, etc.

Jesus is clear with us. We must pay attention. Because God is good, we can overcome evil.

Later Jesus was going about his business in Galilee. He didn’t want to travel in Judea because the Jews there were looking for a chance to kill him. It was near the time of Tabernacles, a feast observed annually by the Jews.

His brothers said, “Why don’t you leave here and go up to the Feast so your disciples can get a good look at the works you do? No one who intends to be publicly known does everything behind the scenes. If you’re serious about what you are doing, come out in the open and show the world.” His brothers were pushing him like this because they didn’t believe in him either.

Jesus came back at them, “Don’t crowd me. This isn’t my time. It’s your time—it’s always your time; you have nothing to lose. The world has nothing against you, but it’s up in arms against me. It’s against me because I expose the evil behind its pretensions. You go ahead, go up to the Feast. Don’t wait for me. I’m not ready. It’s not the right time for me.” | John 7:1-8 (The Message Bible)

  • The lack of these godly qualities in anyone constitutes evil. That evil then manifests itself in behavior that is unmerciful, unjust, impatient, etc., bringing more harm into the good world that God has made. As it turns out, we lack a lot: “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one’” (Romans 3:10).
  • There is good news. Jesus came to set the captives free and He has set me free.  The Apostle Paul says it well. Romans 6:23 “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus the Messiah our Master.”
  • Romans 5:8 declares, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, the Messiah died for us.“
  • Jesus Messiah died for me! Jesus’ death paid for the price of my sins. Jesus’ resurrection proves that God accepted Jesus’ death as the payment for my sins.