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Heat shimmers across the Judean wilderness. Stones scatter beneath weary feet. The Son of God stands hungry, forty days fasting, when the tempter’s voice slithers through the stillness: “If You are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” (Matthew 4:3). The offer is simple—meet a good need in a wrong way, seize control instead of trusting the Father.
Here, evil is not a myth but a method: to twist hunger into doubt, identity into ambition. Jesus faces the test that Adam failed—the same whisper that God’s way is withholding. Yet Christ resist where Adam saw, labeled good, reached and took. Where humanity hid, the Son stands.
Why does evil always target trust in God before conduct?
How does knowing who we are in Christ empower us to say “no” to the subtle bargains that promise gain but deliver bondage?
And could evil be a false identity scaled up to larger systems of abuse, neglect and violence?
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What Is Evil Biblically?
Evil (biblically) is any thought, desire, word, system, or act that deviates from God’s good design and rule—flowing from unbelief that distrusts God’s character and re‑labels what He calls good or evil (Genesis 1:31; 3:1–6; Isaiah 5:20).
Short answer: Evil is disordered trust that becomes disordered life.
Evil in Scripture is not a metaphysical equal to God; it is pervasive parasitic. God pronounces creation “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Evil arrives when humans (and rebellious powers) reject God’s word as life, calling their own judgments “good” (Genesis 3:6; Proverbs 14:12; Isaiah 5:20). Biblically, evil is:
Relational: distrust of God’s heart precedes disobedience (Genesis 3:1–5; John 8:44).
Moral: transgression of God’s law and corruption of loves (1 John 3:4; Romans 1:25).
Spiritual: animated by “the rulers and authorities” Christ disarmed (Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:15).
Systemic: embedded in cultures and structures when many walk “right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25; Revelation 18).
From our Identity series, remember: identity received from God orders acceptance, significance, and security. Genesis doesn’t shows God creating nothing from something, but creating order from chaos. Evil counter‑forms identity with lies, performance, and fear (John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 10:4–5) by bringing chaos to order.
Evil and Identity
As an example, when the devil attacked Jesus, he attacked identity: “If you are the Son of God…” (Matthew 4:3). Lies about who God is and who you are fuel evil; truth re‑roots you in sonship (Matthew 3:17; Ephesians 1:20–23).
Key takeaway: Evil thrives where trust in the Father’s voice has been traded for autonomy.
Where Did Evil Come From? The Origin & Nature of Wickedness.
Scripture presents a twofold origin story:
Creaturely rebellion: A tempter already opposes God in Eden (Genesis 3:1). Elsewhere, Scripture sketches supernatural rebellion (e.g., Isaiah 14:12–15; Ezekiel 28:12–17 as typological; Revelation 12:7–9). Humanity joins this revolt by re‑naming “good” and “evil” on its own terms (Genesis 3:6–7; Romans 5:12).
Human unbelief and desire: Temptation hook‑sets desire; desire conceives sin; sin matures to death (James 1:14–15). Evil is not first a catalogue of behaviors but a rupture of trust that births behaviors.
The Bible refuses dualism: God remains sovereign and good (Deuteronomy 32:4; Malachi 3:6). He permits, limits, and ultimately has overcome evil in Christ at the cross (Genesis 50:20; Acts 2:23–24; Revelation 21:4).
How Does Evil Work?
1) Slander God’s character.
“God is withholding” becomes the seed of suspicion (Genesis 3:1–5; Psalm 119:68).
2) Re‑label reality.
Eve “saw that the tree was good…” (Genesis 3:6). Evil renames harm as help (Isaiah 5:20).
3) Exploit disordered desires.
“Desires of the flesh…eyes…pride of life” (1 John 2:16).
4) Fragment identity into fear and hiding.
Shame and fig leaves replace communion (Genesis 3:7–10).
5) Scale up into systems.
“Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25); Babylon markets “human souls” (Revelation 18:13).
Identity lens: Evil aims to sever you from the Father’s acceptance, distort your significance into performance, and replace security with control. Union with Christ restores all three (John 1:12; Ephesians 2:10; Romans 8:15–17).
Jesus and Evil: What Did the Cross Accomplish?
As we discussed in the Full Armor of God Series, Jesus resists the wilderness lies (Matthew 4:1–11), lives the obedience Adam and Israel failed to live, and at the cross disarms the powers (Colossians 2:15). He bears sin’s penalty (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:25–26), breaks death’s dominion (Hebrews 2:14–15), and rises to inaugurate new creation (Romans 6:4). His victory is not only juridical; it is vocational—restoring us as beloved sons and sent ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:17, 20; 1 Peter 2:9).
Good news: In Christ, evil’s accusations lose legal standing and practical leverage.
How Do Christians Overcome Evil Practically?
1) Return to Truth.
Fasten the belt of truth (Ephesians 6:14). Hear again the Father’s voice over you (Matthew 3:17). Take thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:4–5).
2) Reorder Loves through Repentance & worship.
Scripture, prayer, confession, sacrament, service (John 15:5; Ephesians 4:22–24).
3) Resist the Devil (Spiritual Warfare).
Submit to God; resist, and he will flee (James 4:7; Ephesians 6:10–18). Stand, don’t strive.
4) Rebuild Community & Systems.
Walk in the light together (1 John 1:7). Seek impartial justice and mercy in public life (Micah 6:8; Romans 13:4) while refusing Babylon’s methods (Revelation 18).
5) Replace Counterfeit Identity Scripts.
From “I am what I do/feel/they think” to “I am beloved, redeemed, sent” (Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:9).
Evil vs. Suffering — What’s the Difference?
Moral evil is the deliberate willing of what God forbids (Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:23)—it is rebellion in the heart expressed through thought, word, and deed. Natural suffering, by contrast, is the pain, decay, and loss that accompany a creation subjected to futility through Adam’s fall (Romans 8:20–22). The difference lies in origin and intent: evil arises from a moral agent’s will set against God, while suffering is the ripple effect of that rebellion on a once‑perfect world. Both grieve the heart of God, yet each calls for a distinct response. To evil we bring repentance and resistance; to suffering we bring endurance and faith.
Suffering itself is not sin—it is the environment in which faith is tested and refined (1 Peter 1:6–7; James 1:2–4). Evil seeks to destroy, but God redeems even suffering as the soil in which hope grows (Romans 5:3–5). We must never confuse the two, for when we mistake suffering for evil, we may accuse God of wrongdoing; and when we mistake evil for mere misfortune, we risk excusing sin. The theodicy question—“Why does God allow evil?”—meets its fullest answer at the cross and the empty tomb. There, God in Christ did not explain evil away but absorbed it. He entered both moral evil and natural suffering, bore their weight, and transformed their end: evil’s judgment and suffering’s redemption (Romans 8:32; Revelation 21:4).
The World, the Flesh, and the Devil — Three Fronts of Evil
Scripture identifies three intertwined forces through which evil operates: the world, the flesh, and the devil (1 John 2:15–17; Ephesians 2:1–3). These are not isolated categories but overlapping currents that move together against God’s kingdom.
The Flesh — Internal Complicity
The flesh represents the inward bent of human nature that craves autonomy. It partners with worldly systems by desiring what they promise—comfort, approval, dominance. Left unchecked, the flesh aligns personal sin with structural evil, fueling the cycle.
The Devil — Spiritual Instigator
Behind both the world and the flesh stands the devil, the ancient serpent who manipulates desires and structures alike (John 8:44; Revelation 12:9). He weaponizes the world’s allure and the flesh’s weakness, crafting lies so convincing they appear virtuous. We discussed this at length in the Pilgrim’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare.
The World — Systems of Evil
The world (Greek kosmos) in this context refers not to creation itself but to the organized systems of human rebellion that normalize sin and oppose God’s rule. It is Babylon in every age—a network of culture, economy, and power enthroned against heaven. Scripture offers examples:
Egypt enslaving Israel (Exodus 1:8–14) — systemic exploitation justified by fear and profit.
Babylon demanding worship of its image (Daniel 3) — political coercion masking idolatry.
Rome executing the innocent Christ (Luke 23:13–25) — government and religion colluding in violence.
These patterns echo across history: economies built on oppression, propaganda disguised as peace, and nations seeking security through bloodshed. The world’s system rewards pride, power, and self-preservation—the very things Christ overturned on the cross (John 18:36; Philippians 2:5–11).
Understanding these three helps believers recognize evil not just in personal temptation but in collective culture. Our warfare, therefore, is comprehensive: resisting demonic deception, crucifying the flesh through the Spirit (Galatians 5:16–24), and refusing conformity to the world (Romans 12:2). This lays the groundwork for the rest of the Evil series, where we expose how these forces shape politics, culture, and identity today.
Join Creation Awaits as we embark on a journey of understanding Evil
Identity → Evil: Our Identity series established who we are in Christ. This Evil series clarifies what the body of Christ is up against—personally, culturally, and spiritually—and why only Christ overcomes it.
The Politics of Violence — From mobs to assassination: exposing political violence as a counterfeit path to order and hope.
The War on the Unborn — Systemic violence in state‑sanctioned abortion; the church’s call to protect life, heal, and offer restoration.
The Cancellation Machine — Cultural violence that weaponizes words and reputations, denying repentance and redemption.
The Gender Experiment — Identity manipulation and bodily harm under transgender ideologies and surgeries—truth, love, and pastoral care.
The Equity Deception — When “fairness” severs itself from truth (biology, sports, military) and certain strands of feminism, producing new injustices.
The Silencing of Speech — Hate‑speech regimes and censorship that threaten gospel proclamation and Christian conscience.
The Corruption of Power — How politics and business exploit the weak; why servants of Christ wield power as stewardship, not domination.
The Idolatry of Politics — The root disorder: elevating party and state above Christ—and how worship reorders public life.
Conclusion
Evil began not as an accident but as a rupture of trust—a whisper that God’s goodness could be doubted. From Eden’s garden to Christ’s wilderness, Scripture shows evil’s power in deception and distortion. Yet God entered this fractured world to restore what was lost.
In Christ, evil is exposed, judged, and overcome. The cross unmasks corrupt power, absorbs human violence, and breaks the hold of the unseen rulers. The resurrection proves that neither death nor any empire of evil has the final word.
We do not stand as victims but as ambassadors of light. Our struggle is not with people, but with the lies that drive Babylon’s systems and the fears that live in us. To resist evil is to live as children who trust the Father, walk by the Spirit, and witness to a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
Evil will never have the last word—Christ already does. The Son has overcome the world (John 16:33); therefore, stand firm in Him and share His victory.
Are you believing God is holding out on you, that you can place your identity in anything apart from Christ, or have you believed that evil is an equal and opposing force? If so, pray this:
Father, I come out of hiding. I confess the serpent’s lie has found echo in my heart—that You cannot be trusted, that I must grasp what seems good to me. I have re‑labeled harm as help, traded worship for self‑rule, and covered shame with fig leaves of performance. Forgive me. Speak again the word You first spoke over Your Son and now speak over me in Him: beloved. Fasten truth around my life so that success cannot inflate me and failure cannot define me.
Lord Jesus, You refused the wilderness shortcuts and carried the cross that crushed evil’s claim. By Your blood, cleanse my conscience; by Your resurrection, raise me into newness of life. Disarm the powers that accuse, sever the ties of fear and domination, and teach my hands the habits of holiness—Scripture, prayer, confession, and love. Where I have participated in systems that harm, lead me to repair; where I have been harmed, heal me without hardening me.
Holy Spirit, expose lies and enthrone truth. Train my desires to love what the Father loves. Give me discernment to spot flattery that leads to futility, courage to resist the devil, and joy to serve in secret. Knit me into a community that walks in the light. Today I renounce autonomy and receive adoption. Guard me from evil; deliver me from the evil one. Make my life a quiet protest against Babylon and a loud witness to the kingdom of Jesus. Amen.
Bibliography
Cornelius Plantinga Jr., Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin.
Michael S. Heiser, The Unseen Realm.
N. T. Wright, Evil and the Justice of God.
G. K. Beale, We Become What We Worship.
Neil T. Anderson, Victory Over the Darkness.
Neil T. Anderson, The Bondage Breaker.
Timothy Keller, The Reason for God.
John H. Walton, The Lost World of Adam and Eve.
Tremper Longman III, The Problem of Pain and Suffering: A Biblical Theology of Evil.
Christopher Wright, The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith.
Scripture References
Genesis 3:8–10; Genesis 3:1; Genesis 1:31; Genesis 3:6; Proverbs 14:12; Isaiah 5:20; 1 John 3:4; Romans 1:25; Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 2:15; Judges 21:25; Revelation 18; John 10:10; 2 Corinthians 10:4–5; Matthew 4:3; Matthew 3:17; Ephesians 1:20–23; Isaiah 14:12–15; Ezekiel 28:12–17; Revelation 12:7–9; Genesis 3:6–7; Romans 5:12; James 1:14–15; Deuteronomy 32:4; Malachi 3:6; Genesis 50:20; Acts 2:23–24; Revelation 21:4; Genesis 3:1–5; Psalm 119:68; 1 John 2:16; Genesis 3:7–10; Revelation 18:13; John 1:12; Ephesians 2:10; Romans 8:15–17; Matthew 4:1–11; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:25–26; Hebrews 2:14–15; Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Corinthians 5:20; 1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 6:14; 2 Corinthians 10:4–5; John 15:5; Ephesians 4:22–24; James 4:7; Ephesians 6:10–18; 1 John 1:7; Micah 6:8; Romans 13:4; Revelation 18; Galatians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:9; Romans 8:20–22; Romans 8:32; Revelation 21:4; John 16:33; Genesis 6:5; Romans 3:23; 1 Peter 1:6–7; James 1:2–4; Romans 5:3–5; 1 John 2:15–17; Ephesians 2:1–3; John 8:44; Revelation 12:9; Galatians 5:16–24; Romans 12:2; Exodus 1:8–14; Daniel 3; Luke 23:13–25; John 18:36; Philippians 2:5–11.