Patiently Enduring Evil

In the last couple of years I have gone through a long and painful, if exciting, process of change. Things have really opened up, especially the scripture. I know that of late I have come across as pretty rude and pig-headed at times, and I realize that I have not been very gentle in the things I have said. I have often adopted the attitude of Paul in Galatians where he writes of those who would draw the churches away from grace, "I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!" (Galatians 5:12)

But in so doing I have forgotten Paul's injunction to Timothy: "Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." (2 Timothy 2:23-26)

I want to apologize for having allowed my sense of right to carry me into a place where I have disregarded gentleness. I do not say that it is self-righteousness that has carried me away, but a severe jealousy for the gospel and a true and deep concern for those who are unwittingly in the snare of the devil.

Our enemy is not omnipresent. I don't believe that Satan actually micro-manages each of our lives and causes bad things to happen to us. He doesn't need to. He has set the church on a course that makes it almost impossible, outside of certain circles, to come to a liberating saving knowledge of Christ. Realizing this, I know that the battle we must wage is not against flesh and blood, and we cannot make it that. It is against powers and principalities that we struggle.When I say some of the things I say, they come from the frustration I feel at seeing the bigger picture of what Satan has done to so successfully deceive the church.

So I often have knee-jerk reactions to things that I see around me. I am genuinely offended by many things that appear to be good things. I have not chosen to be offended by them. Many of them I would gladly have embraced two years ago, and it would be far easier to embrace them and stop swimming against the current. But in the course of the last two years I have come to see many, many things as a threat to the freedom that Christ suffered and died to bring humankind. I see these things as an affront to God, a snare to people, and as threatening the demise of the church. It is more upsetting to me than anything I've ever known.

Here's the deal though. "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence..." (2 Peter 1:3) Among those things are the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. By faith all of these things are already mine. So by the grace of God I must become more patient in enduring evil. I need to be an encourager, not one who starts controversies and breeds quarrels.

Let me end this with an encouragement. There is nothing you can do of yourself to please God. You can not clean yourself up enough to make him satisfied. The holiness of God is unattainable by human effort. But there is one who has pleased God and satisfied all of His holy requirements. Only as you, by faith, accept his righteousness as your own do you fulfill and satisfy the holy demands of a holy God. And only then will you be free from the obligation to the flesh, self-righteousness and sin. Christian, place your faith in him anew today. Find that first love, the joy of your salvation, and walk in it today.

Good Bless