Evil exists. And far too often, we either try to water it down or explain it away. Other times, we rush to the opposite extreme—assuming everything bad must also be evil. But clearly naming evil for what it is does not require us to throw every wrong into the same boat. Wisdom calls us to discern the difference.
Evil is darkness that has no fellowship with the light. These are the spiritual forces of wickedness—or those who have wholly given their hearts over to such forces—who intentionally seek to steal, kill, and destroy the life and goodness God offers. Though they may masquerade as light, they are poison to the core. We must not be fooled by their sweet-sounding words or good looks.
On the other hand, many people do truly bad things but are not evil. Some may be willfully complicit—repeatedly choosing what is wrong, knowing better, but refusing to stop. Judas Iscariot might be an example of this: conflicted, yet ultimately willful in his betrayal. Others are used by evil in moments of weakness—wounded by pain, overwhelmed by fear, or driven by immaturity. Peter’s denial of Christ was not malicious but marked by fear. It was failure, not corruption.
Of course, bad is still bad, and we are each accountable for our choices. But maturity calls us to discern the heart and story behind the act.
For instance, a man may have done horrible things. But to simply write him off as evil is a form of spiritual laziness. And when we become overzealous in naming evil, we may heap shame where there could be hope—pushing someone further into despair instead of holding out the promise of redemption.
This isn’t about turning a blind eye to sin. But neither should we assume every sin is the work of evil.
In the end, walk in wisdom—discerning weakness from corruption, sin from evil, and those who need compassion from those who have given themselves over to darkness and must be resisted.
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