Explaining Why People Do Bad Things

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL SUNDAY JULY 13, 2003
(Galatians 2:2)

I went there with definite orders from God to confer with the brothers there about the message I was preaching to the Gentiles. I talked privately to the leaders of the church so that they would all understand just what I had been teaching and, I hoped, agree that it was right.

Explaining why people do bad things. Not a day goes by that I don't receive several emails asking if God is sooooo good, soooooo powerful, then why do people do such evil things. Rather than going into a complicated theology lesson, let me try to help you understand the evil men and women do this way.

For those who have been raised in Christian homes, made the decision to come to know Christ at an early age, and have lived your life for Him from early on, God bless you. You have missed out on much of the pain and heartache sin and rebellion causes people during their life.

For those who came to Christ later in life, or perhaps lived in a rebellious state like the prodigal son, then you will be better able to understand what I am going to say today. The bottom line is that when a person is without Christ, ANYTHING is possible. Evil exists in this world because of those who are living without God and in blatant rebellion to God's Word throughout this world.

I think back on rebellious periods of my life and am ashamed and saddened by things I have done before. I can't even imagine that I was the one that did them. Thus the scripture, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature". You see, when a person accepts Christ into their life, they actually become a new creation. The old is passed away and they become new.

Prior to that new birth experience, in the old state, there are no rules, no laws, other than those each man puts upon himself. There is no absolute truth as we find in God's word, since the only truth is what each man believes in his/her heart at the time. You can understand that under these conditions, people are capable of anything, including the incredible evil that we see each day in the world we live.

The answer to why God doesn't do something about it is also found in scripture. We know that there is a coming day of judgment. There is a day coming when everything we know will pass away. There will be a new heaven and new earth.

Part of our problem is that we are so conscious of time, we fail to comprehend that to God, a thousand years is as a day. We want everything now. We want our food now, our mail now, our phone call now, our money now. We are into instant answers, instant gratification. God is not bound by time and while we may think He isn't acting on the things we see as wrong, He is, but it is happening in His time, not ours.

The fact is one day God will wipe away this world as we know it. It is only because of His grace and mercy He has not done that yet. Every passing hour allows more people the opportunity to come to know Christ as their Savior. The good news is that not only will God judge evil, but will wash it away. Those who know Christ will spend eternity with Him in a state of peace where evil will not exist.

I love you and care about you so much. I pray today that this has helped some of you better understand the never-ending question, especially among nonbelievers as to why God allows evil to exist. Evil exists because the heart of a man or woman without Christ is filled with sin and capable of anything you can imagine.

Maybe this will also better help you understand my passion, my drive, my desire to not only help people in their time of need, but help those who are lost find Christ. That is why I continually challenge you to stretch your faith, challenge you to do more each day to serve God, because it is in our service that lives our touched, hearts are changed.

Evil exists because men and women without Christ have sin-filled hearts. I pray today that you will make it a renewed priority in your life to step forward and let God use you to touch people's lives. He uses us as His instruments in the lives of people to help those who are lost find Jesus. That and that alone is the ultimate answer to the problem of evil in this world. Helping the lost find Christ and become new creatures in Him.

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com.

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