Good and evil exist in our world, no matter what you believe spiritually. So where can you find the true meaning of good and evil apart from the definitions of imperfect people? Nowhere except the Bible.
What Does God Say About Good and Evil?
To help us understand the forces of good and evil in our world, we must explore two aspects of good and evil, the origins, purpose and motives, and their power. We will also look at our eternal reality resulting from who we choose to follow in our hearts and spirit during our life. Let’s see what our loving Creator, God, says:
Origin of Good and Evil
Good: It’s vital to know the source or who creates and embodies good, which means morally righteous. There has only been one perfect and morally righteous person, Jesus Christ. Therefore, using any other origin or definition would be imperfect.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.”
- Luke 18:19, NASB 1995
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
- James 1:17, NASB 1995
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
- John 3:16-17, NASB 1995
God and Jesus Christ’s choice to endure the pain and sacrifice of the cross for all the sins of mankind is the ultimate picture of pure good and unconditional love. No other spiritual entity, person, idol, cult, or religion gives us God’s pure experience of goodness and pure love.
Evil: Evil is defined as profoundly immoral and wicked. Hebrew and Greek translations also define evil as adversity, calamity, disaster, harmful, ruin, or offensive to God. Evil originates and resides in Satan or the devil. Other names for Lucifer are Satan, the devil, the father of lies, and a fallen angel.
In the book of Ezekiel 28:12-19, NASB 1995, God tells us who Lucifer was created to be. Notice God also gave the angels the power to choose.
Unfortunately, Lucifer did not want to serve God, his creator. Lucifer wanted to take the place of God and receive all of His glory. Lucifer’s sin of self-serving pride leads to his consequence of being hurled to the earth. Lucifer was the beginning of all evil, and he will be destroyed in the end.
“You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you. On the day that you were created They were prepared. 14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you.16 “By the abundance of your trade You were internally filled with violence, And you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane From the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of fire. 17 “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you. 18 “By the multitude of your iniquities, In the unrighteousness of your trade You profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; It has consumed you, And I have turned you to ashes on the earth In the eyes of all who see you.
Purpose and Motive
What is the purpose and motive behind God’s goodness and light and Satan’s evil and darkness?
God created man in their (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit) image. God chose to create us with the power to choose to have a personal relationship with him or not. He didn’t create us to be robots or slaves. His goodness and love embody respect and freedom even though we owe God our life.
The motives and purposes of God and his Son, Jesus Christ, come from their unconditional desire to share their love with us personally and intimately. Jesus loved us so much that he chose to bear our sins, judgment, and punishment from God so that we could receive salvation and live with them for eternity. If they are not the definition, purpose, motive, and image of pure goodness and love, what could it be? Nothing on this broken earth or among imperfect people can ever compare!
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
- John 3:16-17, NASB 1995
Satan’s motives are sinful and EVIL: profoundly immoral, wicked, lies, adversity, calamity, disaster, harmful, ruin, and offensive to God. Lucifer had everything in a perfect heavenly realm, but it wasn’t enough to be him. He wanted to be God. Sin and evil have no good in them. They are destructive and will bring eternal torment. However, people can be confused about the motives and realities of the devil for several reasons. If they do not personally know God’s word and the context, they can be misled by others and the devil.
The god (Satan) of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- 2 Cor. 4:4, NASB 1995
People also get confused because it often seems like people living in sin have more wealth, power, fame, and an easier life than disciples of Christ. The devil knows our weaknesses, and tempts us with riches, fame, status, power, and a good-time life. He will use everything to keep you from seeking God’s truth. He creates deceptions of white lies, white magic, and lies that you deserve to have, do, say, or experience anything “just once.” God warns us.
Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
- 2 Cor. 11:14-15, NASB 1995
You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
- John 8:44, NASB 1995
Jesus tells us the true purpose and motive of our enemy Satan.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
- John 10:10, NASB 1995
You Can’t Serve God and Satan at the Same Time
Jesus tells us, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth*.” *(any object of worship)
- Matt. 6:24, NASB 1995
You can’t say you live for God and Jesus while your attitudes, words, actions, and lifestyle follow the world, which follows Satan’s ways.
Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.
- 3 John 11, NASB 1995
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! 46 Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
- John 8:42-27, NASB 1995
Eternal Reality and Consequence
What happens to us eternally if we choose God and his good or Lucifer and his evil? From the previous verses, you can see the consistency of your choice to love and serve God and Jesus or to serve the devil and yourself. Without choosing Christ’s salvation and working with him daily to be transformed into his likeness, you are choosing Satan even though you think you are choosing yourself.
Without Jesus in you, you remain in sin. Unless you continue to work with Jesus daily, you will be tempted to turn from God’s ways and be swallowed up by the enemy’s worldly ways. Being Christ’s disciple is a difficult path, especially when the world opposes His righteous, unchanging morals, values, standards, and commandments. The world also rebels against total surrender and obedience to God to keep you self-focused and separated from God.
We can’t gloss over or skip the reality that every person’s body will die, but our soul is eternal. Jesus tells us our eternal options in the following passages in Matthew 25:31, 34, 41, NASB 1995.
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another.
34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. 46 These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Who we follow on earth, good or evil, has an eternal consequence. Do not believe the lies or be enticed through temptations for instant gratification or numb your pain for a short time. You can’t escape yourself, but Jesus can heal and redeem your life! He is waiting to walk with you, strengthen you, and teach you how to spiritually triumph on earth so he can welcome you into heaven! What will you choose?
