In Times of Evil, Who Will We Be?
My daughter is snuggled up to me right now as I type this. Her sweet little mind is caught up in innocent cares — learning to do the monkey bars and hoping she gets to wear her Mulan dress to school. They may seem small, but her Heavenly Father cares about them, because He cares for her. And as sweet as her innocence is, I’m reminded how fragile it is.
The reality is that someday, maybe someday sooner than I would choose, she will discover that the world is not as simple and safe as it seems. It is a dark and broken world, marked by chaos and evil. But as her cares grow heavier, her Heavenly Father’s care for her will not weaken. He will be just as present a help in her time of need.
I hope you know that, too. God is a perfect Father. He is righteous in all His ways and faithful in all His acts. He is with you. He will comfort you. He will strengthen you.
We need these truths always, but their weight becomes clearer in times like these.
We are living in evil and chaotic times. The assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah has been at the forefront of many minds, alongside the stabbing of Iryna Zarutska on a train in North Carolina, a school shooting in Colorado, and the tragic killing of Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home this past June. All of that is in addition to the ongoing wars in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and now rising tension between the United States and Venezuela. Just listing these events is sobering and overwhelming.
In addition to these events themselves, is the way we experience them and the way they shape our society. Our screens and minds are flooded with graphic footage that spreads instantly. Civil discourse appears to be collapsing, being replaced by mockery, violence, and hate. Respect and compassion seem like fleeting virtues. Rather than being “quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger,” we seem to be doing the opposite.
As Christians, how should we live in times like these?
There are no easy answers or simple solutions. I don’t know all you should do or not do. What you DO requires wisdom based on your own circumstances, opportunities, and calling.
But I do have convictions about who we should BE. As a church, as people who have joined together to help people find and follow Jesus, who should we BE in evil, chaotic times? I want to offer three biblical suggestions.
1) Be rooted.
So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7
We must be rooted in the Gospel. The Gospel is not a message to discard after becoming a Christian. It’s the central message that fuels and matures every part of our Christian life. You’ve heard me say often, it’s never old news, it’s always good news. As we root ourselves deeply in the gospel, it helps us make sense of our world, teaches us how to live, and provides us with enduring hope. So, let’s think out some of its implications.
The Gospel teaches us that God is light — He is good, true, beautiful, and wise. He created a good and beautiful world. Human life is sacred because every human is made in the image of God. Every person has intrinsic worth and should be treated with love and respect.
This truth makes sense of why we feel so devastated and outraged by evil. It’s not supposed to be this way! The world is supposed to be a place of peace and justice, love and respect, because God is its Creator.
The Gospel teaches that death and dysfunction have entered our world because of sin. In our foolishness, we have all turned away from God and deserve His just condemnation for our sins. The world is a dark place because every person turns away from God, the source of light.
This truth reminds us that evil is very real. It is not something to be joked about, mocked, denied, or downplayed. Instead, it is something we lament and mourn. God invites us to come to Him with our whole hearts — to express our anger, griefs, and fears to Him. He will listen.
This truth also humbles us. Our world’s brokenness cannot be solely blamed on others, but is something we must each take responsibility for. We can come to Him with our sins, again and again, and find acceptance and forgiveness. But how can this be?
The Gospel teaches that God loves our world, even in its dark and miserable state. That’s why He sent His Son, Jesus. Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we deserved to die. He rose from the dead to offer forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Now, anyone who turns from sin and trusts in Jesus is reconciled to God forever, transferred from this world of darkness into the marvelous light of God’s Kingdom, which will be fully established when Jesus returns. What good news!
This truth reminds us that love and honor can triumph over sin. No matter how sinful you are, you can have peace with God by trusting in Jesus. What assurance of love this is! Nothing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus! And if God has loved us when we were sinners who did not deserve it, then we must do the same to our neighbors.
The Gospel teaches that Jesus will return to make all things new. When he comes, evil and death will be destroyed once and for all. Life, justice, peace, and prosperity will resound throughout all the earth. We will be with God forever and ever!
This truth offers a hope we can rejoice in. We can be patient in affliction, continue doing good even while we suffer, because we know the glory that awaits us.
We must be rooted in the gospel! Let’s preach it to ourselves daily. Let’s sing about it on Sundays. Let’s encourage one another with it. Let’s share it with our neighbors.
2) Be transformed.
Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2
Paul says that we should not be shaped or patterned after this age, but instead should be changed into something new and better. How do we do that? By the renewing of your mind.
In order to follow Jesus, we must be intentional about how we use our minds. Here are some questions to consider:
- What is your mind consuming?
- How does your Scripture intake compare to your news, social media, or YouTube intake?
- How much time and mental energy do you devote to prayer?
- What fruit is produced in you from the things you are consuming regularly?
To be transformed, we must renew our minds. A transformed life will be able to love without hypocrisy, to cling to what is good, to bless those who persecute, to live at peace with everyone as far as it depends on us, and to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:9-21).
As a church, let’s be people committed to gathering for worship, reading our Bibles, and praying. These are such basic Christian disciplines, and yet they have such lasting power to help us renew our minds and be transformed.
3) Be ready.
But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience, so that when you are accused, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 1 Peter 3:15-16
We must be ready at any time — that includes evil, chaotic times like these — to explain our reason for hope. In this passage, Peter offers two correctives that are important for us to remember.
First, we must not shrink back in fear. We must be faithful witnesses to Jesus. We must be willing to speak with courage and conviction. Are you prepared to do this? Do not be ashamed of the gospel. It’s the power of God for salvation!
Second, we must not be harsh, slanderous, or sinful in our speech. Peter says to be ready to speak with gentleness and reverence towards people. What a powerful dynamic this could be in today’s discourse. Are you able to speak graciously? Can you remain composed and principled, even as you present arguments? This is who we’re called to be as Christians.
Conclusion
In days filled with chaos and evil, who will we be?
In God’s providence, we are placed here and now for such a time as this. So, let’s be people rooted in the gospel, transformed by the renewing of our minds, and ready to speak with gentleness and respect.
– Pastor Nate