Sunday, September 5, 2010

GOOD OUT OF EVIL

I have learned to be thankful in the midst of evil, understanding, as I do now, why it was created by God. Notice this series of comparisons of a former evil and its relation to the latter blessing.


Rom 5:15 But the free gift isn't like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

Rom 5:17 For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.

righteousness [good]> so much more > trespass [evil]

Rom 5:20 The law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly;

grace abounded [good] > more exceedingly > sin abounded [evil]

2Co 3:7-10 But if the service of death, written engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look steadfastly on the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which was passing away: won't service of the Spirit be with much more glory? For if the service of condemnation has glory, the service of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For most certainly that which has been made glorious has not been made glorious in this respect, by reason of the glory that surpasses.

glory of service of Spirit, righteousness [good] > much more, surpasses > service of death, condemnation [evil]

As an aside, do not misunderstand Paul here. He is not saying that the ten commandments written in stone are themselves condemnation, or death-something bad or evil. It is that the law written in stone, as righteous and spiritual, and good, and holy as it was, when given to the flesh, could only bring about death and condemnation, because the flesh cannot submit, but only rebel. See the difference? Do not disparage the law of God, for it is now IN us, as fruit, whereas before it was OUTSIDE, as a work.

2Co 4:6-7 seeing it is God who said, "Light will shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.

treasure, power of God [good]> exceeding greatness > darkness, clay vessels [evil]

Notice how the the latter is seen and experienced to be greater and more. This can only be as it relates and compares to the former. Thus, the former is needed, and in that sense beneficial in the context of the whole.

2Co 4:11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.

Paul writes here of the necessity of being delivered over to death constantly, for the express purpose of the life of Jesus being revealed out of bodies that are considered mortal, dead. How is this so? Well, there is hardly anything more inspiring than to witness someone going through, and coming out of, adversity, victorious. That is exactly what is being considered here, that others could witness all the hardship that the apostles went through, and yet in spite of it all, seeing, not a caving in and being destroyed, but instead a strength beyond description, a peace defying imagination, and a resoluteness not of themselves, but of God. Notice Paul's description of this very thing:

2Co 4:8 We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; 2Co 4:9 pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;

Rom 8:20,21,28 For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.

liberty of the glory of the children of God [good]> in hope (out of)> vanity, bondage of decay [evil]

In context, the 'all things' working together for good has to do with vain things related to bondage and decay-in other words, evil. These were the result of God's own doing so that, out of such a condition, creation would be delivered by God into the freedom and liberty of the glory of the children of God.

To quote Yanki Tauber:

That is why, say the Kabbalists, G-d created evil. Darkness exists so that it should be transformed into light, resulting in a luminance infinitely greater than light itself could ever yield. Cruelty is implanted in the heart of man so that we should tap its intensity to fuel acts of kindness infinitely more potent than kindness itself could ever produce. Evil exists to be exploited by goodness.

When you experience evil (and you will) know that there is someone Greater than the evil, working behind the scenes, producing more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory. 2Co 4:17

Ron

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