Evil

I'm finding that the Bible challenges conventional notions of evil. If you were to ask the average person on the street to define "evil", most would say something along the lines of crimes against humanity, such as murder or genocide. If asked to name a specific "evil" person, the answers would range from Osama bin Laden to George W. Bush. I don't begrudge anyone this definition or these examples. In fact, I would even agree that there is much "evil" in this world as we define that word. The problem for me comes in when the attempt is made to foist these definitions onto the Bible when it talks about evil.

Biblically speaking, evil is a barrier, or something that is in the way. An "evil" person would then be defined as someone who places a blockade in the path of someone who is trying to enter the Kingdom of God. The "evil" committed is not so much a crime against humanity as it is a legalistic requirement.

For example, in a previous post I wrote about the churches in Galatia who were being overrun by Judaizers, who were saying that there are requirements for following Jesus, the greatest of which is circumcision. In effect, the Judaizers placed a barrier between people and Jesus, and this would be defined by Paul as evil. He even says that much in another letter:

Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we (Christians) who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh... Philippians 3:2,3

So, Biblically speaking, evil is defined as any act or regulation that attempts to score brownie points with God, as if God can be manipulated. This in effect serves as a barrier between humanity and God.

Jesus shattered all of those barriers by his death on the cross, the claim of which is one of the salient features of the Pauline corpus. The crucifixion of Jesus defeated evil as that word is defined in Scripture. The cross never guaranteed that there would never be murderous crimes against humanity ever again. But it does guarantee that the way to God is cleared away and any and all hinderances have been removed for good. There are no legalistic requirements for entrance into the Kingdom of God. The reign of God is absent of evil.