The objective of this lesson: to stress that the reality of evil is a part of this physical existence. Belonging to Jesus Christ does not place a person beyond the touch of Satan in our physical existence.
We began with our potential for good and evil. When our earliest forefathers knew only good in a world that knew only good, they choose that which was evil—rebellion against God that questioned God's commitment to our good (Genesis 3:1-7) The humanity that began being and knowing only good became people who chose only evil (Genesis 6:5-8). Even then were it not for God's grace, humanity's potential for evil surely would have destroyed humanity! Our ability to "self destruct" in our pursuit of evil is evident in the actions and behavior of every generation.
The battle between good and evil perverted humanity when in greed people yielded to deception. Truth begins with people's understanding that God seeks our good.
God made us beings of choice with the responsibility of the choices we make. While God immediately knows the choices we make, the choices are ours. Though there may be consequences to be endured, the decision is always ours.
The truth that God seeks our good is hard to understand and accept! In fact, the older we get, the more challenging that understanding becomes. We "see" more and more evil in ourselves and in our world as we become older. As an example, consider the responsibility of being a caring parent. A "good" parent is a parent who cares for and about the child he or she brought into this world. If the person who brought you into this world cannot be "good" to you, then who will be? Yet, (in our society) the parents who are apathetic about their children may outnumber the parents who are good to their children. In our society, the parents who are abusive (through all means of abuse) may equal the parents who are good to their children. For an adult who had an apathetic or abusive parent as a child, it may be difficult to believe that anyone could seek a person's good when the person "sees" actual imperfections in himself or herself. That is especially true when the person is convinced that someone would be good to a person only if the person "deserves" good treatment. Why should anyone seek your good when you are imperfect?
As we get older and more aware of evil, the more incomprehensible God's grace toward any of us becomes. God is good to us when we are so undeserving of goodness. God deliberately connects human hope to His grace. It is not human achievement at the foundation of our salvation, but the acts of God in the death and resurrection of Jesus. We respond to God's gifts, but all we can do is respond to what He did and does. Read again 1 Corinthians 15:23-28.
Because God is greater than Satan does not mean that Satan is powerless to cause a person suffering or grief. Consider our texts. In Ephesians, Paul affirmed that in Christ God made available to them every spiritual blessing available in this world (Ephesians 1:3). Even though that was true, Paul prayed that the Christians at Ephesus would spiritually mature by grasping what God did in Christ (Ephesians 1:18-21). The deficiencies of the Christians are quite evident in Ephesians 2:11-17 and 4:17-32. In the first scripture, they did not grasp the fact that Christ destroyed the past barrier between Jews and gentiles. In the second, they were still behaving like unconverted idol worshippers. In Ephesians 5, Paul made it evident that Christians imitated God and not their unconverted past.
Evil and Satan are real and powerful in this physical realm. The conquest of Satan in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1) paid the consequences for human sinfulness, (2) guarantees death cannot have "the last word," (3) declares God's superiority, (4) means Satan's end surely will come, but does not mean that Satan can do no harm in this physical world.
Read carefully Ephesians 6:10-20. Note these things. (1) Spiritually, Christians were to put on God's full armor. Even though God had provided them all the spiritual blessings of Ephesians 1:3-14, they still needed to wear God's full armor. (2) Why? (a) So they could successfully endure the devil's schemes (6:11). (b) So they would function in the full awareness of the nature of their struggles (6:11). (c) So they could stand firm (6:13). (d) So they could ward off the evil one's flaming missiles (6:16). (e) So they could be alert (6:18). Though Paul was a model Christian who was mature, Satan made his life and his work miserable (6:19, 20)!
All spiritual blessings in Christ in the idolatrous world of Paul meant God provided people everything in Jesus Christ (no other god was needed to provide any spiritual blessing), but it did not mean that Satan was without power in this physical world.
In the text in Hebrews 11:13-16, note these things: (1) Even the early people of faith realized that God had a purpose that could not be achieved by any material accomplishment or means. (2) Therefore, their purpose could not be defined by material things or material existence. (3) They viewed themselves as strangers and exiles on earth. (4) They did not belong to an earthly existence—they simply did not belong to this earth. (5) They had the choice to belong to the earth, but they wanted a superior existence. It was for these reasons God was not ashamed to be their God.
Those who belong to God through Jesus Christ do not define success as do those who exist for physical achievements or physical objectives. The more a person belongs to God, the less that person belongs to anything physical. Those who belong to God regard existence in the physical as a pilgrimage, not a destination.
A huge deception that will inflict many unnecessary wounds on any Christian is for that person to believe that belonging to Jesus Christ means that the convert is beyond Satan's reach to inflict physical suffering, pain, and disappointment. Satan, who could cause the death of Jesus Christ, who could cause the suffering of apostles, and who could cause many early Christians to be martyrs, can surely harmfully touch (physically) Christians today! Never be deceived into thinking that belonging to Jesus Christ removes you from Satan's touch in this world! A Christian always has the choice of returning to an ungodly or godless existence (2 Peter 2:20-22). Endurance involves resisting evil in your life and evil in the world. Such resistance is not limited to "adopting a cause," or "making a donation," or "marching with placard in hand."
To expect physical rewards as a result of devotion to God is to experience self-inflicted wounds and needless temptations. Such often transforms unselfish service into selfish expectation and disillusionment. The result is often being controlled by doubting "whys."
"Following Christ" is not a matter of setting conditions you impose on the God who gave us Jesus Christ and saying, "I will follow Christ IF . . ." "Following Christ" is a commitment that is explained in the words, "I trust him because . . ."
In a life of faith, there is an enormous difference in a life of conditions (ifs) and a life of commitments (becauses).
FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION
1. Discuss our potential for good and evil. (Realize some matters are beyond our comprehension.)
The discussion must include the awareness that we have both potentials, but we gravitate towards evil. We are more likely to trust Satan than God, seemingly because our acceptance (understanding) of evil is more familiar than our understanding of grace (undeserved goodness).
2. Truth begins with what understanding?
It begins with the understanding that God seeks human good.
3. The truth that God seeks our good is hard to what?
That truth is hard to understand and accept. That condition exists perhaps because that truth is rarely true of a human.
4. The older we get, what happens? Why?
The older we get, the more we recognize evil in ourselves and our world. Age brings experience and a realism that refuses the simplicity of idealism.
5. Because God is greater than Satan does not mean what?
It does not mean Satan is powerless to cause a person suffering or grief in this physical world.
6. What did Paul affirm in Ephesians 1?
Paul affirmed God in Jesus Christ made available all spiritual blessings that exist in the physical world.
7. What did Paul pray for the Christians in Ephesus in Ephesians 1?
Paul prayed that they would mature in their understanding of all God did in Jesus Christ.
8. What deficiency existed in the Christians in Ephesus that Paul discussed in Ephesians 2?
They did not understand God's destruction of the barrier between Jews and gentiles who believed in Jesus Christ.
9. What deficiency existed in the Christians in Ephesus that Paul discussed in Ephesians 4?
They did not understand that Jesus Christ should control their behavior, not their idolatrous past.
10. What did Paul make evident in Ephesians 5?
Christians imitated God, not their unconverted past.
11. What were you asked to note in Ephesians 6:10-20?
12. Though Paul was a model, mature Christian, Satan did what to him?
Satan made Paul's physical life and work miserable.
13. In Hebrews 11:13-16, what were you asked to note?
14. Discuss the huge deception that inflicts unnecessary wounds on Christians.
The discussion should include this fact: belonging to God does not physically remove a person from evil's touch.
15. What does spiritual endurance involve?
Endurance involves resisting evil in one's life and in the world.
16. Following Christ does not involve what? Instead, it involves what?
It does not involve setting conditions on God. It involves commitment that explains itself by using the word "because."
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 2