One Of The Greatest Objection Plaguing Mankind

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Proverbs 8:13

When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the lowly is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:2

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.

Proverbs 29:23

Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunk-beauty of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of then that are overcome with wine?

Isaiah 28:1

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of he devil.

1Timothy 3:1

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father is not in him.

1John 2:16 

     Mankind cannot object to the fact that there is evil in this world and that evil is propagated by man: therefore there is evil in man. With all that being said, even understood, there is a problem that we must face and that problem is PRIDE! The dictionary provides much information about pride and one such explanation is that PRIDE is a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, conceit, arrogance: to indulge one's self in a feeling of pride. A person who is proud even though knowing the facts attempts to rationalized these facts, even going so far as to blame God, even if they do not actually believe in a God. Prideful mankind often asks such questions is: Why, that is, why, was it not God who created us? If God did create us then we have all that God created and that includes our evilness. Therefore, God will not hold us accountable for our sins. If God has allowed us to have a fallen nature, and mankind cannot keep them, or does but as man cannot keep them fully, so we should not be held accountable then God will not judge us according to our sins. Mankind then things that somehow this is a valid excuse that excuses him from the guilt of sin. Where does the ability to think for ourselves come into the picture? Are we robots? Are we not able to choose? God could have made us to be like a robot but that would remove humanity. I do not know what life as a robot would be like, but I do know that a robot has no choice except that which might be programmed. We can choose! God allows us to be human. So to say that God cannot hold us accountable for our wrongs is to argue circularly, and this is illogical and makes no sense. 

     The reasoning non-believers use and apply is another story. Let us say that we show them the flaw in their thinking: this does not mean that they will be open to the words of Scripture. What is needed is communication, an honest dialogue, then there might be a chance of communicating solid arguments of Authentic Christian Faith. To communicate adequately the case for Authentic Christianity (1Peter 3:15), then it is possible their mental gymnastics will not have a part in their objections.

     How do we do this? Start with the basics; first do this to explain the unfathomable mind of God. This is the best approach. Too many Christians, preachers, evangelists, teachers, and other Christians too often start at the middle, even the end. This will not work, at least in most cases. Why? If a person does not come to accept God, to see that they are a fallen creature in need of help, they will not accept whatever you forward to them about God and who they are: a fallen creature, prideful, and full of evil, even if that evil is being held at bay. People need to come to the point whereby they acknowledge the goodness and justice of God, not just that they are fallen creature who have a fallen nature, this is not the way for it is not adequate as an excuse for human sin. We all are accountable to God.

     Scripture is so clear and plain on the subject of sin. God cannot be blamed for sin and God does not tempt us to sin: "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me" (James 1:13). We, all of us, must come to terms with our sin(s) and we must embrace the solution. This solution is not by the will of man, nor does man have any play in this solution accept that he recognizes that only by God Who is the One Who provides the solution. This solution if accepted, that which He has provided is the only way that we can be kept from that awful judgment that sinners receive. Can man who has truly repented and has truly accepted Jesus Christ as Savior lose their salvation? NO! Remember our study in Revelation: God is going to give to every man, woman, and child, their reward for all that they have said and done. This should cause you and me to examine ourselves from the inside/out to ensure that we are and have become Authentic Christians and that our faith is Authentic Christian Faith.

If My people, which are called by My name,

     shall humble themselves, and pray,

and seek My face, and turn from their wicked

    ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will 

forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

                      II Chronicles 7:14

Acknowledgement is not enough: You must be Authentic

Richard L. Crumb 

Growing Spiritually

But since you rejected me when I called and 

no one, gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 

since you ignored all my advice and would not 

accept my rebuke, I in turn will laugh at your disaster; 

I will mock when calamity overtakes you-when 

calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster 

sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress 

and trouble overwhelm you. Then they will call to me 

but I will not answer; they will look for me but will 

not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did 

not choose the fear of the LORD.

Proverbs 1:24-29

     God will judge mankind's sin! The opening verses may cause us some measure of apprehension as to our own failures and our failure to live according to God's instruction that He has given in the Bible. Those opening verses are very serious. The Bible does not need our affirmation that it is the truth. We all can see that the world around us demonstrates the truth of Scripture that there is a sowing and a reaping of destructive nature that ignores the Bible's teaching. All things have consequences, both good and bad things and it is not hard to see for ourselves the destructive consequence due to our sin(s). 

     If this is true, what are we to do? Is there any hope? Is judgment our only destiny? Let this bring to you hope, and a solution to our problem due to our fallen nature. First, we must come to grips with the true state of our condition. Only then, only be coming to grips with the true state or our nature will be ready to appreciate what God has done to rescue us from ourselves. We must come to an imperative serious acceptance or our true condition as human beings. If we do not, then, we will not come to an understanding and acknowledgment of ourselves and will have a poor foundation on which to build our faith. We must change from the inside/out and this can only be done with prayer, with study of God's word, with putting into practice that which God has instructed for us. How can we have Authentic Christian Faith is we do not do all that we must? If we do not take this problem seriously we will not seek the solution offered by God. What is write about is not babble some theological babble, it speaks to the practical as it is a practical issue. 

      When I come to know that I am ill, will I not as a sane (some question this:ha ha ha) thinking person go and find a solution for my illness? Speak to one who is dying from a disease and you will find that they take the problem serious and seek a cure. Some seek a cure from the wrong source, but the critical and commonsense person seeks the right source. There is a cure for our fallen nature and this cure is not forced on us: it is given and offered freely. 

     Do you understand how much we are defective? If you do then you are on your way to shake off false security, as some "Churches" off: i.e., The Supernatural School of Bethel here in Redding, CA; and other so called "Churches offering special healing, etc., that when this fails faith is so often destroyed. We must be willing to take advantage, to be open, not open-minded without thoughtful examination, but honest searching and coming to the knowledge as found in Scripture rightly interpreted, that is Scripture alone interprets Scripture, no other way is true. We have no excuse if we are in denial.

     We can experience this solution in our lives now seeing how our new attitude, or new understanding as how to live according to Scripture has a positive affect on you, and on others, except those who will ridicule (let them: they are in denial and ignorant to find the truth). We may struggle, but the struggle is worth all and we may have problems, this is life, is it not? What we is that day by day we become more and more aware not only of our condition but as to the solution and we will grow spiritually.

Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God,

    and be more ready to hear, than to give the 

sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they

   do evil.

                     Ecclesiastes 5:1

Spiritual growth may be slow: but it is growing

Richard L. Crumb

The Reality And Cause Of Evil

Now is the judgment of this world: 

now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

John 13:31

But when the Pharisees heard it, they said,  This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the  

prince of the devil. 

Matthew 12:24

And you hath he quickened, who were dead 

in trespasses and sins; wherein in time 

past ye walked according to the course of 

this world, according to the prince of the power

 of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the 

children of disobedience; among whom also we

 all had our conversation in times past in the 

lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh 

and of the mind; and were by nature the children 

of wrath, even as others.

Ephesians 2:1-3 

 

     Scripture is plain and clear in teaching us that we are in our nature fallen beings who in of themselves have no real desire for God. What fallen being have done due to be made in the image of God is to make gods that suited their desires, even to cause them to feel as though they are godly. This is the picture from Scripture as to the state of man, a fallen state.

     What has occurred due to our fallen state is that there seems to be another source for our fallen state. In fact, Scripture tells us that that source is Satan. The narrative as to the fall of Adam and Eve caused by Satan is the beginning for this change in our souls, from desiring the God who created us, to gods who take the place of the actual God: Jehovah. We must take into account how Satan and those who fell from heaven with him is at work in our human hearts. A problem with the idea of evil begins with those who will scoff at the fall by Adam and Eve. The problem begins with the words used in Genesis that Eve was misled by a "snake." Furthermore, that Eve spoke with a "snake." Question: Can man speak with an animal, or an animal speak to man? The Hebrew word used in this account is: אֶל-הַנָּחָשׁ and is two words, "the," and "serpent." The word for serpent or snake used here can be translated in Strong's Dictionary #5175 and is taken from Strong's Dictionary #5172. There are no vowels in the writing of Hebrew and are supplied by points and the only difference between these two words is a point, but both are referring to that which "hisses." A snake "hisses." The foundation for #5175 from #5172 gives us a bigger meaning as how we can understand how Eve, even Adam could speak with a "serpent." #5172: Root: hiss, or to whisper a magic spell, to prognosticate, enchantment (4x), used as divine (4x) enchanter (1x), indeed (1x), certainly (1x), learn by experience (1x), diligently observe (1x). The serpent then, is not an animal, or a snake: i.e., cobra, rattlesnake, etc., but Satan who had fallen from grace and was now upon the earth would speak to Eve, to give to her a whisper akin to given to her a magic spell, to enchant her so that he would seem to be giving to her the truth. We can find that some of those so-called evangelist do much of the same thing. Allow Scripture to clear this matter: "And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan (the Greek for those two words do not have the article for "the" and the word "kai" translated "and" is to join together to have both words refer to each to be the same and one being), and bound him a thousand years" (Revelation 10:1-3). Can it be more clear than this? Satan is a real being and those who fell from heaven with him are just as real. 

     A major difference between cultural Christians and Authentic Christians is this distinguishing mark: Cultural Christians have a problem believing that evil in this world could be the result of Satan and his hordes of followers: demons. The doctrine of the existence and the activity of Satan, and his hordes of demons is almost universally denied. It is not that cultural Christians do not read the Bible and admit of this narrative about Satan, it is the issue of personification of the Devil and his followers. This narrative about Satan and the hordes of follower that fell from heaven is treated as though it were just a fairy tale. Cultural Christians have a hard time believing that an educated person would believe in such a story of Satan and his influence over mankind. Secular people, those who will  not believe the Bible, treat this about Satan as if it were nothing more than superstition. Cultural Christians often believe as the non-believer. It is true that the Bible account of Satan and his demon followers have been distorted: i.e., Dante' Inferno is such a story as it portrays Satan and hell in such a way that there is a distortion of the truth. Pictures of Satan having a forked tail, horns, being a beast, all this gives ammunition to further distort and discredit that Satan and his demons are real. 

     A problem is then that many people either ignore or ridicule as to them this seems inconsistent to the truth as they want the truth to be. Many will not acknowledge the reality of Satan and his hordes but will acknowledge that there is evil in this world. Could this be real? Could this be true? Is it far from our thinking that we can see evil in man and not see that evil could come from another source than man? A materialist will not admit to such a truth, or see that evil could come from another source, that such could not exist and this keeps them form seeing the inconsistency of their position. The fact is: the will not believe in the truth of the Bible and the Bible's teaching on this subject. 

     Authentic Christians, those who hold to Authentic Christian Faith who believe the Bible and its account about Satan and his hordes of demons, this is a serious matter. Yes, we are flawed and our human nature is toward evil and we may say then: "what hope do we have?" Authentic Christians recognize that God sees all and knows all even what we think (He created us and we are of His handiwork, so God knows all about that which He created), and He knows our hearts, and sees the inner darkness in us. 

     Do not lose heart! We have just begun to understand the nature of mankind and how evil exists in this world and how we are affected by this evil, that original fall from grace by Adam and Eve. We must learn so that we, who are fallen in our nature, can grow in sanctification aiding us to change from the inside/out, to aid us to conform to the image of Jesus Christ. We will get to the "good stuff" so study, read, meditate, pray and grow.

 

My son, if thine heart be wise,

    my heart shall rejoice, even min.

Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy

   lips speak right things. Let not thine

heart envy sinners: but be thou in the

   fear of the LORD all the day long.

for surely there is an end and thine

   expectation shall not be cut off'

               Proverbs 23:16-18

 

Walk with the Lord and evil will not win

 

Richard L. Crumb