Rejecting Evil

Proverbs 2:20-22

²⁰So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.

²¹For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it,

²²but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Solomon continues his message to “his son” – which is meant for his actual physical son and for us, God’s people. The message of these three verses is simple, walk in the ways of God and reject evil. Seems simple enough.

But we know that it isn’t simple. It is, in fact, rather difficult, some days being tougher than others. I most certainly want to keep to the paths of righteousness and live with integrity. But Satan wants me to be join him in wickedness and knows just how to tempt me to do that. While it is always God’s desire is to lead all people to wisdom, it is Satan’s goal to thwart that plan. While he does win a few battles, his defeat has already been secured. We just have to live in that truth.

Paul gives some concrete advice as to how to deal with the temptations of evil. This passage from 2 Corinthians is one of my favorites.

2 Corinthians 10:3-6

³For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, ⁶being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

”… take every thought captive to obey Christ” says the same thing as this Proverbs passage. When evil ideas occur to us, we have an out every time. Those evil thoughts may be the result of Satan’s suggestions, the world’s temptation, or our own thought patterns. Regardless of where these ideas originate, we can take the same path away from them; take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (niv). I’ll confess, sometimes I’m successful at taking those thoughts captive and sometimes I give into them. It can be frustrating or exhilarating, depending on which side wins. But the fact remains, we have a tool at our disposal. Hold that thought up to the light of Christ and let His Spirit help make the decision to cast it aside. Solomon is recommending that same idea in these three verses, just a little more poetically. We also need to hold onto the fact that when we do succeed in taking those thoughts captive, it is the work and power of the Holy Spirit and not my own internal strength. God enable every good decision and I am grateful that His work of sanctification is moving through me every single day.