Mankind has always been fascinated with good and evil. Two polarizing forces that pull and tempt our psyches at their own behest. How does the human mind attempt to properly explain and deal with the two? The contrast of light and dark and good versus evil is symbolized in the Chinese yin and yang symbol, the idea that good and evil can peacefully coexist. Shakespeare wrote countless plays that displayed the eternal struggle of good versus evil, most ending tragically. And well, Hollywood has made a gazillion dollars dramatizing the boundless battles of good versus evil. Light versus dark. Right versus wrong. The peaceful versus the violent. Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, Batman and the Joker, Dorothy and the wicked witch of the West, Quint and the shark, George Bailey and mean ol’ Mr. Potter (no relation). The list goes on and on. There is good and there is evil, and the two mix like oil and water.
But what if you tried really hard to mix that oil and water? You know shake it up for an hour? Or maybe you could add a little more oil to make the water behave, or possibly less oil? Folks, the oil is oil, and the water is water. They do what they do, and they behave the way they behave. And that, by the way, is what God made them to be.
Our current world continues to be fascinated with good and evil. The eternal struggle to see good triumph over evil. But what happens when the world loses sight of the difference between the two? What happens when the world does its best to blend the two into some kind of magical third element? Maybe call it gad. (good + bad) A pinch of good with a smattering of just enough bad to equal things out. But folks, there is a cold hard truth about good and evil and you find it in the only place in this world that contains pure, unadulterated, unfiltered truth…God’s Word. And God’s Word clearly tells us that there can be no compromise between good and evil.
The Philistines were Kings David’s Darth Vader. David’s entire life was spent dealing with the violent advances and encroachment of this evil neighboring people. And 1 Chronicles 20 is no exception as we see David and his mighty men fighting the Philistines at Gezer. You see, when the Israelites followed the laws of God, they walked in the light of God. The Philistines rejected the law of God and any that followed it, as a result, they walked in the darkness. And because of this example in God’s Word, our world relates light and dark with good and evil. Want a few examples? What color hat does the good cowboy wear? And the bad cowboy? What color was Luke Skywalker's outfit? And Darth Vader’s? In the same vein, just as oil and water will not mix, neither will light and dark. You see, David’s constant struggle wasn’t with a certain people, but evil in general. David’s battle was seeing that the light of God dominated the darkness of evil in this world. And folks, this same battle extends to all those today that claim the Salvation of Jesus Christ. For you see, Jesus Christ is the light, and the world is the darkness. And never the twain shall meet.
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me WILL NOT walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 (caps mine)
“I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me WILL NOT remain in darkness.” John 12:46 (caps mine)
“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.” John 3:19
“In whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they MIGHT NOT see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” 1 Corinthians 4:4 (caps mine)
The idea that right and wrong can walk together is false, meaning it contains no truth. The idea that light and darkness can coexist peacefully is against the very Words of Jesus Christ. Jesus is very clear in calling Himself the light of this world. Jesus is clear in stating that whoever follows Him WILL NOT walk in darkness. Jesus is crystal clear in telling us in His own Words that whoever believes in Him WILL NOT remain in darkness. Jesus is clear in telling us that those that choose to remain in the darkness do so because they love the darkness, that is, they enjoy the sinful evil that their hands commit. And Jesus is clear in telling us that those that commit sinful evil and continue to walk in darkness do so because satan blinds their eyes to the light of Jesus Christ.
There is no compromise, there is no middle ground, there is no happy medium, there is no coexisting. The world today will tell us all about tolerance, about allowing all to do whatever they please, including ourselves. If it feels good do it. That’s a bold lie and in contradiction to the very words of Jesus. I see bumper stickers telling me to coexist with everything and everybody regardless of whether it’s the Light of Christ or not. That’s a vicious lie and in opposition to the Words of Christ. I see in movies and television, the constant selling of homosexual lifestyles that are walking in darkness, and they tell me it’s OK. The world’s message is not the message of Jesus Christ.
Folks, the world and the evil one that controls it are master salesman. They tell us that a little darkness is ok, that’s it not really that bad. They we can dabble in darkness and still have a little light on the weekends. Folks, it’s a lie that has been effectively marketed for so long that it’s now seen as truth. Good and evil will never compromise. Light and dark are in direct opposition and always will be. There will never be an agreement between the two.
Today I pray that you walk in the pure light of Jesus. Don’t believe the world’s lie but instead seek the truth that only lies within the Word of God. Walk in the light, refute the darkness, fight evil, flee from sin, live in the Light of Christ.
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3
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