The Evil Within

I'm going to be very open and honest with all of you in this Daily Feast. It may drive some of you away, which will make me sad but I believe this message to be true. This is my opinion; however I believe it also to be in line with the scriptures.

Okay so here it goes I am going to spill all my dark, "evil" secrets. I am a big fan of beer. I have my favorites and ones that I've tasted that I think are crap. Ben Franklin once said that Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. I think it would be awesome to be a beer critic or conasaur.

Every now and then I also like to enjoy a cigar. I really enjoy those times I've had with guy friends just hanging out having a smoke. There is a cigar shop in Strawberry Square near where I work, I love going in there and just looking around at the different brands, smelling the different aromas. I also have an Irish clay pipe that I will smoke every now and then or use when I'm backpacking (tobacco only of course.)

I really enjoy the Harry Potter series. I hated reading until I pick up a copy of the 4th book and I realized the imagination I could have envisioning the different worlds that reading provides. I also really enjoy the movies.

I love to play rock music. When the band has a gig, I can't wait to get on stage and just be as crazy as I can (without falling off.) We have a certain dress code that we follow. I know it sounds weird but we were told "if you are going to be a rock band you have to look like a rock band." So I have outfits that really enjoy wearing but I wouldn't under any other circumstances.

I think it would be really cool to get a tattoo.

I want to get my ears pierced.

I would like to own a hand gun.

I would like to someday own and ride a motorcycle.

I could go on and on but I think this list will suffice for my point.

Before you delete this and totally write me off let me ask you a question. What do all of these things have in common with one another? Seriously take a moment to think about the answer to the question.

All of these things can be/are considered evil in the eyes of some Christians. I've heard the old saying; Don't smoke, drink or chew or hang out with girls that do. But let me ask you a question; Are the objects in the above list evil or is the person using the objects evil? I believe it to be the latter. Remember the story in Acts where the followers of The Way have a counsel in Jerusalem to discuss the reality that non-Jews were coming to Christ and receiving the same Holy Spirit that Jew-Jews were. At the end of the meeting the counsel wrote a letter to Gentile believers asking them to abstain from a few things, one of them being food sacrificed to idols. Now the reason was not because the food was evil, though the act of man sacrificing the food to pagan gods was evil. The reason was for the sake of Jews who had not come to the Messiah yet. They believed that if a Jew saw a Gentile, claiming to be a follower of The Way, eating meat that was sacrificed to another god that would totally turn him away from Jesus. So for the sake of witnessing to fellow Jews, Gentiles were encouraged to abstain from "idol meat."

Now I bring that up to make a point. God had already taken care of the whole "some foods are evil don't even think about touching them thing," with Peter. God said plain and simple that through Jesus' sacrifice that the Mosaic laws about food no longer applies. So the food was not evil at all but the man giving the food up to false gods makes it evil. However it would also be the act of worship that makes the food evil. A Gentile believer may have been given some meat sacrificed to a false god, not knowing it, eaten the food cause he was hungry. There's no worship involved. If he would have eaten the food in worship to the false god, then it would be evil. But the point remains, it's not the object that is evil but the man using the object for evil, that is evil.

Paul says in Phillipians that we need to figure out our salvation, with fear and trembling. Let us consider the above list again. These are the things that others think are evil or maybe can’t handle. But I can handle them and don’t think they are evil. I believe God placed them here for our enjoyment. I think that beer is a pleasant beverage. I like that taste and I enjoy drinking it. Is there anything evil there? Not at all. Now I will say that I identify that if I abuse the drinking of beer that I will become drunk and sin enters the situation stage right. LET ME BE CLEAR HERE, I like beer but I NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER allow myself to lose control. I don’t even allow myself to come close. I know my limits and what my body can handle. I drink beer because I enjoy the taste of it not so I can become drunk and act like an idiot. I decided when I turned 21 that I was going to partake in drinking alcohol but I also decided that I was going to be responsible. That decision goes for the rest of that list as well. Some people can’t handle reading or watching the Potter series. I acknowledge there are things in those books that God says to stay away from but there are also values in there that God himself tells us to cling to. Things like friendship, love, courage, sacrifice; if all you see is the sorcery then I’m sorry but you’ve missed the entire story.

It's not the object but the man using the object that is evil.

Now I’m not saying that you too should start drinking beer, go buy a motorcycle or pick a copy of the Potter book. What I am saying is that we need to change our thinking here as followers of Christ. Don't look down on fellow believers if they enjoy a beverage or cigar every now and then, as long as they do it responsibly. Furthermore don’t immediately write something off as “evil.” God says that he looks at the heart not the outward appearance and it’s time we do the same.

Take tattoos as yet another example. You cannot make a case based on scripture (without abusing the language or taking something out of context) to speak against tattoos. The word that is used in Leviticus is nowhere near the word or process that was used in ancient times. God was saying to the Levites that he doesn't want to be worshiped with cutting and abusing the body. So getting a tattoo is not evil, it's when the tattoo becomes an idol to the person that evil come into the picture. Tattoos have the potential to draw attention to one self. Once it becomes all about me and what I can do, that is when the problem comes. But a believer could use a tattoo as a tool for witness.

I do want to bring this up; as I’ve said the object is not evil but the man abusing it. We need to be aware of fellow believers who are abusing certain thing and are harming either themselves or others by their actions. The bible says that we need to rebuke each other IN LOVE in order to build each other up. Obviously things like drugs or cigarettes harm the body and should be throw out right away. But if a fellow believer is abusing something, they need to be told about it.

If I were to let my fondness of beer go too far and I was abusing it I would want someone to rebuke me so repentance could take place and forgiveness given. Like I said that would never happen but just as an example.

Though it is not the object but the person, we need to remember what Jesus did for us to break down the evil within us. The power of his love and sacrifice made it possible for us to have God’s spirit in us so that we can become more godly and turn away from out sinful nature. Thank you Jesus for what you did for us!!!

I hope in reading this you have been blessed. My intention was not to divide us but rather to bring us together. This was particularly difficult to write because I know this can be a touchy subject but one I felt the LORD leading me to address.

May our LORD be with you!