Evil is the opposite of love, so maybe we should begin with a look at love.

Love is caring more for another person than I care about myself.

Love is not merely sexual desire, and often is not mixed with such desire at all.

Love is kindness and generosity from the heart, with no expectation of reward.

Love is pure goodness toward another, placing their future wellbeing above all my own immediate wants or needs.

A good picture of love is God offering up His own Son for us, even when we showed no interest in getting rid of our sins.  Identical to this is Jesus’ willingness to go to the cross for men and women who had no interest in knowing God or serving Him.

For more on love, see 1 Corinthians 13.

What, then, is evil?

Evil is the willingness to inflict harm or loss on another in order to satisfy my own personal desires.

Evil always believes that everyone else is stupid, worthless, or simply in the way.

Evil is cold disregard for the needs and suffering of another.

Evil places me above everyone else, always looking out for number one.

Evil refuses to forgive a wrong done by another.

The teachings of God in Scripture condemn sin because it is evil.

Sinful acts are evil because they perpetuate the evil that is in the world.

Sinful acts are evil because they add to the suffering that is already in the world.

God hates sin because God loves human beings.   Because God loves me He hates my sin.

God actively opposes sin because God loves people.

God forgives sin because God cares about people and has the power to give us a future without sin.  God will forgive my sin.

The Bible makes it clear that all people have sinned in some way.

Every honest person realizes they have done wrong.  I know I have sinned.

Admitting that I have sinned sin does not make me weak.  Rather, it often begins the healing of hearts and lives.  It requires courage and brings strength.

Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world.  John the Baptist once pointed to Jesus and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

Because Jesus died for the sins of the world, now I can be forgiven and made clean.  I can now receive the gift of God, which is eternal life in Christ.

Evil is at work in the world.

Love is at work in the world.

No human being is destined at birth to always follow evil.  I have a choice.

If I choose God’s love, through faith in Jesus Christ, I will become a true child of God, as the Scripture says.  I will be born spiritually into His family.

I choose love.

Jim