Overcoming Evil

Overcoming Evil
Romans 12:19-21

All over our country, believing people are asking, “What are we to do?” The answer to that question is found in the book of Romans, chapter 12. When you see what was going on in Rome when Paul was moved by the Holy Spirit to write these words that are before us today, you will feel the power and the relevance of them in a whole new way.

The Historic Timeline Of The Roman Empire And The Early Church

The Roman Empire

    ·   Augustus; Tiberius; Caligula; Claudius; Nero

The Early Church

    ·   Pentecost was around the year 33AD.

    ·   The book of Romans was written in the winter of 56/57AD.

    ·   Paul arrives in Rome in 60AD:

    ·   Two years after that, the apostle Peter was in Rome. (63AD)

    ·   One year later, the city of Rome was set on fire. (64AD)

    ·   The first Christians did not fit with where the culture was going, so they were branded as “haters.”

How are Christians supposed to respond in times of rapid social change? What does God say to these Christians and therefore to us today when dealing with so many injustices in our world?!

God Has Established Governing Authorities In This World To Administer Justice – Romans 12:19-20

    ·   There will be retribution for evildoers.

    ·   You are not to take retribution yourself.

    ·   God has given this responsibility to the governing authorities in this world, not to you. 

    ·   Place the unresolved injustice of this world into the hands of God.

What injustice do you need to trust into the hands of God toady? Placing injustice into the hands of God is the path of Jesus for believers to follow.

·   What did Christ do when he faced this injustice? He continued entrusting Himself to God who judges justly.

·   If people believe that the only justice they can get is in this world, they will feel that they must take matters into their own hands, and then the world will look in vain for peace.

It is possible to be overcome by evil.

·   If you have suffered a great evil in your life, you know that the toughest challenge you face is to make sure that it does not overcome you. However, there is another possibility…

It is possible to overcame evil with good.

·   The evils you have suffered may have defined the person you used to be, but they cannot possibly define the person you are now in Christ.

Jesus overcame evil with good.

What was the good with which Jesus overcame evil?

·   He trusted the Father, even when he could not see what the Father was doing. 

·   Jesus prayed for the enemies who persecuted him.