“Seek good and not evil, that you may live; And thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you, Just as you have said! Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the Lord God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.” (Amos 5:14–15, NASB95)
Recently, I watched a news program that saddened my heart. On it were interviewed people who were strongly emotional about politics. One cited, “I hate this president!”. Another mentioned that all who disagreed with her opinions should not be allowed to talk. A third mentioned that our country needs to demand her kind of justice or there should be consequences. A fourth mentioned that police should confiscate the guns of anyone who believed a certain way, whether they committed a crime or not. I find it terrible that people today want to control others, demand their own way, shut up those who disagree, and control others out of fear. Good and evil have been turned on their end. For these people, good is defined as what agrees with them. Evil is defined as what disagrees with them. It is clear to me that these people have no idea what constitutes true good and evil.
For faithful people of God, good and evil are defined from a different perspective. They are not personal choices or selfish principles. They are defined by the God who created the universe. As long as people fail to follow God, they will distort what is good and evil. Where people selfishly define good and evil, there will be injustice and hatred and fighting and war. When the media seeks to control the definition of good and evil, redefining it based on political or social fads, all the world will suffer. God knows true good and evil.
In the days of the prophet Amos, even the holy people of Israel had distorted good and evil. They treated the poor like trash (Amos 8:6). Injustice had poisoned the land (Amos 6:12). Authorities were known to take bribes. It was during this time of social and moral upheaval that the prophet Amos was sent by God to the people of Israel. Part of his mission was to remind the Israelites to keep faithful to the concepts of good and evil as defined by God. In Amos 5:14, the prophet tells the people to “seek good and not evil”. If they did not, the Lord would not be with them. He also preached that holy people should take sides in the battle for good and evil. They should “hate evil and love good” (Amos 5:15). They should keep faithful to God’s definition of good and evil so that there may be justice in the land and God will bless them.
I want you to understand, dear child of God, that God’s definitions of good and evil do not change. God’s law and word have made clear what defines each. When people move away from God, as in the days of Amos, good and evil will be redefined. Then, justice will become perverted. Throughout history, this same corruption of what defines good and evil has taken place. Each time these concepts were distorted, and God is taken out of the equation, injustice and inequality became commonplace.
Conrad Roy killed himself in 2014. Soon after his death, police discovered that his girlfriend had sent him dozens of texts urging him to commit suicide. A Massachusetts court found the girlfriend, Michelle Carter, guilty of Conrad Roy’s death. When Conrad considered not going through the suicide, Carter convinced him to just get it over with, no excuses. I find it interesting that some people considered Michelle Carter’s texts “clearly not wrong”, even when she urged her boyfriend to kill himself. In court, it was argued that Michelle never outright killed her boyfriend. While true, she did not alert anyone that he was suicidal. She also did not give him any reasons to live. Instead, she urged him follow through and kill himself.
During this case, how some people defined good and evil became evident. The defense argued that it is legal to let someone die without any help, encourage a person to die, and show no respect for the value of a life. Because Michelle never pulled a trigger or poisoned her boyfriend, she should be free from responsibility. However, just because a person didn’t pull a trigger doesn’t mean she is innocent. Her words and influence directly caused the death of Conrad Roy. Conrad is also responsible for his suicide. Happily, the court system found Michelle Carter guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Conrad Roy.
As this court case was being fought out in public opinion, there were many people who defended Michelle Carter. Some cited the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, protecting free speech. I, on the other hand, believe in the law of God. I believe life is precious to God, based on many scriptures. I believe good is made apparent even from the first pages of the Bible in Genesis, when human beings were created in the image of God to tend and keep creation. From the beginning, God sought to preserve and protect life whenever possible. Each life is precious to God. Murder is clearly rejected in the Ten Commandments of Exodus 20. Good is defined as doing what is right in the eyes of God. This court case brought out how good and evil can be redefined by a young woman, by an attorney, and in the court of public opinion. God’s opinion on the matter hasn’t changed.
Our scripture for today brings to the forefront that you should “hate evil” and “love good”. Some have distorted this message today urging people to “hate life”, “hate Democrats”, “Hate Republicans”, “hate immigrants”, “hate conservatives or liberals”. Other have distorted what it means to be good. They may think good is what agrees with their opinion or with their agenda. For you, good and evil have been permanently defined by the Word of God and through the saving grace of Christ. I hope you never confuse what is good and evil. It will never turn out good for you in the end.
For faithful people of God, good and evil are defined from a different perspective. They are not personal choices or selfish principles. They are defined by the God who created the universe. As long as people fail to follow God, they will distort what is good and evil. Where people selfishly define good and evil, there will be injustice and hatred and fighting and war. When the media seeks to control the definition of good and evil, redefining it based on political or social fads, all the world will suffer. God knows true good and evil.
In the days of the prophet Amos, even the holy people of Israel had distorted good and evil. They treated the poor like trash (Amos 8:6). Injustice had poisoned the land (Amos 6:12). Authorities were known to take bribes. It was during this time of social and moral upheaval that the prophet Amos was sent by God to the people of Israel. Part of his mission was to remind the Israelites to keep faithful to the concepts of good and evil as defined by God. In Amos 5:14, the prophet tells the people to “seek good and not evil”. If they did not, the Lord would not be with them. He also preached that holy people should take sides in the battle for good and evil. They should “hate evil and love good” (Amos 5:15). They should keep faithful to God’s definition of good and evil so that there may be justice in the land and God will bless them.
I want you to understand, dear child of God, that God’s definitions of good and evil do not change. God’s law and word have made clear what defines each. When people move away from God, as in the days of Amos, good and evil will be redefined. Then, justice will become perverted. Throughout history, this same corruption of what defines good and evil has taken place. Each time these concepts were distorted, and God is taken out of the equation, injustice and inequality became commonplace.
Conrad Roy killed himself in 2014. Soon after his death, police discovered that his girlfriend had sent him dozens of texts urging him to commit suicide. A Massachusetts court found the girlfriend, Michelle Carter, guilty of Conrad Roy’s death. When Conrad considered not going through the suicide, Carter convinced him to just get it over with, no excuses. I find it interesting that some people considered Michelle Carter’s texts “clearly not wrong”, even when she urged her boyfriend to kill himself. In court, it was argued that Michelle never outright killed her boyfriend. While true, she did not alert anyone that he was suicidal. She also did not give him any reasons to live. Instead, she urged him follow through and kill himself.
During this case, how some people defined good and evil became evident. The defense argued that it is legal to let someone die without any help, encourage a person to die, and show no respect for the value of a life. Because Michelle never pulled a trigger or poisoned her boyfriend, she should be free from responsibility. However, just because a person didn’t pull a trigger doesn’t mean she is innocent. Her words and influence directly caused the death of Conrad Roy. Conrad is also responsible for his suicide. Happily, the court system found Michelle Carter guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Conrad Roy.
As this court case was being fought out in public opinion, there were many people who defended Michelle Carter. Some cited the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution, protecting free speech. I, on the other hand, believe in the law of God. I believe life is precious to God, based on many scriptures. I believe good is made apparent even from the first pages of the Bible in Genesis, when human beings were created in the image of God to tend and keep creation. From the beginning, God sought to preserve and protect life whenever possible. Each life is precious to God. Murder is clearly rejected in the Ten Commandments of Exodus 20. Good is defined as doing what is right in the eyes of God. This court case brought out how good and evil can be redefined by a young woman, by an attorney, and in the court of public opinion. God’s opinion on the matter hasn’t changed.
Our scripture for today brings to the forefront that you should “hate evil” and “love good”. Some have distorted this message today urging people to “hate life”, “hate Democrats”, “Hate Republicans”, “hate immigrants”, “hate conservatives or liberals”. Other have distorted what it means to be good. They may think good is what agrees with their opinion or with their agenda. For you, good and evil have been permanently defined by the Word of God and through the saving grace of Christ. I hope you never confuse what is good and evil. It will never turn out good for you in the end.