Table of Contents
Introduction: A Battle Between Good and Evil
I was recently watching a sermon by Ty Gibson and something he said hit home. He painted a vivid picture of our world—which is a battlefield— filled with evil, not just around us but within us. The evil around us—in the headlines, in our daily struggles, and in our decisions—is a reflection of the real battle happening inside every heart. The cumulative evil seen around us is a reflection of what’s in individual hearts. There’s a battle between good and evil in all of us.
I hear you constantly expressing a desire to see a solution to the problem of evil around you. Are you as troubled by the problem of evil within you? – Ravi Zacharias
The Reality of the Evil in Our World
We don’t have to look far to see how broken the world is. Statistics show that over 40 million people are enslaved in modern-day slavery1. Each year, hunger kills more than 9 million people—most of them children. Meanwhile, there are over 100 armed conflicts affecting millions of lives. Every three minutes, a woman is assaulted somewhere in the world. From this statistic, we can see the devastating impact of sin most of which are committed by individuals like you and I.
The Bible speaks about this. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul tells us that in the last days, people will be “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers… without self-control, brutal, despisers of good.” Doesn’t this sound like what we see today?
But why is the world like this? It’s because the evil in the world is a result of the evil in each human heart.
A Battle Inside Us
The battle between good and evil isn’t just in the world—it’s inside each of us. As Ty Gibson pointed out in his sermon, “The line separating good and evil passes… right through every human heart.” We like to think of evil as something “out there,” but the Bible says differently. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”
When we look at the terrible things people do, it’s easy to judge them. But have you ever thought that, under the right circumstances, you might do the same? The Bible teaches that without God’s intervention, we are all capable of terrible evil. Paul writes in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Even the smallest wrong thought or act is a symptom of this inner battle. Gossip, envy, greed—they may seem minor compared to violence and war, but they come from the same root. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.”
The Bible’s Insight on Human Nature
The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat human nature. It tells us that left to ourselves, we are hopeless. Romans 3 paints a bleak picture: “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God” (Romans 3:10-11).
But this isn’t just depressing news. It’s the truth that leads us to realize our need for a Savior. Ellen White writes that “the greatest battle ever fought is the battle against self” (Steps to Christ, p. 43). We must understand that the root of the evil in the world starts with the evil in our hearts.
The Only Way Out
This is where the good news comes in. We don’t have the power to change ourselves. But God does. Romans 5:8 reminds us, “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus offers the only way out of this battle.
We can’t save ourselves by trying harder or being better. Jesus has already won the victory for us. Ty Gibson summed it up well when he said, “You don’t need better effort. You need a power outside of and above yourself to intervene.” That power is Jesus Christ. Through His death and resurrection, He has provided the solution to our sinful hearts.
Conclusion: God’s Love in the Battle
We don’t fight alone in the battle between good and evil, both in the world and in our hearts. God is with us. He offers forgiveness and redemption through His Son, Jesus Christ. As Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The evil we see in the world can be overwhelming, but we can have hope. Jesus has already won the battle, and He invites us to join Him in living a life of love, free from the chains of sin. All we have to do is accept His gift of grace.
