LIVING IT OUT · THE WALK WITH GOD — CRAWL, WALK, RUN, FINISH
Good and Evil — Foundational Biblical Doctrine
OPENING WORD
Good and evil is not only something to know about. It is a road to walk. A child does not learn to walk in a day: first he crawls on his hands and knees; then his father takes him by the arms and teaches him to walk; then he walks alone; then he grows, and he runs. And the one who runs well runs a race, and the race has an end, and at the end either a fall or a finish. In the old language two small words carry the whole matter: towb (H2896, good) and ra (H7451, evil). In the new language there are four: agathos (G18, good) and kalos (G2570, good); kakos (G2556, evil) and poneros (G4190, evil — evil with a will in it). This study carries good and evil through the whole walk of a person: how the senses first learn to tell them apart; how a person keeps walking in the good, day by day; how the walk becomes a race and even a war, fought against a real wicked one; and how the walk ends — not at a grave, but at a tree of life, standing open, with no more curse. Search it out.
THREE QUESTIONS THIS STUDY ANSWERS:
1. How does a person first learn to tell good from evil, and where does that discernment begin?
2. What should a person do with that discernment once it is learned — how is it walked out day by day?
3. How does the walk become a race and a war against evil, and how does it end?
1. CRAWLING — HOW TO FIND IT
(My personal thoughts — every walk begins low, and this one begins at the very start of the book. Before evil is ever named, good is already spoken — seven times in one chapter. Discernment does not start with tasting the evil; it starts with tasting the good God has already shown. Begin low, begin small, and begin.)
1.Genesis 1:4Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
GOD SAW THE LIGHT, THAT IT WAS GOOD → GOD DIVIDED THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS.
2.Genesis 1:31Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
GOD SAW EVERY THING THAT HE HAD MADE → BEHOLD, IT WAS VERY GOOD.
(My personal thoughts — this is where finding the good begins: not with a rule to follow, but with a Person's own verdict on what he made. Before a person is ever told to choose the good, God has already named it, and named it well.)
3.Psalm 34:8Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD → BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT TRUSTETH IN HIM.
THOU ART GOOD + DOEST GOOD → TEACH ME THY STATUTES.
(My personal thoughts — good is not only a word God speaks; it is what he is, and what he does. To taste that the Lord is good is the beginning of a new way of judging everything else that is called good or evil.)
5.Genesis 3:22Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
THE MAN IS BECOME AS ONE OF US, TO KNOW GOOD AND EVIL → LEST HE TAKE ALSO OF THE TREE OF LIFE.
(My personal thoughts — here is why this discernment must now be learned rather than simply had. Man reached for the knowledge of good and evil on his own, apart from God, and the knowledge he gained was more than he could carry. From that day, telling good from evil the right way has to be found again, not assumed.)
6.Deuteronomy 30:19Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
LIFE AND DEATH SET BEFORE YOU → THEREFORE CHOOSE LIFE.
7.1 Kings 3:9Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern [H995 bin] between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
AN UNDERSTANDING HEART → TO DISCERN BETWEEN GOOD AND BAD.
(My personal thoughts — Solomon did not claim to have this discernment already; he asked God for it. Finding the difference between good and evil begins the same way for anyone: not with confidence in your own judgment, but with a request.)
8.Isaiah 7:15Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
KNOW TO REFUSE THE EVIL + CHOOSE THE GOOD.
9.Hebrews 5:12Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. (13) For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
YE HAVE NEED OF MILK, AND NOT OF STRONG MEAT → EVERY ONE THAT USETH MILK IS UNSKILFUL IN THE WORD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, FOR HE IS A BABE.
(My personal thoughts — this is the starting point for every person alive: a babe on milk, unskilled in telling good from evil, and no shame in that. The shame is only in staying there. Discernment is found, but it is not found all at once.)
10.Proverbs 2:3Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; (4) If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; (5) Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
CRIEST AFTER KNOWLEDGE + SEEKEST HER AS FOR HID TREASURES → FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.
2. WALKING — WHAT TO DO WITH IT ONCE YOU HAVE IT
(My personal thoughts — the child is on his feet now, and walking means practicing the choice every day, not only once. The Old Testament calls this refusing the evil and choosing the good, over and over, in the small decisions of an ordinary day. Watch how many times the same pair of words repeats: depart from evil, and do good.)
DEPART FROM EVIL + DO GOOD → SEEK PEACE, AND PURSUE IT.
2.Amos 5:14Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Seek [H1875 darash]good, and not evil, that ye may live [H2421 chayah]: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. (15) Hate [H8130 sane] the evil, and love [H157 ahab] the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
SEEK GOOD, AND NOT EVIL → HATE THE EVIL, AND LOVE THE GOOD.
3.Proverbs 3:7Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Be not wise [H2450 chakam] in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
BE NOT WISE IN THINE OWN EYES → FEAR THE LORD + DEPART FROM EVIL.
4.Proverbs 8:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The fear of the LORD is to hate [H8130 sane]evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
THE FEAR OF THE LORD = TO HATE EVIL.
(My personal thoughts — walking in the good is not one decision; it is a fear of the Lord that keeps hating the same things, day after day, in ordinary places: pride, an arrogant way, a proud mouth. Nothing about walking is dramatic. It is a direction kept.)
5.Job 28:28Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding [H998 binah].
THE FEAR OF THE LORD = WISDOM + TO DEPART FROM EVIL = UNDERSTANDING.
6.Isaiah 1:16Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease [H2308 chadal] to do evil; (17) Learn [H3925 lamad] to do well [H3190 yatab]; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
WASH YOU, MAKE YOU CLEAN → CEASE TO DO EVIL + LEARN TO DO WELL.
(My personal thoughts — notice the order: wash first, then cease, then learn. Walking is not only stopping the evil; it is learning a new set of good habits — judgment for the oppressed, care for the fatherless and the widow. Walking has hands and feet, not only a clean conscience.)
7.Proverbs 17:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.
WHOSO REWARDETH EVIL FOR GOOD → EVIL SHALL NOT DEPART FROM HIS HOUSE.
8.1 Thessalonians 5:21Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Prove all things; hold fast [G2722 katecho] that which is good. (22) Abstain [G567 apecho] from all appearance [G1491 eidos] of evil.
PROVE ALL THINGS → HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD + ABSTAIN FROM ALL APPEARANCE OF EVIL.
(My personal thoughts — "prove" is dokimazo (G1381, to prove), to test something the way metal is tested by fire. Walking in the good is a daily testing, not a single decision: test it, then hold it, then keep away even from what merely looks like evil.)
9.Matthew 5:16Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works [G2041 ergon], and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE → THEY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS + GLORIFY YOUR FATHER.
10.Galatians 6:9Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (10) As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
BE NOT WEARY IN WELL DOING → AS WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD UNTO ALL MEN.
11.Romans 2:7Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: (9) Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; (10) But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
PATIENT CONTINUANCE IN WELL DOING → GLORY, HONOUR, AND PEACE, TO EVERY MAN THAT WORKETH GOOD.
12.Matthew 19:17Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
THERE IS NONE GOOD BUT ONE = GOD.
(My personal thoughts — walking in the good never turns into thinking a person has become the source of it. There is none good but one, God himself. What a person walks in, another Person gave first.)
13.Luke 6:45Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗A good man out of the good treasure [G2344 thesauros] of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
OUT OF THE GOOD TREASURE OF HIS HEART → THAT WHICH IS GOOD + OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKETH.
14.Romans 7:19Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. (21) I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
THE GOOD THAT I WOULD, I DO NOT + WHEN I WOULD DO GOOD, EVIL IS PRESENT WITH ME.
(My personal thoughts — walking is not always smooth, even for someone who genuinely wants to do good. Paul names this same struggle in himself. The walk does not deny that fight; it keeps choosing the good in spite of it.)
15.Proverbs 1:33Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
WHOSO HEARKENETH = DWELL SAFELY + QUIET FROM FEAR OF EVIL.
(My personal thoughts — this is the promise held out to anyone who keeps walking this way: a settled life, safe, and quiet from the very fear that first entered the human heart in the garden.)
3. RUNNING THE RACE — YIELD IT LIKE A SOLDIER IN GOD'S ARMY
(My personal thoughts — now the walk becomes a war, and the evil is no longer only a choice inside one heart; it has a will and a name against it — the wicked one. A soldier does not fight an idea; he fights an enemy. Yield your whole self to God, and let good be the weapon.)
1.Romans 6:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield [G3936 paristemi] yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
YIELD YOURSELVES UNTO GOD + YOUR MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS UNTO GOD.
2.Matthew 6:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And lead us not into temptation, but deliver [G4506 rhuomai] us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION → DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
3.John 17:15Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
NOT OUT OF THE WORLD → KEEP THEM FROM THE EVIL.
4.1 John 5:19Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
WE ARE OF GOD + THE WHOLE WORLD LIETH IN WICKEDNESS.
5.Matthew 13:19Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. (38) The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
THEN COMETH THE WICKED ONE → THE GOOD SEED = THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM + THE TARES = THE CHILDREN OF THE WICKED ONE.
(My personal thoughts — the enemy in this war has a name and a strategy: the wicked one, poneros (G4190, evil, with a will in it). He does not only tempt; he snatches, and he plants counterfeits in the same field where the good seed grows. Running this race means staying alert to more than your own heart.)
6.Matthew 6:22Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single [G573 haplous], thy whole body shall be full of light. (23) But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
THINE EYE SINGLE → THY WHOLE BODY FULL OF LIGHT + THINE EYE EVIL → FULL OF DARKNESS.
7.Matthew 12:35Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗A good man out of the good treasure [G2344 thesauros] of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
A GOOD MAN OUT OF THE GOOD TREASURE → GOOD THINGS + AN EVIL MAN OUT OF THE EVIL TREASURE → EVIL THINGS.
8.Ephesians 6:16Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
THE SHIELD OF FAITH → QUENCH ALL THE FIERY DARTS OF THE WICKED.
9.1 John 2:14Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
YE ARE STRONG + THE WORD OF GOD ABIDETH IN YOU → YE HAVE OVERCOME THE WICKED ONE.
(My personal thoughts — the shield and the word do the same work from two sides: the shield stops what is thrown at you, and the word abiding in you is what makes a person strong enough to hold that shield in the first place. Neither one is optional in this war.)
10.Acts 10:38Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good [G2109 euergeteo], and healing [G2390 iaomai] all that were oppressed [G2616 katadynasteuo] of the devil [G1228 diabolos]; for God was with him. (39) And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
WENT ABOUT DOING GOOD, HEALING ALL THAT WERE OPPRESSED OF THE DEVIL → WHOM THEY SLEW AND HANGED ON A TREE.
11.Luke 23:41Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss [G824 atopos].
WE INDEED JUSTLY + THIS MAN HATH DONE NOTHING AMISS.
12.1 Peter 2:23Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
WHEN HE WAS REVILED, REVILED NOT AGAIN → COMMITTED HIMSELF TO HIM THAT JUDGETH RIGHTEOUSLY.
(My personal thoughts — this is what running the race looks like when the fight turns personal: not silence out of weakness, but a deliberate handing over of the whole matter to the one who judges rightly. That is soldiering, not surrender.)
13.Matthew 5:44Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES + DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU → HE MAKETH HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND ON THE GOOD.
14.1 Peter 3:9Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. (10) For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
NOT RENDERING EVIL FOR EVIL → CONTRARIWISE BLESSING → LOVE LIFE AND SEE GOOD DAYS.
15.Genesis 50:20Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗But as for you, ye thoughtevil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
YE THOUGHT EVIL AGAINST ME + GOD MEANT IT UNTO GOOD → TO SAVE MUCH PEOPLE ALIVE.
(My personal thoughts — chashab (H2803, to think, to devise) is the very same word on both sides of this verse: what they devised, God devised. Running this race well does not mean evil is never thrown at you. It means trusting that the same God who let Joseph's brothers act can turn even that evil to save many lives.)
16.Romans 8:28Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD.
BE NOT OVERCOME OF EVIL → OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.
(My personal thoughts — this is the one command that sums up the whole race: not merely surviving evil, but overcoming it, and the weapon named is good. Nikao (G3528, overcome) is a soldier's word — to conquer, to win the field. Good is not passive in this war. It attacks.)
4. THE FINISH LINE — GOOD AND EVIL, AND THE WORD, ABIDETH FOR EVER
(My personal thoughts — every race ends, and this one does not end at a grave, nor at a judgment only. It ends at a tree, standing open, and a promise that does not fade. The one who overcomes eats from it.)
1.1 John 3:8Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy [G3089 luo] the works of the devil [G1228 diabolos].
THE SON OF GOD WAS MANIFESTED → TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.
2.2 Timothy 3:12Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
ALL THAT WILL LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS → SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION.
(My personal thoughts — the finish line does not pretend the race was easy. Doing good in a world still capable of evil brings real cost. This verse stands here so the ending is never read as though the fight cost nothing.)
3.1 Peter 2:24Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Who his own self bare [G399 anaphero] our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
HE BARE OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BODY ON THE TREE → DEAD TO SINS, LIVE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS.
4.Revelation 2:10Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown [G4735 stephanos] of life.
BE THOU FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH → I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE.
5.Psalm 119:160Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth [H5975 amad] for ever.
THY WORD IS TRUE FROM THE BEGINNING → EVERY ONE OF THY RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENTS ENDURETH FOR EVER.
(My personal thoughts — good and evil were named at the very beginning of the book, and this verse says the word that named them is true from the beginning, and its judgments do not expire. What God called good in Genesis 1, he still calls good.)
6.Revelation 2:7Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat [G5315 phago] of the tree of life [G2222 zoe], which is in the midst of the paradise [G3857 paradeisos] of God.
TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH → TO EAT OF THE TREE OF LIFE IN THE MIDST OF THE PARADISE OF GOD.
7.Revelation 21:4Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death [G2288 thanatos], neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
NO MORE DEATH, NEITHER SORROW → THE FORMER THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY.
8.Revelation 21:7Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
HE THAT OVERCOMETH SHALL INHERIT ALL THINGS + I WILL BE HIS GOD.
9.Revelation 22:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And he shewed me a pure river [G4215 potamos] of water of life [G2222 zoe], clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. (2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing [G2322 therapeia] of the nations [G1484 ethnos]. (3) And there shall be no more curse [G2652 katanathema]: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
A PURE RIVER OF WATER OF LIFE + THE TREE OF LIFE, LEAVES FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS → NO MORE CURSE.
(My personal thoughts — what was shut at one tree in Genesis is opened at another tree here, and the difference is total: no more curse. The finish line of this whole study is not a place where evil is merely managed. It is a place where evil is finally, entirely gone.)
10.Revelation 22:14Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT DO HIS COMMANDMENTS → RIGHT TO THE TREE OF LIFE + ENTER IN THROUGH THE GATES INTO THE CITY.
11.Psalm 23:6Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME → I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOR EVER.
12.James 1:17Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT = FROM ABOVE, FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS.
(My personal thoughts — the whole walk began with God's own good — he saw that it was good — and it ends the same way: every good gift comes down from him, the Father of lights, unchanging. Good was his from the start, and it is his without end.)
MOUTH OF TWO — HATE THE EVIL, LOVE THE GOOD
Psalm 97:10Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Ye that love [H157 ahab] the LORD, hate [H8130 sane]evil: he preserveth [H8104 shamar] the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.
YE THAT LOVE THE LORD, HATE EVIL → HE PRESERVETH THE SOULS OF HIS SAINTS.
Romans 12:9Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Let love [G26 agape] be without dissimulation [G505 anypokritos]. Abhor [G655 apostygeo] that which is evil; cleave [G2853 kollao] to that which is good.
ABHOR THAT WHICH IS EVIL + CLEAVE TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD.
2 Corinthians 13:1Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses [G3144 martus] shall every word be established.
IN THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES SHALL EVERY WORD BE ESTABLISHED.
(My personal thoughts — a psalm and an epistle, an old covenant and a new one, and one voice between them: hate what is evil, and hold fast to what is good. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, this word is established beyond question.)
THE SHADOW AND THE FULFILLMENT
13.Deuteronomy 21:22Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree [H6086 ets]: (23) His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed [H7045 qelalah] of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
HE THAT IS HANGED ON THE TREE = ACCURSED OF GOD.
14.Galatians 3:13Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗Christ hath redeemed us from the curse [G2671 katara] of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
CHRIST HATH REDEEMED US → MADE A CURSE FOR US → CURSED IS EVERY ONE THAT HANGETH ON A TREE.
(My personal thoughts — the law named the tree a place of curse. Christ did not avoid that tree; he was hanged on it, and became the curse himself, so the curse could end there instead of spreading further. The tree that once meant only judgment became, in him, the doorway to the tree of life.)
CLOSING
1 John 2:17Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
THE WORLD PASSETH AWAY → HE THAT DOETH THE WILL OF GOD ABIDETH FOR EVER.
Romans 16:20Modern Bible↗Share↗Strong's↗And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
THE GOD OF PEACE SHALL BRUISE SATAN UNDER YOUR FEET SHORTLY → THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU.
(My personal thoughts — gather the whole walk into one line. It began low: God's own good, spoken over creation before evil ever had a name, and a heart that had to learn, and ask, and choose. It grew into a daily walk: depart from evil, do good, and keep at it, in ordinary places, day after day. It became a race and a war: a real wicked one to resist, a shield to raise, and the far harder command to answer evil with good instead of more evil. And it ends where every crawl and every walk and every race were always headed — at a tree, standing open, with no more curse, to everyone who overcomes. The world and its evil are passing away. What is built on doing the will of God does not pass with it.)
GREEK KEYWORDS
These are the keywords for this study. Tap any dotted word in the verses above to see its meaning here.
“good” — G18 agathos — good in its nature and its working, profitable
there is none good but one, that is, God, and the good a person shows comes from a good treasure already given
“good” — G2570 kalos — good — shown forth, worthy to be seen
the good works other people see, and glorify the Father for
the plain word for evil — not to be repaid, but overcome with good
“evil” — G4190 poneros — evil, wicked, harmful — evil with a will in it
the wicked one, the evil eye, the evil treasure
“overcome” — G3528 nikao — to conquer, to win the victory
the whole walk ends here — overcome evil with good; to the one who overcomes, the tree of life
“tree” — G3586 xylon — wood, a tree, a staff
the tree he bore our sins on and the tree of life are one and the same word
“prove” — G1381 dokimazo — to test, to try, the way metal is tried by fire
the trained sense tests all things before it holds anything fast
HEBREW KEYWORDS
“good” — H2896 towb — good, pleasant, agreeable, well
God's own verdict on everything he made, spoken before evil ever had a name
“evil” — H7451 ra — evil, bad, adversity, wickedness
the word first named at the forbidden tree — the evil to depart from
“know” — H3045 yada — to know, to perceive, to discern
knowing good and evil is not the same as choosing the good
“choose” — H977 bachar — to choose, to select
life and good set before you — therefore choose life
“refuse” — H3988 ma'as — to refuse, to reject, to despise
the child who knows to refuse the evil and choose the good
“depart” — H5493 sur — to turn aside, to depart
the fear of the Lord set in motion — depart from evil, and do good
“hearken” — H8085 shama — to hear, to listen, to obey
whoever listens shall dwell safely, and be quiet from fear of evil
“devise” — H2803 chashab — to think, to devise, to plan
the same word on both sides of Joseph's story — what was devised for harm, God devised for good
“fear” — H3372 yare — to fear, to be afraid; to revere
the fear of the Lord that walks away from evil, not the fear that hides from God
PRACTICE QUIZ
1. Genesis 1:31 — And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was:
a) good and evil together
b) very good
c) only evil continually
2. Psalm 34:8 — O taste and see that the LORD is:
a) merciful
b) good
c) faithful
3. 1 Kings 3:9 — Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between:
a) the thoughts of the heart
b) good and bad
c) the fatherless and the widow
4. Romans 12:21 — Be not overcome of evil, but:
a) render not evil for evil
b) overcome evil with good
c) abhor that which is evil
5. Genesis 50:20 — ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to:
a) reward evil for evil
b) deliver them out of the hand of the wicked
c) save much people alive
6. 1 John 2:14 — I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have:
a) known him that is from the beginning
b) overcome the wicked one
c) received the Holy Ghost
7. Revelation 21:7 — He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and:
a) he shall be my son
b) I will wipe away all tears from his eyes
c) he shall reign for ever and ever
ANSWER KEY: 1-b, 2-b, 3-b, 4-b, 5-c, 6-b, 7-a
HOW THIS STUDY BRANCHES
→ How the shadow brings light: the tree named accursed under the law (Deuteronomy 21:22-23) is the very kind of tree Christ was hanged on, becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13) — and the tree of life stands open on the other side of it (Revelation 22:2).
→ How the new covenant expounds it: what was commanded at the very first tree — of every tree freely eat, save one — becomes, at the last tree, an open invitation: to him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life (Genesis 2:16-17 → Revelation 2:7).
→ How the words matter: agathos (G18, good) and kalos (G2570, good) name what is good in itself and good when shown; kakos (G2556, evil) and poneros (G4190, evil) name what is worthless and what has a will bent to harm — mark which word stands in which verse, and why.
→ How this applies to you: prove all things, and hold fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Depart from evil, and do good (Psalm 34:14). The senses are trained by use, not by wishing (Hebrews 5:14).
→ What this means for eternity: what was lost at one tree is given again at another — to him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life (Revelation 2:7), and there shall be no more curse (Revelation 22:3).
→ Rabbit trail: Joseph is a picture of the Son, the brother sold in evil and sent by God to save life (Genesis 45:5-8; Acts 7:9-10) — trace how the evil meant against him, God turned to good.
→ Possible revelation: chashab (H2803, to think, to devise) is the very same word used on both sides of Genesis 50:20 — what the brothers devised, God devised. [VERSES JOINED TOGETHER — NO ONE VERSE SAYS THIS ALONE] The same evil that was planned by one will was overruled by a greater one, without either side's intent being denied.
