The Greatest Evil Today
“to deliver us from the present evil age” (Gal. 1:4)
My favorite biblical word this year is “from.” “From” adds a level of intentionality to our salvation that I find lacking in our present generation. Consider some of the uses of “from” with me. Matthew 1:21 – “[Jesus] will save His people from their sins.” Romans 6:7 – “For one who has died has been set free from sin.” Revelation 1:5 - “To Him who loves us and has freed us from sin by His blood.” We are not saved to sin; we are saved from sin. To quote the late J.C. Ryle: “I doubt, indeed, whether we have any warrant for saying that a man can possibly be converted without being consecrated to God.” Those who have been saved from the present evil age live according to the heavenly age to come.
But this raises an important question – what makes this present evil age so evil? Is it the rising use of fentanyl among our cities? The unabashed corruption of our elected officials? The flagrant sexual sins being trumpeted on every aspect of social media? The compounding disregard for human life? Are these evil? Yes. But are these the most evil? Not by a long shot. The greatest evil can actually be found in every backroad and byway scattered across the great state of Mississippi and in the church of Galatian. It is found in those who know Christ and willingly replace Him with themselves.
They know of the righteousness of Christ, but they replace Him with a righteousness of their own, casting scorn and reproach upon the free gift of righteousness found in Christ. They take of Christ’s righteousness and add their own, defaming Christ and defacing any hope of salvation for others. They know if the wisdom of Christ, but they replace Him with a salvation of their own making. Seeking to add to Christ’s wisdom, they belittle Him more than those who would deny Him altogether. They know of the holiness of Christ and the spotless purity He provides to us, but they transform church membership and baptism into Brillo Pads by which they may make themselves clean. Thus, Martin Luther says: “The world is at its best in men who are religious, wise, and learned; yet in them it is actually evil twice over. The white devil, who transforms himself into an angel of light – he is the real devil.”
To be delivered from this present evil age means far more than not to smoke, drink, and dance, nor go with girls that do. To be delivered from this present evil age means more than simply being a good person – to have a butt in the pew and a bill in the plate. To be delivered from this present evil age means to cast aside all works of the flesh, all striving after a righteousness of our own, and a complete resting and receiving upon Christ alone. To be delivered from this present evil age means to trust in the Deliverer alone for our righteousness, our wisdom, and our holiness (1 Cor. 1:30).
