Evil is Everywhere, Like the Air We Breathe

            “Dikkon, there is no difference between you and me and Charles Manson.” 

This was a startling opinion from the man who was to become my pastor.

            Before I became an evangelical Christian, I knew the word evil.  I knew that evil was prevalent in the world.  I myself, of course, did not do evil, but I was aware of actions in my life when I did things that were just plain wrong to have done.  I had desired to hurt. 

            Of course, I hadn’t murdered people.  Goodness no.  Who would even think such a thing about me? 

            Now and then, I might just say something that would wound another, or I might just ignore another and not catch an eye, or I might just pass along a little piece of news to someone, about another, who would have no way to defend himself or herself. 

But that’s just what anyone would do under the circumstances. 

            Then, in the process of my becoming an evangelical Christian, my to-be pastor said that there is no difference between him, and me, and Charles Manson.  I stumbled over that one for quite a long time…and I became an evangelical Christian anyway!

            Why in the world….? 

            Any sensible person would have turned tail and run straight away from such a nutty group of God people who would make so preposterous a claim.  Charles Manson indeed!

            But here’s the thing--and you’ll just have to take my word for this if you aren’t an evangelical Christian yourself. 

Knowing that my pastor, and I, and Charles Manson are not different from one another turns out to be more comforting than believing that there is a vast difference between my pastor and me, on the one side, and Charles Manson, way over on the other side, far away from us. 

            Here’s why—

            As an evangelical Christian, I believe each of us is a sinner.  Some of us are able to moderate some of our evil actions, but each of us can do what Charles Manson did.   

            Before, when I thought that a fundamental divide existed between the Charles Mansons of the world and the Dikkons of the world, instead of making me complacent in my purity, there was great anxiety.  You see, one day in the future, I might just feel the slightest twinge inside me, a twinge that was just a little, tiny, bit—just a little, tiny bit—like what I imagine Charles Manson feels. 

Does that mean I would take a carving fork to Sharon Tate? 

No, no, no, I would say to myself.  And then all by myself because this was a dark secret and must not be revealed to others, I would shove that twinge back somewhere into the darkness inside me, so I could restore my comfortable conception that I am not someone from the other side. 

But my comforting conception that I was not someone from the other side was very precarious.  At any moment, I might feel a twinge.  Or even two twinges. 

Here’s why being an evangelical Christian is more comforting than not being one. 

Now, when I feel a twinge, I know everyone else feels them, too.

Now, when I fight to moderate my behavior, when under the influence of a twinge, I believe that all my companions, who are believers, are, right then, moderating theirs, too.

Now, when I fight to moderate my behavior, I am not alone—as I was before—but I am companioned, not only by my fellow human believers, but by Jesus Himself. 

I’m speaking of that same Jesus—the famous one—who, though He is God, is also a man.  Though Jesus is God, the fact that he is also a man means that, during those days when He was personally present among us, He felt, suffered, struggled, was tempted, and tried to get off the sharp stick in the same way that I do. 

And, on the other hand, the fact that Jesus is not just man, but He is God—and therefore that He knows me and loves me—that means He can instruct me how to moderate any behavior and lead me in the right direction, each time, so that I do actually get off the sharp stick each time. 

And then God Himself can unremember my sinfulness and take me back into his forgiving embrace, now on earth, and later in Heaven. 

            Ain’t that better than having only myself to engineer myself out of each evil deed? 

…with no end of the twinges—and of the deeds—in sight? 

 

Copyright 2014 – Dikkon Eberhart