When Evil Looks Like It Is Good

June 4

Read: 2 Cor. 11:12-14

When Evil Looks Like It Is Good

“…And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness…” (v.14,15)

The work of the truly evil one, Satan, will masquerade as something “good” and “light”. The most “satanic” things will often be packaged / presented as something “good” for you. This is the work of the enemy: the attempt to declare the darkness “light”… and pretend that the true “light” is actually darkness. This is the perverse nature of evil - selling death as if it brings life, labeling what is evil as “good”, and pretending that the darkness is light. This is the “long game” of Satan / the Devil. The most committed enemies of God act this way. We see this here in 2 Corinthians: “So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness.”

How many things have been touted as “progress” or advancement when in reality, they have brought destruction? How many things have seemed “good” at first and then after a while you realize they are draining you of life… killing you? (figuratively, spiritually, and literally!) We are taught to think that these are “unforeseen consequences”, and yet - might they be the enemy masquerading as an “angel of light”? These truths are all around us.

Think about technology as an example. We have so many machines that “save us time” when compared to ages past; stoves that get hot with the touch of a button (compared to building a fire), machines that was our dishes, machines that wash our clothes (compared to walking down to a river), we even have machines that make our coffee! All of these things promised to “save us time”! We should be the most “time-laden” people ever right? And yet, we are so busy, haggard, worn out… just plain worn out. How did this happen with all our machines? Think about social media. The promise to connect us and keep us in touch… share ideas… pictures… etc. Now we are fighting the growing wave of distraction, depression, and manipulation that comes with these technologies. The very makers of them are blowing the whistle and wishing they could put them “back in the box”. Might some of this be something bad masquerading as something good? Something selfish pretending to be something self-less?

In a more organic sense, look at how we ignore the disproportionate occurrence of suicide in certain groups of people while claiming that living one way or another is “more advanced”… “more progressive”… more “free”. Society clamors after the “lifestyles of the rich and famous”, and yet ignores the carnage of these stars' lives… the divorce… the drug use… the overdosing… the suicide. Is this truly “the good life”?

The “servants of Satan” will disguise themselves as “servants of righteousness”. The enemy’s plan is to convince the world that the light is dark… and that the dark is light. Jesus is the light of the world… the “light and life” of humanity. (cf. read John 1) Satan wants to block the light. This is what it means to be “satanic” - to pretend something that is evil is good / dark is light, and to ignore the TRULY GOOD ONE that is JESUS. “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Have you been duped? Who are you listening to? How would you even know if you were being tricked? Are there things you KNOW are evil but you are pretending they are good? Are there things that you are heralding as advancement for humanity, when in fact we are actually marching to our demise? This is the scheme of the Devil. We need to watch each other’s backs! Love you guys. - JDP