30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 16 19-31 Released from self cetredness 27 The bad news
📖 Luke 16:19-31
30May2020 - *The bad news* - _Luke 16:19-31_ - Bible reading: _John 10:10_
_Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented._
We have understood two reasons why some people receive good things in life and others, evil things? Why is it that evil people seem to prosper, while innocent people suffer?
We will come to the justice of God and discuss if God has invaded into the situation of man’s predicament to bring all things back to its fullness and completeness.
What are the two reasons that we have understood so far for the evil in our world?
1. Man is dead
Man is dead because of sin. This death is the comprehensive reality of death, where man has lost oneness with God, lost oneness within himself, lost oneness with one another and lost oneness from creation over which he was he was made the regal ruler on God’s behalf. Man, who is dead is ruling over creation and this is the first reason for the evil in our world.
2. Man, who is dead is also arbitrating good and evil.
It is not only that man is dead but now man is the arbitrator of good and evil from a position of death. Earlier, when man was alive _(in relationship with God)_, man knew only good and he executed God's goodness over creation. Now, man being dead is arbitrating good and evil. We can see how evil in our world is being compounded.
We now come to the third reason for the evil in our world.
When man sinned, he intentionally broke relationship with God and was under the impression that he was now under his own authority. Man was imagining that he was moving out of the kingdom of God and now becoming his own ruler and coming into his own kingdom. This was a fallacy.
There are only two kingdoms. The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. When man rebelled against the kingdom rule of God over him, he never had his own kingdom but became a vassal, a victim, a captive to the devil and under his rule and in his kingdom.
Satan is now able to exercise his will over man _(II Timothy 2:25-26)_ and through man over all of creation, since man is still holding the authority to have dominion over God's creation. Now we can see why man is very important to Satan. The devil is holding man in his captivity and intends to ultimately take man with him to hell. He will do his best to ensure that man will not get out of his clutches for if man gets away from his grip then Satan will lose control over creation, over which he is currently the ruler, by proxy.
The third reason for the evil in our world is that Satan is the ruler of the world, over all of creation, through man.
_I John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one._
Jesus called the devil, the ruler of the world _John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. John 14:30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me. John 16:11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged._
The ruler of this world, by proxy, the devil is judged and that is part of the good news but before we appreciate the good news, we must fully grasp the *bad news*. Without comprehending the bad news, we will never fully appreciate, be grateful and thankful to God for the good news.
_John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly._
The first half of this verse is the bad news and the second half is the good news.
Three reasons for the evil in our world _(The bad news)_
1. Man is dead
2. A dead man is arbitrating good and evil
3. Satan is ruling over creation through man, who has become his captive.
*Thought to ponder*
```Are we ready now to receive the good news that God has provided for man and for all of His creation?```