We're going to be looking today at Part 2 of the Problem of Evil, just to review. I'm going to be doing a lot of reviews for the next few weeks just because it feels like one chain argument after another that's building upon the previous week. Even today I was really going to finalize one aspect before I realized, you know, I need to touch on something more basic before we move on so that it's a given, so that the presupposition is laid. So the problem of evil, just as we reviewed last time, we laid the foundation of our series when we discussed the problem of evil by first looking at all the attributes. As we even talked about last week, that some people with different theologies and isms and religions and everything else, their way of reconciling the existence of the problem of evil is to deny certain attributes of God. We discussed that, that biblically we've looked at, really the last two years, all these attributes of God. And we saw, we demonstrated it's biblical and also dealt with apologetics, objections, and all of that, and also the deeper applications of some of it. And we discuss about how some of these attributes that are commonly denied, whether by Christians, or people call themselves Christians, or Theists, or Atheists, we as Christians, if we believe the Bible, have to be obligated that we need to hold all those doctrines, and whatever our solution is, our option is we cannot deny any of those, as Christians, if we say we believe in the Bible. So, in line with this, that's the foundation to go over the next part. So, the purpose of today, if you're reading the Purpose Statement, in this session we'll discuss, we shall, sorry, I miswrote that. We shall discuss, not discussion, we shall discuss about the problem of evil in terms of the end of evil from the Bible's perspective. So we're talking more about the future of evil, so that we would be encouraged and comforted by the truth that God will satisfactorily deal with evil in the future. So like I mentioned earlier, if you're following the outline, the problem of evil is really not just one argument against God, or against a biblical view of God with certain properties that we see that the Bible mentioned with attributes. But we see it's actually multifaceted. And I think one way to have a picture of just the different kind of arguments people have that race, against God is, if you guys look at the outline, you guys see that picture? I think maybe this is a helpful way of thinking about it, is thinking of it in terms of a timeline. Most people usually bring up the problem of evil, they're talking about the origin of evil. The origin of evil. And we'll eventually get to that. I think that's the more complex one. We'll slowly head to it. And I actually don't think the problem of evil is only a uniquely Christian issue. Actually, I would even, as we go over, We're going to go over projects of even different Christian theologies besides what I believe, what we officially believe of Calvinism also have the same issue and also other world religion but I also think, actually I would say the Christian solution is the only one that specifically the reform I think is most robust. But I want to go over that. When we think about the past, present, future timeline, there's an issue of some people bring up, for instance, the problem of the past. More of like the origin of evil. How did evil begin? The question. And why did it? Why was it allowed to begin? Or whatever else we say it is. So, there's also the present. Sometimes we will go through suffering, and I think a lot of times people when they bring up the problem of evil, sometimes might be just saying, why am I suffering? It's not so much philosophical, theological, but it's more of practical. Like, they're going through suffering right now, and they just need to be comforted and just wondering, why me? That kind of aspect. Or, why is it that I witness this particular set of evils in my contemporary life? or contemporary time period of our life. And there's also an aspect, I think, less emphasized by Christians and Christian theology, because I think it's so much given. Some could also raise the problem of evil in terms of the future, where evil exists. Now, I think what I'm going to go over today will be so basic, some of us will say, well, why do we even go over it? But I think why we're going to go over it is sometimes it's taken so for granted that God will in the end deal with all evils. But I don't think that's a given for every Christian, or for every worldview, or biblical worldview that is, or worldviews that is short of being fully or biblical, okay, in their content, okay? But we want to go over that just so we can go from the simple to the difficult. And I think the analogy I like to draw is almost like puzzle pieces, right? Have you ever had 500 puzzle pieces? It can be pretty hard. You can look at the color matching everything else, but what I like to do is always look at the what? Corner pieces. And the and the border pieces because it's simpler and then you move what inward so you go from the clear to the less clear Okay, so that's why we're taking a few weeks to go through this and if you notice there's different aspect and I want to say this Also, we're going to tonight and you're thinking well Jimmy you didn't address this bubble Could you guys be charitable because we'll slowly work towards that okay? we're only dealing with one set at a time and this is all building up with each week and to the origin of evil itself. If you're following along with the outline, a timeline of the problem of evil is helpful in thinking about what people specifically mean by it. We already discussed this. There's a theological philosophical question about the origin of evil, or the origin of the past. There's the emotional or existential question of why concerning suffering with present evil. There's the theological, religious question of whether or not there's an end to evil one day. And this session will deal specifically with the problem of evil in terms of the end of evil. I mistyped that. It should be end of evil, not problem of evil. So, one way God brings an end to evil, so we're going to cover, the Bible actually says there's two ways God ends evil in the future, okay? Two R's, if it's helpful for you to know, is number one, one way God brings an end to evil is that He reconciles evil, okay? One way He does that is He reconciles, so if you want another R, is He redeems evil, okay? Turn with me to Romans 5.11, Romans 5.11. Romans chapter 5 verse 11. When we return there, Josh, could you be my happy, motivated reader to read me Romans 5 verse 11? Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Yeah, so here in Romans 5.11, here, by way of context, who's writing Romans 5.11? It's Paul, right? And he's telling us here that, though we are sinners, we can now be, what? Romans, if you guys remember the book of Romans, the first three chapters, 1, 2, and 3, establishes that we are all what? S-word. Sinners, okay? Then we are saved by grace in Romans 4.5. And then we're sanctified by grace, or the Spirit in Romans 6.7. 8 onwards. Then his sovereignty involved in 9, 10, 11. And then the practical part is 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. But here in Romans 5, what Paul is telling us is that though we are all sinners, we can all be reconciled with God. And how is this possible? Though we are sinners, though we are capable, We're evil bearers in our hearts, in our actions, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Turn with me also to Colossians 1.20. Again, the reason why I want to go over this is because this might be taken so much for granted, but I think any Christian solution must never undermine this. Actually, I do think sometimes we take it so much for granted, as we discussed, not necessarily every world will see it this way. Colossians 1.20. If you guys could turn to Colossians 1.20. Colossians 1.20. Could I have any happy motivated reader read me Colossians 1.20? So here in Colossians 1.20, you see that here again the verb reconcile is mentioned. Again the writer is Paul. And I think here in verse 20 it kind of explains more what does reconciliation towards God mean. Because in verse 20, in the middle it says, having made peace. And the peace we are made is with God. Before we were enemies of God because of our sinfulness. If God is holy and good and just, He must be a judge. And He must punish all our sins. But because through Christ we could have peace with God. We were once enemies at enmity with God. But now we can be made at peace with God. That's made possible through what means, as it says here. I think this is more vivid than Romans 5.11. Romans 5.11, we saw earlier, is just through Jesus Christ. I mean, it's true, but it's not as specific. But here in Colossians 1.20, it gets very specific. That peace is made through what? The blood of this cross. That is Christ dying for our sins. One thing we learn here is that reconciliation involves redemption. That is, there must be a price for evil to be dealt with or paid for. For those who reconcile with God, evil is judicially, what do I mean by judicially as a judge in terms of legal analogy, is dealt with by God through Christ's way. We don't have time to go through all of this, but I want to mention that if you study the doctrine of redemption, we've gone over this a year ago. Redemption really shows that Christ paid the cost to free us from slavery to sin and our own idols. He purchased us, therefore I think it does show us that He has reconciled us relationally with Him. Let me stop at this point. Any questions, comments, critiques, or clarifications? In the Biblical view, we believe that sin can be reconciled. By the way, who takes the initiative to reconcile evil? Is it us? Yeah, it's with Jesus, really specifically with God, okay? With God the Father, okay? God the Father in Ephesians 1 says, before time, right? He predestined, He planned, okay? The initiative is really with God the Father, okay? I know sometimes in the past people would tell me, man, God the Father, and I've felt this too sometimes, God the Father feels so distant. But Jesus Christ, I feel like He's closer because He died with me and we see Him in the Gospel. But I think we must never forget everything that Jesus Christ did is a reflection of who? The Father. The love of the Father. Let's also turn with me. We see that evil will be what? Reconciled. That's one aspect of how God deals with evil in the end. In the future, all evil will be dealt with. How? reconciliation, but there's also another way He deals with those who would not be reconciled. We see the second R, if you look at the letter E. One way God brings an end to evil is that He will recompense evil. By recompense, we're using the older definition of the English term, which is really to punish or reward someone for an action, really for an evil action. or a bad action, or a sinful action, okay? So, basically what they're saying is that either God will save evil, or He will what? Judge evil in the future, okay? Let's look at some verses. Psalms 28 verse 4. If you guys could turn with me to Psalms 28 verse 4. Would you be able to read that, Josh? We pay them for their deeds and for their evil work. We pay them for what their hands have done. We bring back upon them what they deserve. Psalms 28 verse 4. Here we see in the context of this verse, they mention a God who would deal with evil. And how many lines are there? 28 verse 4. It gives us really four parallel lines. Or actually, when I say four, I meant three. And all of this is telling us what? It's really synonymous. I know I mentioned this even Sunday. Hebrew poetry, it's not so much that it rhymes, because Psalms is songs, worshiping God. Hebrew poetry is not so much that it rhymes, but that each line You ask the question, how does it relate to one another? So all three are what? Synonymous. Which is showing that God will deal with those who are evil. And notice the last line. In the NASB it says, repay them their recompense. Does all your versions say that? Or do some of your versions use other ways of phrasing it in more updated English? So we see, does God deal with evil by paying back what they deserve? Yes. Let's turn also to Psalms 31 verse 23. O love the Lord, all you His godly ones. The Lord preserves the faithful and fully recompenseth the proud doer." Here again is a psalm by David. Here he contrasts two groups, the faithful and the proud doer. a proud doer. This is more like the arrogant. I think this is the best way to understand it. Someone that does things very arrogantly. With the faithful, David states that the Lord preserves them. And also another part of the Bible that is not the rest of the Bible says things like that God opposes the proud. So here we see here with a proud doer David states that Lord will fully recompense This right okay. That is for evil. They will be it will be dealt with truth me also as well I think if you covered all the verses in the Bible on this topic Yeah, yeah, so we're doing something yeah, you know so it's just interesting it's like I think there's probably a thousand or more verses on this topic. Which also blows my mind. You know how some people try to make this softer, gentler version of Christianity, where it's not Christianity, it's like watered down, where God never judges any sin. Yeah, okay, yeah. You named names, I didn't name them. Say again? Yeah, it's not a Biblical move. It is not a Biblical move, okay? Because if you see from Genesis to Revelation, okay? Genesis is the beginning, all the way to Revelation. Genesis 3. Not even Genesis 3, even the Eid of the Street. So I don't understand how some people would water it down and present Christianity that's what? Not 16 ounces a pound, by saying, God will never judge sin. Because it is biblical. By the way, do you know who in the Bible talks about hell the most? It's actually Jesus. That should blow our minds away. I actually think we can never understand God's grace unless we understand how sinful we are, and what kind of judgment we deserve. And only then do we see His grace. It's almost like the situation of a... If you come up to me and say, you need to go to a doctor, it's where you're good. And I go over there, and the doctor never tells me what's going on. He drugs me to sleep. I wake up and I'm missing two arms and a leg. Am I going to be pretty mad? I probably would be. But if you tell me first the bad news, hey you know what, you have something really bad, a condition that's pre-existing, and you you really should be dead by now. And really, to make a drastic move, we had to remove all your limbs in order to save you. Then, after that bad news, do I understand, okay, what you're doing? I think as Christians, we must never forget not to tell the bad news. Otherwise, we end up with, really, we're making false converts. If they come over for, you know, if they see God as a big red envelope giver, then you have a problem, you're going to make, inoculate false Christians or people that fall away, etc. Okay? Or, you know, backslide, whatever language you want to call it. Okay? So here, let's go back on. Thank you, Mr. Byrne, for sharing that. Okay? One last one, Psalms 54, verse 4. Psalms 54, verse 4. Okay, you want to read that, Josh? Surely God is my help. The Lord is the one who sustains me. The evil recoil on those who slander me in your faithfulness to destroy me. Okay, so we see here that, again, He will recompense the evil to my foes. Now again, this is not just any David. You might say, like, wait, aren't we supposed to forgive enemies? Yes. But here, really, this is the Davidic King in the sense that people want to get rid of David. And really, there's some satanic influence, I think, to try to say, let's make God's promise not happen in Genesis 3, that there'll be Messiah. Okay? You guys ever seen Terminator? John Connor saves the world, according to prophecy, but then he sends someone back in the future. or back into the past, right? To make sure that he would not be assassinated, you know, that him and his mom won't be, right? You guys remember that? Okay, if you think about it, there's a parallel. Is there not a parallel? I mean, J.C., you know, Jesus Christ, or what? John Connor, right? And there's this epic theme of them, the enemy, trying to go back to try to get rid of who? John Connor, or J.C., who's the savior of the Well, humanity, okay? But it's not J.C. John Connor I'm talking about. I'm talking about Jesus Christ, okay? So with David, they're trying to get rid of him, kill him. But there's a deeper thing that's going on here. Even some that not understand what's going on. That's why he's praying that, hey, let God be victorious. So it's not every day you go, oh man, this person is routinely at work. Let me pray that he, what, eats crow, right? That's not what's going on, okay? Because personal thing, God always says what? Overlook and turn the other. Right, Josh? I love you, just kidding. So we see here that evil will be recompensed. Letter F, so in summarizing, all evil will be dealt with in these two possible ways. In terms of future evil, I think there is a solution the Christian world views that evil will not go on forever, unchecked, reigning unchecked, because why? There's two possibilities of the end of evil. Number one, you'll either be reconciled through Jesus Christ, a wretched sinner, a wretched rebel will be what? Change and transform, regenerate, and be reconciled. And now be made new creation to want to do good. Or number two, those that in their rebellion, in their will, still want to be hardened against God, it will be what? There is reconciliation. of evil deeds by God's judgment. So in the end, I think we must remember, evil will all be dealt with. So in that one sense, there's no problem of evil. Now again, I say earlier, we'll go over in the next few weeks other aspects, but I think in terms of future evil, The biblical worldview is that it will be dealt with. I want to say point G, letter G, is do not minimize this truth as a given. I think we might say, oh this is so given. It's Christian 101. Everyone knows this as a Christian. Sometimes Christians and even others take this truth that God will deal with evil in the future for granted. But I think the way to further appreciate that is to realize, if you're following with me, a second point. It's not all worldviews, religion, or isms have the solution to the problem of evil in the sense of the future. Okay? If I could give an example, open theism. What is open theism? Okay, yes, open theism does believe God can change His mind. What else? What is open theism? Basically a powerless God, right? He is not able to know the future? No, right? Because the future is open according to them, right? According to this theology. Is God all-powerful in this theology? No, right? God is all-powerful, but not according to open theism. Now, if you think about it, if God cannot know the future, and He is not all-powerful, will evil be dealt with? There's no hope, right? There is no hope, okay? There's no certainty that evil will be dealt with, okay? Yeah, there's not right, and I think I mentioned last week that even there's there's even one open theist that Mitchell last week He would even say will Christians be an answer in the question will Christians be forever in heaven And what is his answer? No we can't know that. That is pretty frightening stuff. But that's not only frightening, we don't want to just be driven by emotion, but it's also not biblical. That's not the biblical presentation. We often think of the problem of evil because we're Christians, or biblical Christians, we're driven by thinking about the origin of evil. But I think we must not forget the origin of evil is a family. of problems, or philosophical puzzles, or theological puzzles. And one of it is also the future. Now, we don't think of it a lot, because in a Christian worldview, it's, oh yeah, that's dealt with. But I want to show that, let's not take it for granted, because that's not necessarily the case with every isms, and theisms, and religions out there, okay? Another example I think is, if we could think of even in some Eastern religion, some form, there's no certainty or fact that evil will end, okay? If you remember, even the origin of Even the origin of Buddhism. What was the origin? Do you guys remember? Siddhartha was... He sat under a tree or something and then he... But what drove him? What is the big dilemma in Buddhism? Like folk Buddhism? Trying to balance the evil and the good in the world? Is it to balance the good and evil? I would even say it's not even to balance the good and evil, it's to... Yeah, to escape from suffering. Yeah, it's to escape from suffering, right? We're four noble truths. I always get confused. Four noble paths or eight noble truths. Either one of those. I switch it around, okay? But really, it's also an issue of dealing with the problem of It's going to be ongoing, but that's the dilemma. I know sometimes in the West, you see people that are really into New Age stuff. They like the idea of reincarnation. But part of it is an historical root in Eastern religion. Reincarnation is seen as a problem, not a solution. Now people see that today in the West, New Agers, that kind of thing, because they don't like the idea of a God that judges, eternal hell, blah blah blah, that kind of thing. Oftentimes, right? I'm talking about those that were the leaders of that, Shirley MacLaine, you know, with her promotion of all that. Also, I think we must never forget that it is to break the cycle of this eternal suffering, and you don't know whether it will be ongoing. And I think that's something with some forms. Now, I've actually met some Buddhists that are very optimistic. Mahayana schools, everyone will be redeemed. But I want to emphasize, not all forms. of that is a given. Evil in terms of the problem of evil in the future will all be reconciled. There's a solution to that. There's also something deeply disturbing with the problem of evil, such as committed by, for instance, Hitler. Remember the story of Hitler? He did all these evils. How many people did he kill? How many Jews? 6 million Jews and throwing another 6 million others in concentration camps for a total of 12. That's not counting his own countrymen, right? And the wars throughout Europe, okay? And the 20 million Russians that were killed in World War II. This guy, how did his life end? He just ends suicide, right? Just like that. There's something, I think, deeply disturbing and unsatisfying with the problems committed by Hitler that is not dealt with when they just, quote-unquote, got away. If there's no future recompense or redemption or reconciliation. I was even watching I don't know if I should say this. I did. I will say this. I started watching Bosch. You guys saw the Amazon show? Now, it's not all this good and stuff like that. I kind of liked it because it actually talked about McLaren Hall. You guys know McLaren Hall? Across the street? Across the street, right? OK. So the story of a guy that had a really troubled childhood, right? Mom was a prostitute, got killed, murdered, and everything else. And the whole story is really about him. How he became who he is. I mean, there's all these things going on, but there's always the undercurrent about, is his search for what? Justice. He became a cop because he felt the system failed him, right? And he was an assistant that was abused in McLaren Hall. And that's McLaren Hall there. Then I Googled it and realized, wow, I guess in the 70s, 80s, there was a lot of abuse and stuff like that, okay? Which is the story that takes place. And I'm thinking... No, it's not. It's just a TV thing. But if you Google it, in the 90s, they actually got sued. McLaren Hall in the county and stuff like that. And they put a better system in place. Actually, today, we have someone in our church... McLaren Hall is what? Is it a city? Is it a detective? Like a police detective? No, McLaren Hall is where they have the foster system. It's right across the street from the church. It's right across from the street. It is the most... Is it an orphanage? It's a high security foster system. It's a high security place. It's next to our church. It was just crazy to me. It's been there for a long time. But now it's changed because there's someone in our church that works for the county and she says their whole goal is not to have people there long term. It's on the other side where you park. Yeah, if you ever look, there's that big building. You think, why is the wall so high? Big walls, heavily concrete, and there's like security guards and everything. Yeah, I believe. Yeah, so I remember there was even someone that used to go to our church was asking me like one time, why is it always there? There's always these blinking red lights at night. You know, there's always people doing patrols and cops are always coming. And I'm like, oh, well, I didn't know back then what it is. But anyway, going back on with this guy, in the end, I watched end of season two. I just could not put it down. I watched it, and I remember thinking, you know, the guy that killed his mother, guess what? Died before he got to it, two years before he got to it, right? And he's mad. He goes over there, finds a grave and he spits at it, you know, goes to where he used to work and smashes a picture. And he feels what? Deeply unsatisfying. Because I think we all have the idea of what? Justice that God has put in us, okay? Just to say, that is not a given. It is something that, is, I think, does bring a solution in terms of the future of the problem that the Christian world does have. Secondly, not only should we not minimize this truth as a given, secondly, do not minimize this truth as a source of comfort. As a source of comfort, we must not downplay this at all. Turn with me to Revelation 6, verses 9-10. Mr. Byrne, would you be able to read Revelation 6, verses 9-10? When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the Word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained. And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, Yeah. So, wow, right? This is the end times, okay? Revelation is talking about the last seven year time period, or the end times, where there will be a great persecution against Christians, where the whole world, in essence, becomes either us or them. You are going to be a follower of God, or you're not, okay? The context here, verse 9, who is this talking about? If you look at 2nd half verse 9, these guys were victims. martyrs, okay? That is, they're victims of evil. Specifically, let's read again, verse 9, those who have been slain because of the Word of God, because of the testimony which they maintain, okay? So are these believers? Yeah. And by the way, where does this take place? Where does this scene take place at? This is in what? Earth or Heaven? Heaven, okay. You guys, I know sometimes Christians struggle with this. If you read some of the Psalms, there's Impeccatory Psalms. You guys know what I mean by Impeccatory Psalms? Where it's calling the end for God's enemies. And some of us, I know we sometimes ask the question, like, how do we reconcile what Jesus Christ said, like, you know, love your neighbors, or love your enemies, treat them well. But I also think, and some people would say, oh, Impeccatory Psalms, only Old Testament. No one even applies. But I also question that, is it just only Old Testament dispensation? Because this is in heaven. So they're no longer sinning. This is in the future dispensation to come. And you're seeing in peccatory prayers. Now in peccatory prayers, that is your calling for God to judge evil, is not for your own self. Oh, that guy cut me off. And you pray, Lord, may that guy's car be ended in smoke. That's not what it's talking about. It's talking about those that resist fully God's whole holiness. So Revelation 6, 9. Here are these victims of evil who are the saints who lived out the Christian life and paid a cost for it by being slain. And notice what they cry out in verse 10. They're crying out, But notice what the cry is for. It's actually for God to recompense evil. to say when would it take place. It's not if it would take place, but when. I think we must never downplay this also as a source of comfort. Two weeks ago I was reading an Apologetics book by a guy named J. Warner Wallace. I think some of you guys have heard of him. Right you guys have seen him now. I actually like the guy. He's actually a pretty humble guy, but he's actually pretty I think everything he did he lived his life as a Christian everything he did he did well Okay, when he was a sheriff's deputy he ended up working for SWAT, right? Which is not like anything and he ended up being a homicide detective and then a cold-case detective, okay? Then he went on to further school, and he actually has a degree in architect Architecture when you say later that well, okay Wow He graduated first in the Sheriff's Academy, everything else. Everything he did well, under the glory of God. Before he was actually an atheist, right? I was reading the book and there was one part that I thought was really moving. He was talking about why he likes doing cold cases. You see the reconciliation. for family members right it could be decades and they're wondering what happened and they're wondering who did it and then finally to see that he was telling a story about how there's this family that you know people didn't get married people were just stuck of what happened because there was no closure until he cracked the case and he said it was a very famous case and but he said the biggest role was not because he solved it because after he was done he saw all the journalists went over to the family right to see and then you see the closure I think we must never forget that this is a form of really comfort. I know sometimes I think we have to also say when we read the Bible today, is what are our condition priests and bishops should bring? I actually think most of the times you see problems of evil that's brought up, often times it's in a context that is more first world, if I can be honest with you guys. I remember a long time ago reading an Atlantic Monthly article on the issue of ISIS. The journalist is a mainstream liberal progressive type, but he also mentioned that the more closer he goes to Iraq and Syria, the more he feels like people don't question the problem of evil. And I remember reading that article thinking, wow, that's really telling. Because I remember thinking, when was the time I ever had a problem with hell? Actually, it's here in the States. But in Iraq, when there's evil happening, when people have suicide bombers, and kill a whole bunch of people, and their evil is that they don't care if they die, that they will kill, and you think, man, that's not deeply unsatisfying that they had the last laughs, right? There is no issue at all with the problem of retribution of God, okay? By the Muslims that are the victims, by Marines, by Christians, whatever else, okay? I think we must never forget and downplay that this is a form of God's, what, deep comforting also as well. Now, we might not understand it sometimes, because we feel sometimes our life will be so easy. But I also think the more evil the world is, the more you'll find that there is a truth, a comfort from that. That evil will one day be dealt with. We must never forget that, even whether now or in the eternity future also as well. The souls of those who have been slain because of the Word of God. So I think this is for all the martyrs of history. So it's the martyrs of the end of the age, which there's going to be a whole bunch is what we understand. But it seemed like to me we could argue that this includes Abel and the prophets and John the Baptist and all the martyrs of the thousands of years who served God. So I'm crying out for God's Yeah, I think I think so mr. Byrne, I think you're right. It's not just the tribulation saints I think it's gonna be most of them. Yeah, but I think there's gonna be yeah Yeah, I think it's gonna he's gonna judge people but again, he's gonna give me every opportunity to repent yeah Yeah Yeah, I think it will be. I don't like watching beheading videos, but I remember when they first started doing that in Iraq, our unit, they did make us watch it. I remember everyone feeling like... Man, this is wrong, right? This is evil. There needs to be justice. And there are people, I think God has called to be agents of wrath, i.e. the government. And I don't think it's just vengeance in the Marines. I think some of it is a sense of, a deep sense of justice, recompense also as well. Again, it might not make us feel comfortable, but I think we cannot domesticate and neutralize the Bible. And when we're in the situation you see, there is a sense of comfort, okay? Go ahead. At the same time though, should we desire even the worst people to come to repentance? Yes. Which is followed by, which is where I want to discuss with the implication, if you guys are following along. So I'm wrapping this up. It's not just enough to see this, have knowledge, it's to say, how does it apply to our lives? I've broken it up to two parts, which also address what Ben Worth said. First question, do you believe that God will recompense for evil? Do you really believe that? And how do we know we really believe that? Here are the sub points. If you've ever seen great evil, there's a great comfort that God will recompense for evil committed. There will be for that. I can't say the sample size is too small. But at least with the people that I felt like over the years that I ministered to, or people of LGBT lifestyle, at least those that do not want it, often sometimes it seems they're a victim. And again, I'm not saying every single body, every single But it seems like I wonder, I can't help but to wonder if there's any study done, how many of them have been victims? And oftentimes they're victims in the past. Just from the small sample size I've known at PCC, UCLA, and stuff like that. And I just can't help but wonder how many of them are. But some of it is in the past, where it's long ago. Well, I always ask, is this individual realm that victimizes you? Just because there's a sense of like, hey, there needs to be justice, right? And the sad part is sometimes the things in the past, you don't know they got away with it, right? But do you believe that? If you've seen great evil, I think we must be trusting God, be comforted that He will judge great evil, okay? Let us not be also false piety, saying, okay, well, it's okay. No, no. God will judge evil. If you've ever seen great evil, and know you will be realized there is a comfort from that. Secondly, have you ever worshipped God for being a God of justice? I know we, as Christians, sometimes emphasize a lot of mercy and love, and it's true. But also, have you ever also worshipped Him for who He fully is, including an attribute of His justice? And yet, thirdly, We don't want to be so vengeful, out of control. Thirdly, yet does it sober you, knowing that God judges evil? Does it sober you? It definitely does for me. Because I'm a sinner, right? I'm a sinner and I also deserve the wrath of God. Which leads to the second question. Do you truly believe that God will redeem evil as well? If we know that God reconciled evil sinners, are you involved with the ministry of reconciliation? 2 Corinthians 5.18. This is what 2 Corinthians 5.18 says. I know some Christians sometimes ask, like, Pastor Jimmy, what's my purpose in life? I know God saved me, but what's my purpose? I think we have a ministry of reconciliation. We go around pleading, not pridefully, but as another dying sinner to another dying sinner saying, There is a reconciliation through Christ, right? So this should not be just intellectuals saying, oh well, it's not an issue for me. But it's also, hey, we need to redeem knowing that there will be a future judgment, right? That God is in the business of redeeming sinners, okay? And secondly, be comforted that evil will not exist in free reign forever, okay? that evil will not be forever. It's not going to be a yin and yang for the future. It's always going to happen. It's needed to be a balance. But evil will actually be one day done away with in a Christian biblical worldview. It must necessarily exist forever. There was a time where there was no evil. And there's a time where there will no longer be unchecked, reigning evil. So be comforted with that. Now I know it's kind of hard to balance both. The reality is we should be striving for justice, but at the same time be ready for what? To show mercy and peace also as well. I know it is hard, but I also think it is also part of real life. In a world that is God's will, I think God gives us the grace to be enabled to. But in a world that's evil, we also must oppose that. I haven't really talked about this with Jin. But I remember the first time when I was in Iraq with our unit. First time, in 2003, there was very few veterans. Most of the guys were in the Gulf War, which was like 12 years ago. And 12 years, a guy's been in the Marine Corps for 12 years like a grandpa. Because every generation is like four years. Every four years is a whole new batch, right? Every four years, because it's a four to six years term. And I remember we were very young, very naive, right? Because like 95% of the guys had never been in combat, except for some of the old timers, right? Our colonel. was in Vietnam and stuff like that. But all of us were young and I remember idealistically, it wasn't until people started actually shooting and people started getting hurt that suddenly things changed, right? Suddenly it was no longer ideal. Oh, we're gonna go wave at a bunch of kids and throw candies at them, right? Suddenly it becomes like, man, people do get hurt. And I remember I've never pulled the trigger on myself. My job is a radio operator. But I also know that it is the most weirdest feelings for the guys that do in our unit. That one moment you're trying to stop a bunch of bad guys, you're firing rounds, and the next moment they're injured and they're raising their hands up. And then once they raise their hands up in the surrendering, there's some things you cannot do. What are some things you cannot do? You cannot kill them, okay? You guys realize that, right? You cannot kill them, okay? It'll be actually unethical, it'll be wrong. Not only international, I think it's wrong also, okay? But it changes, it's the craziest feeling, right? A bunch of guys, 18, 19 years old, from one adrenaline moment to the next. It was like, okay, you shot him, to the next moment, could we get some guys to patch him up, okay? to save his life using your what you know I remember the also as well catching one of those tough you know those Iraqi higher-ups bad guys are you caught and in the hand is over just because he complained right away about you know his heart hurts and then what needing fans. But I also think that's the world we live in. We have to do both. The reality is this, in the eternal state or in the present reality, temporal evil or eternal evil, it has to be both. We have to oppose evil, but at the same time be ready to also say, I will forgive and move on. And it's hard. It's impossible. by ourselves, but it's possible through Christ. And it's possible because as we look at ourselves, are we evil? Are there things that are so evil that we would not tell others? Yeah. but also God redeemed us and saved us. Listen, every one of us has the capacity of being a Charles Manson in evil. We work at it, and it's not that far. It's easier to be closer to becoming Charles Manson than the heights of climbing the godliness of God or Jesus Christ. So in light of this, I think that moves us to realize, man, we've got to be both. And when I'm going against it, it's not because I want revenge, it's because of justice for the sake of God. And how do you know you really are standing for justice for the sake of God? Right away, as soon as there's repentance and reconciliation, you don't hold a grudge. And that's how you can tell, and it's hard. It's hard to see our hearts, because our hearts are so sinful, we're always lying to ourselves. But I think the only way is to continually meditate on God's own redemption of our sins. Any other questions at this time? Comments?