How do you respond to “evildoers”?
For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Philippians 3:18
Holy God,
Last night I saw something that made my heart cringe –
a beautiful young woman stepped onto the elevator at my hotel
holding a paddle fan that loudly proclaimed that abortion is a woman’s right.
I felt sick, and I turned away.
How, Lord, do we respond,
how should we respond,
to people who advocate for positions
so contrary to the cross of Christ,
so harmful to innocent lives?
The apostle Paul gives us a clue in how he talks about his opponents,
“the dogs, the evildoers, those who mutilate the flesh” (Phil. 3:2).
In his case, he was likely talking about people
who insisted that Jesus’ death on the cross was not sufficient for salvation for Jews –
that Jews still needed to be circumcised.
But everywhere we go,
we encounter enemies of the cross of Christ,
those who hate the idea of submitting to Christ as Lord and King.
Paul gives us a hint on how to respond when he says, “even with tears” –
because our enemy’s end is “destruction,”
because their “god is their belly,”
because they are proud of things that should bring shame,
because they are focused only on earthly things that will not last… (Phil. 3:18-19)…
We grieve for them,
We hope for them,
We pray for them.
We do name the reality of the dark forces behind these enemies (See Eph. 6:11-12).
We reject bitterness and resentment.
We ask you, Father, for wisdom.
We press on by setting our minds on things above (Colossians 3:1),
because we are citizens of heaven,
awaiting our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Phi. 3:20-21).
In his loving name we pray. Amen.
Read Philippians 3:1-21.
