Opposition, to sin and evil

Believers are called upon to opppose all that is hostile to God's purposes in the world.

God opposes evil

Matthew 21:12–13 parallels Mark 11:15–16, Luke 19:45–46, John 2:14–17 See also Exodus 4:24; Leviticus 20:3, Leviticus 26:14–17; Numbers 22:22; Malachi 3:2–5; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5; Revelation 2:16

Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

God's people should oppose evil

Within themselves

Colossians 3:5 See also Matthew 5:29–30; Romans 8:13

Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.

Among themselves

Galatians 2:11 See also 1 Corinthians 5:12–13; Ephesians 5:3

When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

Examples of failure to oppose evil

Within the church

1 Corinthians 5:1–2; Revelation 2:20

Within the family

1 Samuel 3:13; 1 Kings 1:6

Within the state

Habakkuk 1:4 See also Judges 5:23; 1 Samuel 15:9–11; Jeremiah 5:28

Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

Examples of unwise opposition to evil

Matthew 26:51–52 parallels Mark 14:47, Luke 22:50–51; John 18:10–11; Luke 9:54–55; Acts 19:13–16

Opposing evil by doing good

Commanded by God

1 Peter 2:15 See also Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:20–21; 1 Thessalonians 5:15

For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Exemplified in Scripture

Numbers 12:13; 1 Samuel 24:17, 1 Samuel 26:11; 2 Kings 6:22; Luke 22:51, Luke 23:34

Motives for opposing evil

Concern for the honour and glory of God

Numbers 25:6–13 See also 1 Kings 19:10; Ezekiel 28:22; John 2:17

Just then an Israelite man brought to his family a Midianite woman in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation of Israel while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. On seeing this, Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand, followed the Israelite into the tent, and drove the spear through both of them— through the Israelite and on through the belly of the woman. So the plague against the Israelites was halted, but those who died in the plague numbered 24,000. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites; for he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My zeal. Declare, therefore, that I am granting him My covenant of peace. It will be a covenant of permanent priesthood for him and his descendants, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.”

Concern for the good of others

Galatians 2:4–5 See also Deuteronomy 17:12–13; 1 Timothy 5:20

This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.