The Evil that Men Do

Stephen King is truly one messed up individual! I had not watched one of his movies or read one of his books for a while, but I was reminded this afternoon just how disturbed he is when I watched 'Needful Things' for the first time! The gist of the movie, as I understood it, was that while the author/writer portrays the traditional evil spiritual being named Satan, though he is never mentioned, except generically, as 'the devil', he understands very well the latent ability for all kinds of evil that dwells within the heart of the man ( or woman ) who is not in right relationship, or communion with his ( or her ) Creator and with the Body of Christ! This concept ( of true communion ) is so alien to most people, even some Christians, that it is really almost shocking that more of what we see in those types of movies doesn't happen more often!

Ah, maybe I've just led a sheltered life!

Man, by nature, as Stephen King understands very well, is capable of almost unimaginable evil; he just needs the right ( or wrong ) excuse to let it flow, or spew out! But for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the communion of the saints, anyone could snap at the least little thing, even, or maybe especially, some so-called Christians! 

Like it or not, men do succumb to the desires and lusts and all sorts of evil is spawned from these feelings! Even though the Son of God reconciled the world to Himself by His one Sacrifice ( else another must be made ), there are individuals in the world who have not reconciled with this concialiatory act, and still refuse, however weakly, to pursue or maintain a meaningful relationship with their Creator, and communion with the Body of Christ! These men, no matter what evil they have perpetrated in the past, can be forgiven, redeemed, and though not always brought back into fellowship ( someone has to pay the bill, naturally ), they can become one in the communion of the saints!

Human beings do evil things, there is no question! Are human beings then, naturally and necessarily, apart from the Communion of the Holy Spirit, evil? I would venture to say that they are not, but that they are always capable of great evil! Yes, some have progressed ( or is that regressed? ) to the point that they become very animalistic in nature, and yes, become evil, but it is not that human beings are, by nature evil. Rememmber that in the beginning, God declared His entire creation good, including His human creation!

Human beings always have had a choice! When faced with any given situation, as were Adam & Eve in the Garden ( Genesis 3 ), they often choose the wrong path, and thus unleash a world of evil! In subsequent generations, depending on the choices made by those following, that evil heritage may or may not alter the course of their legend, but it is always based on choice! What will you do with your choice? Will you strike back at your adversary, or will you choose to do right, though everyone else seems to be doing wrong?

Charles Haddon Shank