Evil, biblical nature of evil?

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Any biblical references as to the nature of evil would be welcome.
I am no biblical scholar and not aware of any clear definition of evil mentioned in the bible. But as in many things, through reading the bible, we can learn to discern what evil essentially is.
To me evil is an action. I think this because one may have an inclination to do an evil act, but has not actually perpetrated that act. As Christians we face temptation to do evil acts, but are called to resist them. Yet the act of temptation is not a sin. So you could say evil is an act of rebellion against God.
The notion of evil being an absence of good is one i find hard to swallow.
 
To me evil is an action. I think this because one may have an inclination to do an evil act, but has not actually perpetrated that act.

And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, ​
and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ​
(Genesis 6:5) ​

this describes imaginations and thoughts as evil -- does it describe evil actions as 'wickedness' ?
 
It seems to me that Evil beings in the Bible seem more tangible and solid than that.

Satan is called 'the evil one' -- but not called 'the evil'
((e.g. Matthew 13:19, John 17:15, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, 1 John 3:12, 5:19, etc))

i suppose you could call him the personification of evil, or the author of it, but the Bible doesn't describe '
evil itself' as being a being or creature or spirit in and of itself. living creatures, spirits, thoughts, desires and actions are described as having a quality of being evil ((or wicked - are these interchangeable terms?)) but evil itself isn't -- in any place i'm aware of off the top of my head -- spoken of as though it is, itself, some sort of being.

i'm still thinking about your question tho ;)

btw i'm sorry if you're treated rudely. i hope you understand the zeal in the hearts of some of my brothers & sisters for the true God, and look over offense. welcome to CC :)
 
Gal 5:17 'The things of the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh'. Rom 8:14 'Those who are led by the Holy Spirit of God (Spirit of Truth etc) are the children of God'. So those who deviate or ignore from God's teachings, which basically start with our Spiritual growth in the Scriptures, are in darkness. I know there are those in the world who have not heard the Gospel, but the Word will b spread by God's laborers and Christian TV. God bless, He is very real, the Source of everything.
 
btw i'm sorry if you're treated rudely. i hope you understand the zeal in the hearts of some of my brothers & sisters for the true God, and look over offense. welcome to CC :)

no I don't believe there is any zeal here

would be good if you do not apologize for others
 
Howdy folks,

A Christian friend said to me that Evil is the absence of good.

Is that a biblical understanding of evil?
I'd say your Christian friend was right.

It seems to me that Evil beings in the Bible seem more tangible and solid than that.
You wanted to know what evil is. A being is a person.

Surely Christians must believe in evil as an actual force?
Good and evil are concepts that are practiced.

What definition of evil accords with how evil actually operates?
You already know that,

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 1Jn.1:8
 
A Christian friend said to me that Evil is the absence of good.
From your Buddha avatar it looks like you are here to troll. If you wish to know about evil study the genocide in Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge under the evil Pol Pot. About two million people (25% of Cambodia's population) were annihilated within a four year period.
 
From your Buddha avatar it looks like you are here to troll. If you wish to know about evil study the genocide in Cambodia by the Khmer Rouge under the evil Pol Pot. About two million people (25% of Cambodia's population) were annihilated within a four year period.
I have a Buddhist avatar because I follow that path. I'm not here to troll.
You are right about the terrible Pol Pot, I'm not really sure why you mention him?
Would you explain your point more fully please?
 
Howdy folks,

A Christian friend said to me that Evil is the absence of good.

Is that a biblical understanding of evil?

It seems to me that Evil beings in the Bible seem more tangible and solid than that. Surely Christians must believe in evil as an actual force?

What definition of evil accords with how evil actually operates?
View attachment 193985
evil is a perversion of the natural, such as murder and evil done to children
 
evil is a perversion of the natural, such as murder and evil done to children
That is interesting, I've heard something similar from a Sufi source. The idea that goodness is a light, but evil is also a light, but a dark light. So a distortion rather than a total opposite, or total absence of light.
Somebody above also said how a person committing evil still has access to goodness and so it is a choice to be evil or wicked?
 
Thank you for your sincere good wishes for me, but I am happy with my own religion.
I wish you the very best too.

I'm half understanding... So it's like there are actual beings, but they themselves
have an absence in them, even though the goodness is available... more like being cut off from goodness/God?

So if Lucifer was originally good, something Lucifer did created this void inside him?
WAS, is the key word here!

Isaiah 14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

You will not find this in today's Canonized Bible. Used to be, though!
PERHAPS,
you could explain to us, as to why? :)

The Book of Enoch
Chapter 3
1All who are in the heavens know what is transacted there.
2They know that the heavenly luminaries change not their paths; that each rises and sets regularly, every one at its proper period, without transgressing the commands, which they have received. The behold the earth, and understand what is there transacted, from the beginning to the end of it.
3They see that every work of God is invariable in the period of its appearance. They behold summer and winter: perceiving that the whole earth is full of water; and that the cloud, the dew, and the rain refresh it.
Chapter 6
2That the works at the beginning of every existing year, that all his works, are subservient to him, and invariable; yet as God has appointed, so are all things brought to pass.
4But you endure not patiently, nor fulfill the commandments of the Lord; but you transgress and calumniate his greatness; and malignant are the words in your polluted mouths against his Majesty.
5You withered in heart, no peace shall be to you!
6Therefore your days shall you curse, and the years of your lives shall perish; perpetual execration shall be multiplied, and you shall not obtain mercy.
7In those days shall you resign your peace with the eternal maledictions of all the righteous, and sinners shall perpetually execrate you;
8Shall execrate you with the ungodly.

11Then shall wisdom be given to the elect, all of whom shall live, and not again transgress by impiety or pride; but shall humble themselves, possessing prudence, and shall not repeat transgression.
Chapter 7
1It happened after the sons of men had multiplied in those days, that daughters were born to them, elegant and beautiful.

2And when the angels (watchers), the sons of heaven (sons of God), beheld them, they became enamoured of them, saying to each other, Come, let us select for ourselves wives from the progeny of men, and let us beget children.
3Then their leader *Samyaza (aka, beezelbub, that old dragon, author of confusion, father of lies, satan) said to them; I fear that you may perhaps be indisposed to the performance of this enterprise;
4And that I alone shall suffer for so grievous a crime.
5But they answered him and said; We all swear;
*6And bind ourselves by mutual execrations, that we will not change our intention, but execute our projected undertaking.
9These are the names of their chiefs: Samyaza, who was their leader, Urakabarameel, Akibeel, Tamiel, Ramuel, Danel, Azkeel, Saraknyal, Asael, Armers, Batraal, Anane, Zavebe, Samsaveel, Ertael, Turel, Yomyael, Arazyal. These were the prefects of the two hundred angels, and the remainder were all with them.

(*6 The Aramaic texts preserve an earlier list of names of these Watchers: Semihazah; Artqoph; Ramtel; Kokabel; Ramel; Danieal; Zeqiel; Baraqel; Asael; Hermoni; Matarel; Ananel; Stawel; Samsiel; Sahriel; Tummiel; Turiel; Yomiel; Yhaddiel)

[One will find the "recap" HERE:
Revelation 12
4 And *his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.]

7Then they swore all together, and all bound themselves by mutual execrations. Their whole number was two hundred, who descended upon Ardis, which is the top of mount Armon.
Chapter 8
1Moreover Azazyel taught men to make swords, knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and the workmanship of bracelets and ornaments, the use of paint, the beautifying of the eyebrows, the use of stones of every valuable and select kind, and all sorts of dyes, so that the world became altered.
2Impiety increased; fornication multiplied; and they transgressed and corrupted all their ways.
3Amazarak taught all the sorcerers, and dividers of roots:
4Armers taught the solution of sorcery;
5Barkayal taught the observers of the stars (astrologers)
6Akibeel taught signs;
7Tamiel taught astronomy;
8And Asaradel taught the motion of the moon,
9And men, being destroyed, cried out; and their voice reached to heaven.,
Chapter 9
6*Samyaza also has taught sorcery, to whom you have given authority over those who are associated with him. They have gone together to the daughters of men; have lain with them; have become polluted;
7And have "revealed these sins" to them.
9Thus has the whole earth been filled with blood and with iniquity. (all this? has MUCH to do with the 70 weeks!)

Those days of Enoch? When no "Covenant" was NEEDED!
Since "those" days?
There was a "treaty"(?), or agreement, or covenant(?), not only between God and man. With a rainbow. But, also between those whom God revealed to Enoch! With an olive branch sent to Noah! (more to this. but, is close enough. :))
Then, the Abrahamic Covenant!
These days, however?
John 14
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. :)
 
OP You might want to start reading the Bible to understand it. The first books is Genesis and tells us how God created the universe in 6 days and on the seventh he rested. He saw everything he made and said it was good. The first man and woman were placed in the garden of Eden to look after it. There were two special trees in the garden and one of them God told them not to eat from. This forbidden tree was called the tree of knowledge of good and evil. GOd told Adam they could eat from any of the trees of the garden except for that one, if they did, they would die.
 
I have a Buddhist avatar because I follow that path. I'm not here to troll.
You are right about the terrible Pol Pot, I'm not really sure why you mention him?
Would you explain your point more fully please?

i think he is just giving you an example of how evil works, another example would be when the US bombed Japan after they had been trying to surrender for several months. i think around 300 thousand were killed by the blast alone and over all a million died later due to radiation sickness. not to mention the lion share of the deaths were civilian. so out of one million deaths its a good bet that at least 600 thousand of those deaths were innocent women and children that wanted nothing to do with the war.