When Evil Triumphs, It's Not Because Good People Did Nothing

 
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”(1)

I used to think this was a great quote, a call for Christians to wake up and stand up for what's right. But lately, I've changed my mind.

Can we call a person "good" if they do nothing to stop evil (Mark 8:38; 1 John 3:9)? 

Our faith and values aren’t tested when things are easy. They're tested when things are hard. That's when good people choose to please God, not man (Matthew 6:24; Galatians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:4). 

But there's a second reason I disagree with this quote: bad people will always outnumber good people because the unsaved world is under Satan’s control, and the path to salvation is a narrow road (1 John 5:19; Matthew 7:14).

People on the narrow path are willing to stand against evil even when they're persecuted (Matthew 5:10-12). They're more interested in hearing their Lord say "Well done, good and faithful servant" than fitting in with their culture (Matthew 25:33).

So stand firm, those of you who know and love the God of Scripture. Stand firm! 

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I encourage you to read:

Don't Fear Speaking Up 

Will You Stand with Jesus?

Would You Have Justified Slavery?

(1) This quote has long been attributed to Edmond Burke, but there’s no proof he said it. And scholars doubt he said it because they think he was too wise to think that this was the only reason evil triumphed.

I encourage you to read some of the stories about persecution of Christians around the world. It puts our small sacrifices and persecutions in perspective: Open Doors.

Bible Love Notes