3. WHAT IS EVIL?

If God's law is perfect, designed to make us totally happy, then anything outside that would bring evil to us or someone else.

Jesus said, `Love your neighbour as yourself' and `Do to others what you want them to do to you.' Evil says, `Use your neighbour for yourself.' `Do unto others before they do you.'

Evil = selfishness = sin. (But self-nurture or self-improvement are fine!)

Sin is saying, `I don't care about God's advice or what you need - I want this.'
(E.g. child abusers desire their pleasure over a child's happiness.)

The Bible says:

      - relationships work best when you are gentle and generous,
      - sex is better when both are giving rather than being selfish,
      - your business succeeds when you think of the customer,
      - posessions give most pleasure when shared with people you love.

But human nature wonders if evil might work better
4. WHAT IS GOD'S SOLUTION TO EVIL?
(See 1 John 1:9)

1. God forgives our dark side - if we ask.
(Why pretend we don't need help?!)

When Jesus became a man, He died to take the death our sins deserve - so we get eternal life! He absorbed human evil and guilt, and showed that God has felt all our pain and cares deeply. (see our guide, `What Jesus Said on the Cross')
Jesus hammered to the Cross

2. God builds our good side:
`Don't let evil defeat you - defeat evil with good.' - see Romans 12:21

3. Eventually, God will destroy evil
and everyone who keeps choosing it. Judgment Day may sound harsh, but what else could God do? Choosing evil is choosing death, and God gives us choice.

If you were God, would you let stubborn child-abusers live forever? Would you be a dictator and force them to change their minds? The kindest option is that they just fade away.

4. God makes a `new Earth'
(no pain, sickness, violence or death) for people who've overcome their dark side with His help. He takes the evil out of nature and the result is peace: in the Bible's words, `the lion will lie down beside the lamb'. (see our guide, `Is Heaven Real?')