The Overcoming of Evil

Miroslav Volf was born in 1956 in Osijek, Croatia, which was then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1957 he and his five-year-old brother, Daniel were being watch by their Nanny, Aunt Milica, when Daniel “slipped away” from the courtyard to go play with some soldier friends a mere two blocks away. The soldiers enjoyed Daniel because of the diversion he provided from their normal, not-so-exciting duties and had become quite fond of him. On this day one of the soldiers innocently placed Daniel on a horse-drawn bread wagon and then the unthinkable happened. A tragic accident robbed Daniel of his life and the Volf family was left devastated. Miroslav has also experienced brutal interrogations at the hands of then Communist Yugoslavian Officials. These horrific events have uniquely equipped him to interpret well texts such as these in his book, The End of Memory: Remembering Rightly in a Violent World. 

You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matt 5.43-44, NIV).

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6.27-28, NIV).

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom 12.21, NIV).

I am especially interested in this final text from Romans 12, because it seems that Paul is motivated by a desire for the reader to not be overcome by evil. Paul doesn’t want evil to win. He wants evil to end and he provides us with a sure way for evil to be overcome. The verb translated overcome is from the word nikao which means to vanquish or defeat. Jesus uses the word in John 16.33 where he says, “Take heart! I have overcome the world.” Furthermore, John says the same is true of us who have been born of God. “… for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God" (1 John 5.4-5). Do you want evil to be defeated – vanquished – overcome? God offers one way to his people. Love those who do evil. Pray for our persecutors. Do good to those who hate you. Overcome evil with good. This gospel truth is why I have been so moved over the past two days by these words from Miroslav Volf, one who has endured the dark intensity of evil.

To triumph fully, evil needs two victories, not one. The first victory happens when an evil deed is perpetrated; the second victory, when evil is returned. After the first victory, evil would die if the second victory did not infuse it with new life.

Among the many reasons God could offer his people to respond to evil with good, one is particularly powerful I think – the desire to see evil defeated. Do you desire the overcoming of evil? The gospel promise is that it will be overcome, ultimately by goodness.