For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. (Romans 16:19-20a)

Innocent Toward Evil Things

The devil is a powerful foe. He is like a roaring lion seeking all those he can devour, consume, and destroy. Satan knows he is doomed to the lake of fire and brimstone to be tormented day and night forever and ever. That is certain. Evil abounds in the world. Satan tries to fill the minds of men with every evil intent of the heart. The wiles of the devil are the abomination of a cruel and merciless adversary who opposes everything that is righteous. There is little doubt about the ugliness and horrific nature of sin. As dark as sin must be viewed, one of the greatest tools to fight against the temptations of Satan is to remain innocent and pure concerning evil.

No one should be ignorant of sin, and caution should always be taken when dealing with the works of the flesh. Paul commends the saints in Rome for their faith and loyalty to the kingdom of God. Their example has become known to many of the brethren in the church as a bastion of faith and courage in the midst of a corrupt and wicked city – Rome. However, their faith was resilient enough to withstand the influence of the evil political machine that sought to discredit the nature of truth and righteousness. The apostle encourages Christians to demonstrate their faith through their actions and to be discerning in all things that are good. Truth stands on the premise of believing and holding fast to the purity of those things good in the sight of God.

Another way the Roman saints demonstrate their courage is by remaining harmless or innocent toward those things that are evil. Jesus illustrated this when He said that disciples must be like children. There is a pure innocence in a child’s heart that does not see prejudice, hatred, anger, and jealousy. A child’s heart is pure when it comes to the evils of the world. God designed the human spirit to begin with complete innocence, demonstrating the power of goodness and truth. All things are true to a young mind. Sadly, when a child becomes an adult, all the evils of the world become too clear.

Paul’s admonition to deal with evil was to have no plans to follow after wicked things. Staying as far away from evil was the best course to deal with the wiles of the devil. The Holy Spirit said of the man Job in the Old Testament that he turned away from evil, refused to allow evil things in his life, avoided evil, and stayed away from evil. The King James Version uses an interesting word: Job “eschewed evil.” The people of God need to be eschewing people! To be innocent of evil does not ignore evil but seeks to remain as far away from any form of evil as possible. Godliness is profitable in lessening the impact of sin.

If a man refuses to play with snakes, he is less likely to be bitten. Too many Christians play with the wiles of the garden serpent and are surprised when they get bitten. Sin will find its way into the lives of God’s people, but they should never invite the devil in either. Trying to live as close to the world and its evil influence and remaining pure in the eyes of God is playing a game that will end in disaster. God told Israel to stay as far away from the nations around them, and they refused. Israel was destroyed because it invited evil into its heart. Wisdom shows that when a man takes fire into his bosom, he will suffer terribly. When a man walks on hot coals, his feet will be burned. How do you crush Satan? Be simple concerning evil.