Become New with John Ortberg 14. Overcome Evil with Good
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May 27, 2021 A focused reflection on rooting the mind in a sustaining thought. Honest talk about evil in current events and how the soul can turn away from the good. A clear contrast between love as willing good and evil as willing harm. Practical prompts to choose good in daily life and the cross as the model for responding with forgiveness.
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Evil Is A Spiritual Reality To Be Confronted
- Evil is a real spiritual and human reality that shapes thoughts, intentions, and habits.
- John Ortberg frames Paul’s command “Overcome evil with good” as a central, sustaining thought for connecting to God in troubled times.
Current Tragedies Ground The Conversation
- John Ortberg cites recent events like the San Jose mass shooting, rising antisemitism, and George Floyd anniversary to show why evil feels urgent.
- He uses these real-world tragedies to ground the abstract discussion in present grief and political polarization.
The Ruined Soul Explains Persistent Evil
- Drawing on Dallas Willard, Ortberg explains the ruined soul as a complex inward orientation away from God that social science often can't name.
- Willard warns that evil is not a theological slip but a settled orientation that resists God and goodness.
