A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope,
encouragement and exhortation.
Clouds above
and reflected below in Laurel Lake in Pine Grove Furnace
State Park
"Inventors
Of Evil"
Message
summary: Let's
be on the lookout, avoid evil and walk in the
path of righteousness.
Listen to
our message on your audio player.
"Inventors of evil" (Romans 1:30).
Sunday afternoon following our
visit to Roxbury Camp to see the Lauren Talley
concert we drove over to Pine Grove Furnace State Park. We took a long trail bike ride using a portion of
abandoned railroad grade and through one of the
few places a bike trail runs
concurrently with the Appalachian Trail. It
was a beautiful rustic area on South Mountain
that feels more like northern Pennsylvania as
far as remoteness with a few camps here and
there.
Years ago this area had a thriving forge and iron ore mining beginning even before the American Revolution. Iron-making is certainly not new technology but an ancient invention that has benefitted us all. Perhaps the earliest recorded inventor in the Bible, even before the Great Flood, was "Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron" (Genesis 4:22).
Mankind continues to invent and so many inventions are a great blessing. Just consider modern plumbing!
Although we normally think of inventions as a good thing and as a sign of progress such is not always the case. Today let us consider the only time the word "invent" is used in many standard translations of the New Testament.
This verse from Romans 1 describes another kind of inventor in Paul's inspired assessment on the consequences of rejecting God. Other versions translate this passage: "Invent ways of doing evil" (NIV) "inventors of evil things" (ASV), "Their minds teemed with diabolical invention" (Phillips). "They invent new ways of sinning" (NLT).
The underlying Greek word for invent (epheuretes) is found only here in the New Testament. It describes a person who is not content with the usual, ordinary ways of sinning, but one who seeks out new vices because he has grown blasé and seeks a new thrill in some new sin.
With or without any regard to newer technology we see a proliferation of ways in which people have become "inventors of evil" in the most sordid ways. People created in God's image who could be using their minds for noble, God-glorifying purposes, instead have been given over to depraved minds that think up unspeakable evil! (From Precept Austin Study notes).
Today, as God’s standards of morality are mocked and shrugged off by indifference, we see this phenomenon of inventing new ways to do evil growing at a fevered pitch. Thus we frankly ponder what the next frontier will be when that which is presently considered deviant becomes socially acceptable and then celebrated. It may be something we can hardly imagine but just think about where we are now and that which was unimaginable only a few years ago, by Christian and non-Christian alike.
Just consider the moral anarchy in our
own lifetime. More will always be
needed, a new way of doing evil will
have to be invented. This can be seen in
so many of Satan's vices such as
gambling, alcohol, drugs, pornography,
and sexual immorality. Each vice so
often begins with a "harmless", scaled
down introduction but will so often
become the master to many and take them
where they never intended to go, keep
them much longer than they ever intended
to stay, and change them in ways they
never expected. Do people actually set
goals for themselves to live in the
gutter? No, not really but remember
Satan distorts his evil plan so that, if
we're not careful, even those who
profess to follow Christ will be brought
down.
Let's be on the lookout, avoid evil and walk in the path of righteousness.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Listen to
our message on your audio player."Inventors of evil" (Romans 1:30).
Sunday afternoon following our
visit to Roxbury Camp to see the Lauren Talley
concert we drove over to Pine Grove Furnace State Park. We took a long trail bike ride using a portion of
abandoned railroad grade and through one of the
few places a bike trail runs
concurrently with the Appalachian Trail. It
was a beautiful rustic area on South Mountain
that feels more like northern Pennsylvania as
far as remoteness with a few camps here and
there.Years ago this area had a thriving forge and iron ore mining beginning even before the American Revolution. Iron-making is certainly not new technology but an ancient invention that has benefitted us all. Perhaps the earliest recorded inventor in the Bible, even before the Great Flood, was "Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron" (Genesis 4:22).
Mankind continues to invent and so many inventions are a great blessing. Just consider modern plumbing!
Although we normally think of inventions as a good thing and as a sign of progress such is not always the case. Today let us consider the only time the word "invent" is used in many standard translations of the New Testament.
This verse from Romans 1 describes another kind of inventor in Paul's inspired assessment on the consequences of rejecting God. Other versions translate this passage: "Invent ways of doing evil" (NIV) "inventors of evil things" (ASV), "Their minds teemed with diabolical invention" (Phillips). "They invent new ways of sinning" (NLT).
The underlying Greek word for invent (epheuretes) is found only here in the New Testament. It describes a person who is not content with the usual, ordinary ways of sinning, but one who seeks out new vices because he has grown blasé and seeks a new thrill in some new sin.
With or without any regard to newer technology we see a proliferation of ways in which people have become "inventors of evil" in the most sordid ways. People created in God's image who could be using their minds for noble, God-glorifying purposes, instead have been given over to depraved minds that think up unspeakable evil! (From Precept Austin Study notes).
Today, as God’s standards of morality are mocked and shrugged off by indifference, we see this phenomenon of inventing new ways to do evil growing at a fevered pitch. Thus we frankly ponder what the next frontier will be when that which is presently considered deviant becomes socially acceptable and then celebrated. It may be something we can hardly imagine but just think about where we are now and that which was unimaginable only a few years ago, by Christian and non-Christian alike.
Just consider the moral anarchy in our
own lifetime. More will always be
needed, a new way of doing evil will
have to be invented. This can be seen in
so many of Satan's vices such as
gambling, alcohol, drugs, pornography,
and sexual immorality. Each vice so
often begins with a "harmless", scaled
down introduction but will so often
become the master to many and take them
where they never intended to go, keep
them much longer than they ever intended
to stay, and change them in ways they
never expected. Do people actually set
goals for themselves to live in the
gutter? No, not really but remember
Satan distorts his evil plan so that, if
we're not careful, even those who
profess to follow Christ will be brought
down.Let's be on the lookout, avoid evil and walk in the path of righteousness.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer:
Father,
we're warned in Proverbs 4:27 that we must
avoid evil and walk straight ahead, not
taking one step off the right way.
We don't want to be lured by the enemy or
caught in his diabolical trap. Living in
this ever growing sin-filled world might
lead us to despair especially those
raising children or grandchildren, but we
look to You for grace, strength and a firm
resolve to remain faithful and hopeful
because the Scripture reminds us, "Where
sin abounds, grace doth much more
abound." Where there is the
existence of sin there is the presence of
grace to help see us through our troubled
world, to help us see the kingdom of God
that will last for all eternity where sin
will not enter so it can no longer
destroy! Until that day we choose to
remain faithful, hopeful, and to spread
the good news of Jesus Christ wherever we
live, work, and commune. Amen.
Fuller
Lake in Pine Grove Furnace State Park.
Laurel Lake dam
The
state park office is a well maintained
building surrounded by colorful perennials.
The
Appalachian Trail museum is housed in an
old 200 year old grist mill. This is the
midway point on the 2200 mile trail.
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental Resources
Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Pine Grove Furnace State Park is located here (google map)
"Take My Life And Let It Be" Video Norton Hall Band
"May The Mind Of Christ" Video Emu Music
"I Want to Be More Like Jesus Every Day" Video Old Friends Quartet
"I Want To Be More Like Jesus" Video Keith Green
Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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