When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, evil emerged (Genesis 3). From that point forward, and still to this day, evil separates us from Him. However, God didn’t stop loving us humans. No, He provided three ways to restrain evil.

The church, human conscience, and governments are three ways God uses to restrain evil.

It’s not by accident that the Church leads the way. Christ’s powerful Deity overcame sin (John 16:33).

God’s creation of man included the human conscience to discern good from evil (Romans 2:15).

And He uses governments to remove evildoers from society (1 Peter 2:13-15).

The Church

The moment God delivered Jesus into the world, He established the church. Indeed, Christ is the Godhead (Colossians 2:9). This reality shows us that the church isn’t physical (a building) but supernatural.

Christ made it known that evil will not overcome the church.

Jesus said:

 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (Matthew 16:18, NASB)

As shown in this verse, Christ appoints Peter as the leader, and with His mighty power, evil has no chance to penetrate its secured eternal boundary. When Jesus defeated Satan (Matthew 4:1-11), it proved this truth

The most remarkable and extraordinary restraint against the devil is the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit gives us His full divine armor to resist evil (Ephesians 6:10-20). This exclusive defense from sin isn’t found anywhere else except in Jesus’s church.

Satan flees from the Holy Spirit because he knows God is the driving force behind its holy influence. I’m drawn closer to the Lord because His Counselor directs me to His sovereignty. It’s in the Spirit of truth that I discover Christ’s message of salvation (John 3:16).

Jesus’s church, created by God and guided by the Holy Spirit, is the most potent restraint against evil. Our Father designed the blessed Trinity to give us resistance to the devil’s cunning schemes. For this reason, sin isn’t practical because it loses power.

The Human Conscience

God placed a conscience in the human spirit. This is a unique and intuitive reaction to evil. It’s not by choice when guilt or remorse disturbs my soul. No, when I sin, my conscience produces guilt and remorse. I experience this uneasiness in my innermost self, leaving no doubt about my disobedience to God’s will.

The human conscience is effective in combating evil. For example, when temptation enters my mind, my conscience awakens, and I notice a struggle between sin and God’s will. This warns me not to cave into the temptation.

However, the conscience has limitations. God didn’t give the conscience the power to change the heart. No, He uses it to bring us to the door of repentance. The Lord wanted us to experience guilt for disobeying.

Unbelievers don’t become convicted because their conscience is dead. I know from experience the disastrous and devastating result of a conscience gone dead. Before God saved me, I wasn’t remorseful over my sinful lifestyle. No, I had no intuition about what was right or wrong. This unawareness of God’s commandments led to mental, spiritual, and physical demoralization.

Government

God is in control of everything, including governments. This truth is a reality, and He established governments to deal with evildoers who do wicked deeds.

Apostle Peter and Paul shared divine insight about why governments make laws to punish criminals. They show the reasons for following the governing authorities.

Peter disclosed this:

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. (1 Peter 2:13-14, ESV)

Peter says that obedience to governing laws is acceptable in God’s eyes. This shows the reason for governments punishing those who cause harm to others.

Paul revealed:

 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1-2, NKJV)

Paul parallels the same message as Peter. He highlights God’s appointment of governments and why we are to follow their laws. He lets us know the Lord uses these nations and their governing bodies to help follow His ordinance.

Paul went on and said:

For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. (Romans 13:4, NKJV)

Again, Paul shows the government’s alignment with God’s punishment for those with evil hearts. He warns us that if we participate in immoral acts, God will use them to discipline us for disobeying His authority. 

In our generation, it’s hard to see how God works through governments. Nations are governing in ungodly ways. They are making laws that promote evil and encourage people to live in sin. However, for this reason, God exposed them to their satanic influences. We discern what governing laws to follow through the Holy Spirit.

Final Thoughts

As shown above, these three ways are God’s provisions to resist evil. Indeed, the Church provides the most incredible power over evilness. The human conscience and governments help us in obedience to God’s statutes.

What are your thoughts?