Wicked

The Bible uses “wicked” many times. The search feature on my Bible software shows 314 instances found in 300 verses. That’s using e-Sword, New American Standard version, 95. That’s a significant number of times. God speaks against wickedness. That’s important to Him.

The Hebrew word for wicked is “Rasha.” It means morally wrong, a bad person, condemned, guilty, and ungodly. The New Testament Greek word is “Poneros,” which means evil or bad, just like the definition found in the Old Testament.

Wicked can be seen when one’s mental viewer brings a “bad” dog to mind. It’s snarling, growling, ready to attack and do severe damage. When one considers a bad person, he, or she, is out to do evil, hurtful things to others. A wicked person is “bad” in God’s view.

Wickedness In the Old and New Testament

We can find lists of sins in the New Testament: Matthew 15:19, NASB (Mark 7:21-22, NASB), 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, NASB, Galatians 5:19-21, NASB, Ephesians 5:3-5, NASB, 1 Timothy 1:9-10, NASB, and Revelation 21:9, NASB. Sin, as we can see, is anathema to God.

In the books of wisdom (Job – Song of Solomon), Job has over 30 uses of wicked, 84 times in Psalms, 84 times in Proverbs, and seven times in Ecclesiastes. That’s a lot of wickedness!

Where Does Wickedness Come From?

Matthew 15:19-20, NASB, states, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.  “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

It takes a wicked heart to do wicked things. Jesus, knowing men’s hearts, would speak with perfect expertise on this. What does it take for one to murder another? I couldn’t begin to say, but I know murder begins in the heart of a wicked man. Just like murder, adultery begins in the heart. And what is adultery? Adultery is the emotional murder of one’s spouse and self-murder at that. It is sinful sexual relations outside of marriage boundaries. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap,” Galatians 6:7, NASB.

 

The Penalty for Wickedness

There is an eternal penalty for wickedness. “Whatever a man sows, he shall also reap.” If one commits evil, he receives condemnation in the judgment. This is divine law, and it’s stated in many ways throughout the Bible.

Everyone should know that God is just in His judgment. He is entirely fair and proper. He is not a respecter of persons, according to Romans 2:11, NASB. He warns every soul to stop their wickedness and do right in Acts 17:30-31, NASB. Through Jesus, God judges the world in righteousness. No one receives special treatment. If one dies in sin, judgment reflects his punishment. He is cast, thrown, into everlasting fire, hell.

Hell is described in several ways. It is a place of deepest darkness, Matthew 8:12, NASB. Gnashing of teeth, meaning grinding, describes terrible torment, Matthew 13:41-43, NASB. Constant weeping, Matthew 13:50, NASB. There is eternal fire for the wicked, Matthew 25:41, NASB. Note in that verse that the wicked will be separated eternally from God. He is everything for a glorious, perfect life, but the wicked in hell have no opportunity for redemption. The punishment phase of their judgment is final and eternal.

How can any writer adequately describe hell? It is so much worse than anyone can imagine. Our minds cannot grasp the idea of being thrown into the fire. Being immersed in fire is indescribable.

No One Has to Go to Hell.

It’s a person’s choice to go to hell. God doesn’t choose any particular person, force them to do wicked things, and push them into hell. Resultant hell is a choice made by one’s decision to do evil. God offers salvation. He offers the opportunity to restore the soul to its original condition, Acts 3:19, NASB. All one needs to do is repent, turn from sin, and do right. One needs to accept God’s terms of salvation. God is kind and merciful and offers salvation to every soul through Jesus.

One must understand that Jesus is God’s Son, Romans 10:17, NASB, John 8:24, NASB.

He must repent of his sins, Luke 13:3, NASB.

He must confess that Jesus is God’s Son, Romans 10:9, NASB.

He must be baptized to remove sin, Mark 16:16, NASB, Acts 2:38, NASB, Romans 6:3-5, NASB.

He must live a righteous life, Galatians 6:7-8, NASB, Revelation 2:10, NASB.

Make the right choice. Choose Jesus. Avoid hell. Choose heaven.

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Garland Van Dyke

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