Evil

Dan Kunz

Do you recognize the name Bernard of Morlas? I’m guessing not. He lived in France in the 1100’s, at the Abbey of Cluny, one of the most spectacular of such places in the Old World. We’re not sure exactly when he entered the Abbey, but he most likely lived there all his adult life. What we do know is that in approximately 1140, Bernard of Morlas wrote a hymn which we know today as “The World is Very Evil”. I’m not sure exactly what life in the mid-Twelfth Century was like, but if he thought it was evil then, what would he say about the Twenty-First Century? The first four lines are as follows:

The world is very evil,
The times are waxing late,
Be sober and keep vigil,
The Judge is at the gate.

If you look at world history over the last few weeks, months, or years, it’s easy to commiserate with Bernard of Morlas. Charlie Kirk’s tragic death and its aftermath, certainly bear that out. I won’t get into his politics, or even his patriotism, but I do want to point out his fearless defense of the Gospel.

Time and again Charlie encouraged people on college campuses to come forward and ask their questions or raise their objections. Usually with great patience and grace, he’d explain why he believed what he did. He said there were two focal points in history – the Creation and the Resurrection. In his words, “If you believe both of those, then nothing the Bible says is really impossible. Is it?” His defense of the validity of the Resurrection, couldn’t be clearer. Jesus was seen by literally hundreds of people. The first witnesses were women. If you were trying to deceive people, you wouldn’t have used female witnesses in that day and age. Finally, what Charlie believed was the best support for the truth of the Resurrection, was the price paid by Jesus’ followers over the centuries. Who would knowingly give his life to support a lie? And many of them were eyewitnesses!

Charlie’s assassination alone would be enough to condemn the world as evil, but it didn’t stop there. As a matter of fact, the very worst of human nature became obvious after his death. People actually celebrated his death - chanting, cheering, and dancing. His enemies (I believe yours and mine, as well) condemning not his killer, but Charlie himself. As if that weren’t enough, they also expressed their hatred of his wife, Erika, and his “followers”. I’m not sure there were celebrations like that in America when Hitler, Stalin, or Ho Chi Minh died. Why such vitriol?

I’m sure some is because of Charlie’s support of conservatism and some is because of his patriotism. I’m also sure some of it is because of his full-throated support of God’s Word. The children of this world don’t like to have their sin pointed out. Whether it’s LGBTQ+ issues or living together outside of marriage, he shared what God expected of people. He wanted his listeners to accept Jesus as their Savior and follow God’s plan for their lives. He wanted young people to have a bright future through God’s Word. That’s exactly why some people hated him and feel the same about you and I as Christians.

The only way an evil world is made better is through a return to God. We need to be that agent for change! Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here I am. Send me.”