…but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
Summary: Looking at the whole of verse 12 we see that Peter is contrasting God’s reaction to righteousness and evil. It is helpful to know what God thinks each of those words means.
Before we begin, let’s step back three paces from this passage so we can see the whole thought that Peter is sharing with us. He begins by saying (in effect) that the Lord favors the righteous, and he finishes by saying the Lord is opposed to those who do evil. He has contrasted two opposite things; righteousness versus evil.
The normal construct we hear is “good versus evil.” Good and righteous are the same kind of thing, but there is a slight difference. I think it helps to understand that difference.
“Good” is a kind of generic term that can refer to how you feel about hot dogs with mustard. It also a term that can describe God’s nature (Mark 10:18). The word “righteous” is more of a technical term. It means “right living” and in a Biblical context, it means living following God’s will.
The word “evil” means doing something very wrong. Yet, put in the context that Peter gives us, what it appears to mean is that “wrong” is going against God’s will.
One of the things that is hard for us to wrap our heads around is God’s perspective. We end up trying to encapsulate God’s value system into concepts that we find easier to use. As a result, we put things into lists: This is good, that is bad, this is good, that is bad, and so on. The problem with this is that after a while we forget all the context for what is on the list.
So imagine with me for a minute. Let’s imagine we are standing in front of the world’s largest whiteboard. The thing is HUGE. Picture the tallest building you have ever seen and now make one side of that building a whiteboard. Okay, that is pretty big, right?
Now let’s imagine that the whiteboard is divided in half with a big blue marker. On the bottom half of the board are lists of everything we consider evil. From running stop signs to doing drugs, from stealing from your neighbor to cheating on your taxes. On the top half is everything we consider to be good. From giving a friend a ride to the store to discovering a cure for cancer, from giving money to the church to volunteering on community cleanup day. Both ends of the board are completely full of writing. Okay? Do you have that in your mind? Every single square foot of that gigantic whiteboard is covered with lists of things that we humans think is good and evil.
Now, let’s erase the board and let God have a turn. What do you think it will look like? Here is what I think it would look like:
At the very top, it would say, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22: 37b – 40)
At the bottom of the whiteboard it would read, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.” (Matthew 25: 41b-43)
Everything else is a derivative of these principles. How many things that we think of as “sin” fade into the background if we focus on these two simple guidelines?
We all come to the foot of the cross with baggage. We all sin. We all have issues. The thing is that nowhere in the Bible does it say that you have to get rid of all of our baggage before we can start working on loving God above all else and our neighbor as ourselves. God accepts us as we are, shortcomings and all. If we align ourselves with God’s perspective, good and evil take on a whole different look.
Application: Whenever you think of something as ”good” or ”bad,” substitute God’s list of good and bad in its place.
Food for Thought: What does it mean to have someone’s face ”against” you?
This appears to be a quote of Psalm 34. Throughout the Psalms and Proverbs the righteous and the wicked are contrasted. One important difference between the two is that God smiles upon one and frowns upon the other. If we want to hear “well done good and faithful servant,” we won’t get that by throwing our lot with the wicked.
The righteous person cares about what God thinks and keeps eternity in mind. The wicked does not do so.
God can be our ally or our enemy. It would certainly be better for us to have Him as a friend and ally. He wants that and invites us into such a relationship.
See Psalm 1: 1 – 6; Numbers 6: 24 – 26.
Thank you, Rich!
The scripture references are excellent. (I’ve attached a link if anyone wants to check them out.)
Psalm 31:16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant…
Thank you, Rob! That is definitely the face of God we want to see!
What does it mean to have someone’s face ”against” you?
In human terms, to set your face against someone is to refuse to recognize the value or even the existence of that person. Some say this is the highest form of expressing hatred for another. Refusing to acknowledge they exist.
1.) The Lord brought two angels and spoke with Abraham before destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. After reasoning with Abraham, He sent the two angels on to deal with Sodom and Gomorrah. God permanently turned His face against the evil of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Psalm 34:16, The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
2.) The Lord takes no pleasure in affirming the individual choices of all those receiving eternal death, separation from God. However each has chosen to live in and glorify their flesh, this world and deny His Holy Lordship over all things.
Ezekiel 18:32, For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”
3.) The Lord has taken steps to insure all mankind has access to His free gift of eternal life with Him. Every person is making a personal choice either based upon the knowledge written in their hearts or the conviction, revelations of the Holy Spirit.
John 16:8-11, 8 He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Romans 2:14-15, 14 When Gentiles, do instinctively the things the Law requires, they are a law to themselves,15 They show the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts; and their sense of right and wrong, their moral choices bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or perhaps defending them.
4.) We are all very special beings to God, the only beings on this earth created in His image. He knows our names, He knows the number of hairs on our heads, our hearts and our every thought. In His foreknowledge, He is fully aware of our choices and our eternal destination which is the reward or consequence of our choices.
Galatians 6:7-8, Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
God is Holy, will not allow evil, sin in His presence, has given each a choice which He will honor.
Ron,
Excellent overview! I appreciate how you take us from “cut off from the memory of the earth” to “we are all very special beings to God.” Both are true. Thanks!
Against means in opposition to,..so to have someones face against me,..would mean that they are in opposition to,..opposition to my belief, faith, love and the list goes on,..so I wouldn’t want God’s face to be against me,..even though it was when I was born into sin,..but now that I have Jesus in my life there is no opposition, no condemnation,..I have been forgiven and set free from sin,..
God’s face isn’t against mine,..my face in engraved in His
Nice, John!
It is much better to be a child of God than to try and confront him on equal footing.
All great stuff. I need to apply it more to my life with family I already know this but it is hard pride gets in the way with me. I thought I could counter my pride with being humble but I just need to get rid of my pride all together.
Tim,
Interesting concept, countering pride with being humble. I’d never thought of it that way before, but I bet that could be in the back of my mind. Perhaps the trick is simply focusing on God and His Word, and letting his light fill our lives. When we are not trying to be proud or humble, we can just serve God and leave it to others to apply the labels.
👍🏻