Throughout the centuries, people have struggled with the question of evil—with what it is and how to deal with it.
Christ Jesus saw evil as a deceiver, a liar that is powerless before the omnipotence of God, divine Truth. And he was absolutely set against it. Jesus' loyalty was wholly affixed to God, good, whom he understood to be the only creator and the supreme power governing all that He creates. By this stance—for God as all-powerful, and against evil as nothing more than a pretense to power—Jesus exercised authority over evil. Whatever form evil appeared to take in attempting to discredit God and His good creation, Jesus decidedly condemned it. And he actually destroyed evil through steadfast obedience to God, divine Truth and Love. In this way, Jesus saved himself and others from evil.
The Bible recounts that, after spending forty days in the wilderness in prayer and fasting, Jesus was aggressively tempted by evil, or the devil. It suggested to him that he could find sustenance, safety, and prestige by bowing down to and worshiping evil. Jesus resolutely refused. He knew that the only possible good he could have, came through worshiping God, who always supplies His creation infinitely. So, Jesus dealt with evil directly and uncompromisingly right on the spot, saying, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." The account continues, "Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him." Matt. 4:10, 11.
