Written by Gawie de Lange
Article originally published in the October issue of JOY! Magazine
You look at the news and see things that disturb you – war, violence, corruption, and injustice. Yet sometimes, something happens that cuts deeper than all the rest because it reveals just how far the human heart can fall. Recently, the world watched the story of a mother who allegedly planned the killing of her own children, researching beforehand how it could be done. Children who should have been protected by the woman who carried them, gave birth to them, and was meant to nurture them instead became victims of calculated evil. Then something even more disturbing happened: people rallied around her in support. At some point, we have to stop and ask ourselves: How has evil become so normalised that people can celebrate what God calls sin?
The Bible warned us that this would happen
“But mark this: there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive … without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good … having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim 3:1-5). And again: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isa 5:20).
Persecution does not always look the same
Think about Turkey (Asia Minor) for a moment. Through JOY! Travel, we visit Biblical sites where we see signs of the persecuted Church. We hear the stories of Christians who were burnt at the stake, crucified, imprisoned, and thrown to wild animals because they refused to deny Christ. We look at those places and think, thank God we don’t live in those times. But perhaps persecution does not always arrive wearing the same clothes. Perhaps one of the most dangerous forms of persecution is when a society becomes so morally confused that it no longer recognises evil as evil.
When darkness is presented as light
The enemy does not always need to silence the Church with violence. Sometimes he simply needs to convince people that darkness is compassion, that sin is freedom, that truth is hatred, and that righteousness is something to be ashamed of. Here are three points to ponder when evil is celebrated.
Evil is real, and Scripture calls us to recognise it
The Bible does not present evil as merely a social problem or a difference of opinion. There is a spiritual battle taking place, and Scripture warns us not to be ignorant of it. We cannot fight what we refuse to recognise. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph 6:12).
Deception can become so powerful that people begin celebrating what God condemns
One of the most frightening signs of spiritual blindness is not simply committing sin, but defending it, celebrating it, and condemning those who call it sin. When God’s truth is rejected long enough, our moral compass can become completely distorted. “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator” (Rom 1:25).
The Church must remain the light, even when darkness increases
Our response cannot be hatred, fear, or silence. We are called to stand firmly in truth while continuing to love people. Jesus never told us to hide when darkness comes. He told us to shine. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matt 5:14).
This article appears in the October 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine. Read the digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za
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Date published: 21/09/2026
Feature image: Sourced from original article published in the October issue of JOY! Magazine
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