Evil goes beyond the harm we commit against other humans. Evil is preferring anything above God, even if we harm no one in the process. “Evil is only evil because it harms others.” That’s a common mantra in our age. Evil is defined as an idea or a behavior that infringes upon others. It’s a type of negative consequentialism. Thus, morality is centered on minimizing harm to others. And this line of thinking conditions how we all think of evil. You see it in Libertarianism, a political party that says “all Americans should be free to live their lives and pursue their interests as they see fit as long as they do no harm to another.” And it’s behind the widespread acceptance of so-called gay marriage in this country. So this “Do what you want — just don’t hurt anyone else” mantra is alive and well in America. But how does Scripture define evil, exactly? The topic was part of Pastor John’s recent trip to Holland. Here’s a clip of what he said. Read or listen to this interview at our website: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/is-something-evil-only-if-it-harms-others Find other recent and popular Ask Pastor John episodes: https://www.desiringgod.org/ask-pastor-john