The Redemption of Dorian Gray.

Jesus said, "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you."  Luke 6:27,28 (NRSV)

He did not say to destroy evil.
In fact he said not to resist evil.

The dualistic mindset which sets up a battle between good and evil is not the way of Jesus or God.

There is no supernatural source of evil, only people.

The parables of reconciliation: the lost sheep, the lost penny, the lost (prodigal) son show that God seeks redemption even to the last one.

A modern example of this is the story of Dorian Gray who corrupts himself completely through the temptation of eternal youth.
At the end his dead body resumes its corrupted state and the painting reverts to its original image.
We are not told what becomes of the soul of Dorian Gray.

I believe that the soul of Dorian Gray is forgiven and reconciled to God.
Why?
Because in my experience God punishes no one.
He seeks redemption to the very last one as we are taught in the parables of reconciliation.

God understands everyone, even those we would call evil.

So evil is not to be battled against and destroyed.
Evil is to be reconciled to God through Love, the unseen hook.


[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]