BuddhistCatholicContemplativeEvangelicalGeneral ChristianHinduJewishLatter-day SaintMuslimNew VisionsProgressive Christian
Beliefs
- Buddhist
- Catholic
- Contemplative
- Evangelical
- General Christian
- Hindu
- Jewish
- Latter-day Saint
- More Voices
- Muslim
- New Visions
- Pagan
- Progressive Christian
Topics
- Religion News
- Food and Religion
- Sports and Religion
- Religious Art
- Religious Music and Entertainment
- Religious Events
- History and Religion
- Style and Religion
- Politics and Religion
- Women in Religion
- Recreation Outdoors and Religion
- Business Finance and Religion
- Careers Workplace and Religion
- Education and Religion
- Family Parenting and Religion
- Health Fitness and Religion
- Home and Religion
- Relationships and Religion
- Technology and Religion
- Travel and Religion
Columnists
- Buddhist Columnists
- Business Finance and Religion Columnists
- Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists
- Catholic Columnists
- Contemplative Columnists
- Education and Religion Columnists
- Evangelists Columnists
- Family Parenting and Religion Columnists
- General Christian Columnists
- Health Fitness and Religion Columnists
- Hindu Columnists
- History and Religion Columnists
- Home and Religion Columnists
- Jewish Columnists
- More Voices Columnists
- Latter Day Columnists
- Muslim Columnists
- New Visions Columnists
- Nonreligious Columnists
- Pagan Columnists
- Politics and Religion Columnists
- Progressive Columnists
- Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists
- Relationships and Religion Columnists
- Religion News Columnists
- Religious Art Columnists
- Religious Events Columnists
- Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists
- Sports and Religion Columnists
- Style and Religion Columnists
- Technology and Religion Columnists
- Travel and Religion Columnists
- Women in Religion Columnists
Resource Library
- 2026 Calendar
- Library of World Religions
- The 100 Most Holy Places on Earth
- Patheos Answers
- Podcasts
- Videos
- Faith Leaders Database
- Anglican Episcopalian
- Bahai
- Baptist
- Buddhism
- Christianity
- Confucianism
- Eastern Orthodoxy
- Hinduism
- Holiness and Pentecostal
- ISKCON
- Islam
- Judaism
- Lutheran
- Methodist
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- New Age
- Paganism
- Presbytarian and Reformed
- Protestantism
- Religion Behind the Scenes
- Roman Catholic
- Scientology
- Shia Islam
- Sikhism
- Sufism
- Sunni Islam
- Taoism
- Zen
- See all religions
Research Tools
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
- Trending:
- Forgiveness
- |
- Marriage
- |
- Consciousness
- |
- Death Penalty
- |
- Election
- |
- Halloween
-
More
- Home
- Progressive Christian
- Do Good or Bad – The Enemy Doesn’t Care
Do Good or Bad – The Enemy Doesn’t Care
Last updated on: August 28, 2013 at 10:00 am by Susan Cottrell
Do Good or Bad – The Enemy Doesn’t Care 2013-08-28T10:00:49-05:00 Susan Cottrell
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3
In Genesis, what did the enemy deceive Eve to do? He convinced here to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
So much teaching and preaching today is all about doing good, trying your best for God, behaving well, living a Godly life. But that misses the whole point! Why? Because a focus on morality comes from the same tree as evil.
If our focus is on good behavior – or on bad behavior – we are still eating from the wrong tree – the same tree from which the enemy convinced Eve to eat.
What is the enemy trying to do? Is he trying to get us to focus on “evil desires?” No. You see, he would be just as happy if we were focused only on “good desires” without hearing from the voice of Christ. Why? Because it is not about our behavior – good or bad – it is about our heart. It is about being “corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
So what is that simplicity?
It is eating from the OTHER tree – the Tree of Life! It is leaning into Jesus with all our heart, soul and mind, loving Him and loving others. And it is not worrying about any behavior – good or bad – because we are letting Him work all that out in each of our lives. Does that sound simplistic? Good, it is supposed to.
Remember, the is the goal of the enemy is to come against the simplicity that is in Christ. It is NOT the enemy’s goal to get you to sin! He would be just as happy if you did good that is absent from Christ – as long as you are eating from the wrong tree. Because when you do, you miss it! You miss the joy, freedom, fullness and life that comes from a simple relationship and intimacy with God.
For more about this, click here to read “A Tale of Two Trees”
to christian parents of gay children
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
trusting God with our children
what do you do when your son is gay
Previous Post

August 26, 2013
"Have a good life. Goodbye." - Dad
Next Post

August 31, 2013 LGBTQ, Welcome Home
Browse Our Archives
Select a Category Church & Religion Dear Susan Family Support Gay Weddings & Marriage GCN Conference Jesus Blog LGBTQ Support Parenting Personal Stories Suicide The Real Jesus Theology Transgender Uncategorized X Archived Posts
Select a Month August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 June 2022 December 2021 May 2021 February 2021 November 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 May 2019 March 2019 January 2019 November 2018 March 2018 January 2018 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012
Follow Us!
TAKE THE
Religious Wisdom Quiz
True or False: Job's three friends were named Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.
Select your answer to see how you score.
TRUE FALSE
Support this
Column

Related posts from FreedHearts
We’re Straight & Queer. Why It Matters.
Queer. Why It Matters Now More Than Ever.
The Lie Religion Told You About God —...
We Are Not the Resistance — We Are...
TRENDING AT PATHEOS Progressive Christian
When Halloween Unmasks Married Hearts
Written by Dr. David K. Ewen from Eternal Truth Bible College Behind...
Aristotle. He’s been called the father of logic, the father of the...
Methodist Central Hall and Westminster Abbey
Situated on the same square is Methodist Central Hall and Westminster Abbey. ...
57th Dove Awards Honor Dolly Parton, Crown New...
On gospel music’s biggest night, the 57th annual GMA Dove Awards honored...
The First Eucharistic Controversy: Christ’s Real Presence
For Catholics, the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian...
What a Stop Sign Can Teach Us About...
How to Make a Decision When You Can't Hear God Main point:...
view all Progressive Christian blogs
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support
- About Us
- 2026 Calendar
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Library of World Religions
- Faith In Media Tracker
- Advertise With Us
- Write for Us
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Do Not Sell My Data
- Contact Us
- Radiant Digital
- Manage Newsletter Subscriptions
- Unsubscribe From Notifications
- Sitemap
Copyright 2008-2026, Patheos. All rights reserved.
Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In












