A Tale of Two Wolves: The Battle Between Good and Evil.

“One evening an old Cherokee Indian told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. 

“He said, ‘My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

“The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.’

“The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: ‘Which wolf wins?’

“The old Cherokee simply replied, ‘The one you feed.’”

When I first heard this story, I was struck by the similarities between the legend and what the Bible says in Galatians 5:19-23.

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

~ Galatians 5:19-23 New Living Translation (NLT)

The idea that something is wrong in our world—the concept of good and evil—is inherent to all humans. It is the reason we have religion. Even if people deny that God exists, they can’t ignore their senses. They know deep down that something is off, that our world is broken; and they long for it to be made whole again. They long to be reunited with their creator.

“They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

“Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.”

~ Romans 1:19-23 New Living Translation (NLT)

“For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.  Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.”

~ Romans 8:19-22 New Living Translation (NLT)

This concept of spiritual conflict is inherent in all people. But God took things one step further when he sent the Holy Spirit out into the world on the Day of Pentecost, (Acts 2) fulfilling what Jesus said in John 15:26 and 16:8-11.

The Cherokee tried to explain the spiritual conflict they felt as two wolves battling inside each of us. The Taoists of China called it Yin and Yang. Buddhism and Hinduism call it Karma. But it is in essence the conflict between our fallen, sinful nature and God. The Apostle Paul described the conflict in his own life in Romans 7:21-25. 

“I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.”

~ Romans 7:21-25 New Living Translation (NLT)

Apart from God, we are all slaves to sin. When Adam and Eve sinned in Genesis 3 the Bible tells us that their “eyes were opened” and they “became like God, knowing both good and evil.” Satan used the knowledge of good and evil to trick them into rebelling against God. Unfortunately Satan neglected to tell them that in their fallen, sinful state their minds would automatically gravitate towards what was evil, making them slaves to the addictive nature of sin. And so the “two wolves” were born.

Fortunately however, God provided us with a way out—a means to defeat our sinful nature and be reunited with Him.  He came down to earth Himself; became a human being like us, yet without a sin nature. He lived the perfect life we were meant to live and died the sinner’s death we all deserve. Then He rose from the dead three days later to prove He was God and to ransom us all from death. Not only that, He gave us all a sneak preview of the glorious resurrection we can all expect if we accept the free gift of salvation He offers us through Jesus. (As the Apostle Paul goes on to say in the very next chapter of Romans)

           

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

“Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

“But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.”

~ Romans 8:1-14 New Living Translation (NLT)

It is finished. Jesus defeated the “Bad Wolf.” We are free from both sin and condemnation through His death and resurrection. It is true what the Bible says: he whom the Son sets free is free indeed! (John 8:36)