If Christ has truly defeated the powers of Satan on the Cross (Col. 2:15), why do the powers of evil effectively operate in this world?
| posted 4/29/2009
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In the meantime, the letter is full of urgent moral exhortations, urging believers to "put to death" the remaining sinful practices that characterized their former lives. This kind of instruction makes sense only for a community still engaged in the struggle against evil.
Why do the powers of wickedness continue to operate effectively in this world? Because the story is not over. The climactic victory has been won on the Cross, but there is still much residual resistance. So we live in a tension-filled interval where skirmishes are still under way. One of Paul's fullest teachings on this point is found in 1 Corinthians 15:20–28: The resurrection has come through Jesus; nonetheless, there are still many enemies to be subdued under Christ's feet.
Richard B. Hays is the George Washington Ivey Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School. His most recent book is The Art of Reading Scripture, which he edited with Ellen F. Davis (Eerdmans, 2003).
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