Good vs evil: in Christ we have a choice

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood!

III John 1:11 NKJV
[11] Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
https://bible.com/bible/114/3jn.1.11.NKJV

Imitate: to behave in a similar way to someone or something else, or to copy the speech or behavior, etc. of someone or something.

Psalms 37:27 NLT
[27] Turn from evil and do good, and you will live in the land forever.

https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.37.27.NLT

Psalms 34:14 NLT
[14] Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.34.14.NLT

1 John 3:7-10 NLT
[7] Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. [8] But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. [9] Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. [10] So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

https://bible.com/bible/116/1jn.3.7-10.NLT

Isaiah 1:16-18 NLT
[16] Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. [17] Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. [18] “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.

https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.1.16-18.NLT

We are able to live a life of pursuing what is good and right because Christ died for the sins of the world. We once imitated the behaviors, customs and attitudes of this world because that was what our sinful nature inherited through Adam. But when Christ came and took on flesh and became the propitiation for our sin (our atoning sacrifice) he nailed our sin to the cross, returning to Man what was lost through Adam. He redeemed us so that we might become children of God. And because we are now children of God; adopted into the family of God, we no longer have to live as sons of the devil. We’ve inherited a new nature, born again of the Holy Spirit. We now have the Spirit of God living in us; those who have received Christ as Lord and Savior.

Our sins were like scarlet but have been made white as snow. Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood!

Psalms 119:129-136 NLT
[129] Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them! [130] The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand. [131] I pant with expectation, longing for your commands. [132] Come and show me your mercy, as you do for all who love your name.

[133] Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.

[134] Ransom me from the oppression of evil people; then I can obey your commandments. [135] Look upon me with love; teach me your decrees. [136] Rivers of tears gush from my eyes because people disobey your instructions.

https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.119.129-136.NLT

The heart of the Psalmist is the produce of a life and heart surrendered to God. We’re already born to live as everyone else in this world, but born again of the Spirit so that we might put that sinner to death, nailing to the cross every day as we deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Christ