Structural Evil and the Formation of the Moral Compass

Discerning and Resisting Systemic Injustice in Light of Scripture

Structural Evil: More Than Personal Sin

In the Garden of Eden, Satan appeared as a serpent—subtle, manipulative, and deceitful. Every society, from Eden to today, still battles the presence of that same deceiver—now operating not only through individuals but through systems, institutions, and ideologies. This is what theologians call structural evil. Unlike personal sin, which is visible in individual choices, structural evil hides in laws, economic systems, and even religious institutions.

The book of Revelation unveils this through the image of the "dragon" (Satan), the "beast from the sea" (oppressive state power), and the "beast from the earth" (false religion) (Rev. 12–13). These forces form a counterfeit trinity—a demonic alliance that seeks to enslave the world spiritually, politically, and economically.

Religion and Power: A Dangerous Alliance

1. Iran: Theocratic Totalitarianism as Structural Sin

The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran replaced a secular monarchy with a theocratic regime governed by the principle of velayat-e faqih—the “guardianship of the Islamic jurist”—which fused divine authority with political absolutism (Khomeini, 1981). What began as a religious movement for justice and reform devolved into a highly centralised authoritarian system. This regime institutionalised a narrow interpretation of Shia Islamic law and imposed it on all sectors of society, marginalising religious minorities, women, and reformists. Dissent was framed as heresy, and surveillance, censorship, and brutal crackdowns became standard. Structural evil in Iran reveals itself in the manipulation of divine authority to justify systemic repression, moral policing, and the erasure of personal conscience under the guise of divine order (Axworthy, 2013). Religion became not a source of liberation, but a mechanism of control—a textbook case of sacred legitimacy masking structural injustice.

2. Lebanon: Sectarianism, Corruption, and Systemic Collapse

Lebanon, once a symbol of Middle Eastern pluralism, fell into structural decay due to the entrenchment of sectarian power-sharing. Though intended to ensure religious coexistence among Christians, Sunnis, Shias, and Druze, the system devolved into patronage politics. Religious identity became inseparable from access to resources, political influence, and economic opportunity. Over time, this led to widespread clientelism, corruption, and institutional paralysis. Groups like Hezbollah exploited religious loyalty to build a parallel state, further weakening national cohesion. The 2020 Beirut explosion and Lebanon’s ongoing economic crisis exposed the full collapse of the system—enabled and sustained by religious elites. In this context, structural sin operates through the misuse of sacred identity for political gain, shielding injustice behind sectarian legitimacy while ordinary citizens suffer under systemic neglect (Makdisi, 2000; Haddad, 2020).

3. Apartheid: Racial Segregation Codified into Law

Apartheid in South Africa is one of the most explicit examples of structural evil, where racial hierarchy was not merely socially enforced but legally codified. Through a complex web of laws, black South Africans were denied full citizenship, freedom of movement, quality education, and economic opportunity. While many white South Africans, including professing Christians, believed they were acting kindly or justly within the system, the structure itself was inherently unjust.

As one example illustrates, a white employer could believe she “loved” her black domestic worker while enforcing humiliating policies like segregated eating utensils and outdoor toilets. This reveals how deeply structural sin can misalign the moral compass, making injustice seem normal—even loving (Villa-Vicencio, 1992). Apartheid trained the conscience to obey unjust norms, and thus corrupted both victim and perpetrator through the institutionalisation of disordered relationships.

4. B-BBEE: When Restitution Becomes Structural Dependency

South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) programme was designed as a redemptive economic policy to reverse apartheid’s legacy through ownership redistribution, skills development, and inclusive procurement. However, in practice, B-BBEE has too often facilitated enrichment for politically connected elites while failing to empower the broader population. Instead of dismantling structural injustice, it has re-inscribed new layers of economic dependency, rent-seeking, and corruption. B-BBEE’s moral failure lies in how it subtly shifts identity from imago Dei agency to perpetual victimhood. When advancement is determined not by excellence but by race and proximity to power, the programme risks reconfiguring the national moral compass around entitlement rather than justice (B-BBEE Commission, 2023; Vermaak, 2019). This form of structural sin distorts even well-intentioned policies, cloaking systemic failure in the language of restitution while deepening social resentment and inequality.

Who Is Guilty: The Group or the Individual?

This brings us to a vital question: Does God judge groups or individuals?

In the Old Testament, God often judged nations for collective sin—like Sodom, Egypt, or Babylon. Yet individuals like Lot and Rahab were spared for their personal righteousness (Gen. 19; Josh. 2).

The prophet Ezekiel makes it clear: 

“The one who sins is the one who will die” (Ezek. 18:20, NIV).

God sees the heart and holds each person accountable for their own choices, even within unjust systems.

In the New Testament, Jesus reinforces this. He calls individuals to repent (Mark 1:15) and treats people according to faith, not tribe, race, or political affiliation. He praises a Roman centurion, helps a Samaritan woman, and dines with tax collectors—not because they were in the “right group,” but because their hearts were open to truth (Luke 7:9; John 4; Luke 19:1–10).

How Systems Shape the Moral Compass

The danger of structural evil is that it shapes our moral compass.

Under apartheid, many people thought they were loving and respectful—while still upholding systems that demeaned others.

This is how the conscience can be reprogrammed by law, culture, and tradition.

The inward moral compass is not formed in a vacuum. It is influenced by:

1.     Cultural Socialisation – People internalise the moral assumptions of their community, even if these conflict with universal moral principles (Bandura, 1999).

2.     Legal Validation – Laws that enshrine inequality legitimise prejudice and make resistance appear subversive.

3.     Economic Incentives – Material benefits tied to unjust structures reinforce moral rationalisations to preserve them.

4.     Theological Distortion – Religious narratives can be selectively interpreted to justify structural dominance (Cone, 1975).

Over time, these factors create a feedback loop in which individuals’ moral intuitions adapt to the system’s norms. They cease to perceive certain injustices as wrong and may even defend them as “natural” or “God-ordained.” Nathan’s theological point becomes clear here: without intentional moral and spiritual recalibration, even well-meaning people will drift into complicity with systemic injustice.

Jesus said, 

“Every tree is known by its fruit” (Luke 6:44).

What’s needed is not just policy change, but new spiritual DNA. That’s why He told Nicodemus, “You must be born again” (John 3:3).

Only regeneration through the Holy Spirit can free the conscience from its captivity to systemic lies.

What Can We Do? Practical Discernment

If structural evil is the institutionalization of disordered values, then structural good is the embedding of rightly ordered values into the systems, relationships, and cultural norms of a society. Just as in an ecosystem, where both a sick mouse and a sick elephant threaten the balance—because disease in any species disrupts the whole—so too in human society: sickness in any part of the social order, whether small or great, affects the flourishing of the whole. Conversely, when each part of the system is healthy, it contributes to the wellbeing of all.

To resist structural evil, we must:

• Seek TRUTH over convenience – Don’t mistake what is normal for what is right. What Cultural norms are still being practiced, but is not biblical, or contribute to true human flourishing? e.g. Bachelor Parties / Stag Nights?
• EXPERIENCE other people’s stories – Break the “single story” mindset (Adichie, 2009). From a scientific perspective, humanity is one race. Physical variation accounts for just 0.01% of genetic difference across humankind, yet all share the same divine image (Gen. 1:26–27), the same breath of life (Gen. 2:7), and the same moral problem of sin (Rom. 3:23; 1 Tim. 2:4). 
• Request FEEDBACK Always - A simple yet profoundly ethical approach to all human interaction is the intentional practice of inviting sincere feedback—asking questions such as, “How did that decision make you feel?” or “How do you understand this instruction?” This method aligns with established reflective models like Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle, which emphasises emotional awareness as a necessary stage in moral discernment and learning 
• CHALLENGE injustice wisely – Like Daniel and Esther in corrupt systems.
• PRIORITISE according to God's order of values – The moral backbone of a flourishing society. In the City of God, Augustine (426/1998) articulated the principle of ordo amoris—that moral righteousness depends on loving things in the right order: God first, then neighbour, then self, and finally material possessions in their proper place. Disordered love (amor curvus in se, love curved inwards towards the self) leads to the corruption of both personal and social morality.
• Scripture identifies four foundational priorities that form the backbone of a healthy society: God, Family, Vocation and Church. These are not merely private moral commitments; they are societal anchor points that provide moral vision, relational cohesion, and economic stability.
• Historically, societies that have maintained these priorities—placing God as the moral source, family as the primary social unit, the Church as custodian of virtue, and business as steward of resources—have tended toward higher measures of social trust, lower crime, greater educational attainment, and improved health outcomes 

Lessons from Jesus’ Parables: God’s Kingdom vs. Structural Evil

Jesus taught many parables that reveal how His Kingdom confronts and transforms unjust systems.

Here are some key lessons:

a. Change Happens From Within

In the parable of the leaven, Jesus shows that true transformation is internal, relational, and gradual (Matt. 13:33). Unlike structural evil, which relies on external control, the Kingdom changes hearts from within. Real reform begins with repentance, not revolution.

b. God Uses Small Things to Bring Great Change

The mustard seed (Matt. 13:31–32) teaches that what starts small—like a conversation, a prayer group, or a righteous business—can become shelter for many. This is a word of hope in the face of overwhelming injustice.

c. You Are Strategically Placed by God

Whether it’s Esther in Persia, Joseph in Egypt, or Daniel in Babylon, Scripture shows that God places people inside broken systems to bring light. Don’t underestimate your workplace, boardroom, classroom, or farm—God uses “planted people” for prophetic purposes.

d. The Moral Compass Is Shaped by Who You Walk With

“Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Cor. 15:33).

The people you spend time with form your moral atmosphere. Surround yourself with those who keep your heart aligned to Christ’s justice, love, and truth.

e. True Power Is Relational, Not Positional

Jesus said the Kingdom is like leaven that works through the dough (Matt. 13:33). You don’t need a title to have influence. Power in the Kingdom comes from trust, presence, and love, not control.

f.  What Is of God Will Last

Like the seed that grows in secret (Mark 4:26–29), what is truly born of God does not need coercion to thrive. Structural evil requires constant force to survive; the Kingdom grows by grace.

Final Challenge: Keep the Compass Aligned

In Psalm 82, God asks, 

“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?” 

He then commands: 

“Defend the poor and fatherless; do justice to the afflicted and needy” (Ps. 82:2–3).

Structural evil is real—but so is the power of the Spirit-filled Church. 

God has given us a new HEART and a KINGDOM ETHIC:

• Let us walk by the Spirit
• Let us reset our inner compass daily
• Let us live as salt, light, and leaven in a world longing for redemption.

Further Reflection for Students:

1. Can you identify an area in your local community where structural evil is present but normalized?
2. What systems—economic, educational, religious—have shaped your moral compass?
3. How can you become a mustard seed or leaven in your workplace or ministry?
4. Who are the five people you spend the most time with—and how do they shape your moral direction?