AVOID EVIL AND THE APPEARANCE OF EVIL

Proclamation:

"Avoid every kind of evil."  1 Thessalonians 5:22 (NIV)  The King James version of The Bible for this verse reads: "Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the believers in The Church at Thessaloniki.  Paul gave them advice regarding guidelines and examples of good Christian behavior.  In this verse he told them to avoid every kind of evil.  The Amplified Bible for this verse reads: "Abstain from evil; shrink from it and keep aloof from it, in whatever form or whatever kind it may be."

Application:
In order to engage in successful Christian living, one must avoid sinful behavior, as much as is humanly possible.  As believers we will still sin, but when we fall and sin, we do not stay down.  We ask The Lord God to forgive us and He picks us up and cleans us up. (Psalms 37:24 and 1 John 1:9)  However, believers are not only encouraged to avoid any activity which is sinful, we are also to avoid anything which even appears to be, or might be perceived to be sinful. (1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV)  We are advised to avoid corrupt or evil practices which suggest sinful thoughts or actions, even if they are legal by the laws of man.  We should be very careful regarding that which we place before our sanctified eyes, or in our sanctified ears, because some inappropriate things can lead to sinful thoughts. (Psalms 101:3 and 2 Timothy 4:3)  Listening to false witness reports, or watching sinful acts on television, at the movies, or on the internet, produces sinful thoughts which is sinful behavior.  (Exodus 23:1, Psalms 101:3, Matthew 5:28, and Proverbs 23:7)  So, let us ask God to forgive us of our sinful thoughts, words, and actions.  Let us pray for guidance in our decision making, for help in avoiding sinful activities, and for help avoiding those things which appear evil or sinful.  We do not want to stumble and fall into sin, and we do not want to cause someone else, who is watching and imitating us to stumble and fall into sin. (Malachi 2:8) 

It's Time To Leave Some People Behind

"The LORD had said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.' "  Genesis 12:1 (NIV)

Moses records that God told Abram, later to be called Abraham, the father of the faithful, to leave his home, his people, and his country, to go to a place that He would show him and He will bless him.

Every person that God allows into our life is not to always be in our life.  Some people come into our life for a reason, some for a season, but after they have fulfilled God's purpose for them in our life, it is time for us to move on and leave them behind.  The memory and the lesson learned will always be a part of us, but they were not meant to always be with us.  Abraham left his father and his friends, and he was blessed because he obeyed the will of God.  The men of God who married foreign women left their wives and children to regain God's favor.  (Ezra 10:10-11)  Jesus told His disciples to leave behind any place or people who would not listen to The Word of God.  (Matthew 10:14)  We should make sure that the people in our lives are not keeping us from doing the work of The Lord and being blessed.  Maybe it is time for us to stop associating with some of our friends, and even some of our family members, if God is telling us to leave them behind and be blessed.  Do not be unequally yoked to a loved one or to friends.  (2 Corinthians 6:14)  Let no one stand between you and the will of God.

Don't Always Grumble And Complain

"For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord ... These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires ..." Jude 1:4 & 16 (NIV)

Don't always grumble and complain. Faultfinders and negative people are, more than likely, like "These men", who are "godless men". While there is value in constructive criticism, if all we have to say is something negative, then maybe the problem is not in the other person. It is not Christ-like to tear others down in order to make ourselves look better by comparison.

Watch Out For Smooth Talkers

'I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people." Romans 16:17-18 (NIV)

There will always be those who are disruptive, instigators, self-serving individuals who try to derail any good effort because they cannot control or influence it for their benefit. Be careful and weary of smooth talking individuals, their delivery of a lie filled message can cover up the fact that what they have to say is designed to lead you astray. Just because something sounds good does not make it truthful.

Do not associate with people who attempt to lead you in a direction that is contrary to serving The Lord. People that encourage you to partake in sinful activities are not really your friends and should be avoided. Friends are happy for you when you are blessed, and are not glad when you stumble.

Mind Your Own Business

"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business ... so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders ..." 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV)

Live your life so as not to cause problems for others. Do not inquire or talk about the affairs of others as a gossip, but take care that you correct your own sinful ways. Live your life in such a manner that the unsaved will respect you for being true to your principals and so that you provide a good example for others to follow.

Having a genuine Christian concern for your fellow man is a good thing, but focusing on the sins of others is not helpful. Don't beat people with your "Christianity", live in a way that shows others what to do and how to behave.

Live A Holy Life

"... No one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins ... For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life." 1 Thessalonians 4:6-7 (NIV)

We are not to intentionally mislead, misuse or abuse our brothers or sisters. We are not to take what is theirs or cause them to stumble and sin. We are to live holy because The God within us is holy.

Let those who watch, imitate, and interact with us see something Christ-like in our behavior.

Judge Not # 2

"Judge not, that ye be not judged." "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considereth not the beam that is in thine own eye?" Matthew 7:1 & 3

Don't worry about the speck that is in your brother's eye until you remove the log that is in your own eye.

Sometimes our sins are bigger problems than the people that we talk about. Let's start by fixing ''the man in the mirror" before we tell others what is wrong with them. None of us is perfect.

Be Extra Specially Blessed

We are all blessed in more ways than we realize. However, some of us receive special blessings from The Lord.

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of The Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night." Psalms 1:1-2

We are blessed by hanging around, running with, and associating with saints instead of worldly sinful and evil folk. And we are blessed when we enjoy reading and studying The Word of God and by doing that at least twice each day.

If you want more out of life, then do things differently. You can't get good results by doing the same old bad things. Try God's way.

Don't Complain

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings..." Philippians 2:14


Every thing that we do, should be done for the glory of God. If whatever you are doing does not give God glory, then you should not be doing it. Ultimately, it is Him that we are trying to please and not man or our self.


So don't complain about the work that you are supposed to do, just do it, and do the very best that you can do. Murmuring, complaining, grumbling, questioning, arguing, and objecting will not make it any easier. And your vocal negativity may cause someone else to not do the will of God.

Keep a positive frame of mind while doing what it is you are to do.

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of The Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God ..." Colossians 3:17