1 Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from every form of evil.”
The apostle Paul pushes us to make serious decisions about participating in sin and doing any evil. As believers, we are not to participate in any form of evil! The call is to abstain. Abstain means to reject. It means to completely withdraw from it. Abstain means to stay away from the practice of any evil. In the strongest sense, it means don’t do it! Abstain! Don’t do evil!
The KJV uses the phrase “appearance” instead of “form.” The clincher of the verse is do not even give the appearance of doing evil! We are to avoid the appearance of doing evil!
Do not even give the appearance of doing evil!
Determining what to avoid means we must get into our Bibles to learn what is good and what is evil. A major reason for learning what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil is there are those who will call good evil and evil good. (Isa. 5:20) We must learn the difference and then abstain not just from the action but even the appearance of doing anything sinful or evil.
In growing to be stronger and more victorious over temptations we must remember that victory over temptation many times comes down to the decision of staying away from the people and places that provide temptations.
Do not place yourself in places where you are prone to fall!
Do not place yourself with people who are prone to pressure you to fall!
It may be today you need to step up some decision-making to stay away from some places and people! Decide to decide that you are not going to give opportunities to temptation. Decide that you will abstain from evil!! Decide that you will not even give to anyone the appearance of evil.
Continue Strong with Strong Convictions Of Doing Right And Avoiding Wrong,
And remember to DATE the Word