Abstaining from evil

[bzmomo7]

I am moving this over from another thread. Anyone care to comment on/discuss this? I've not been IFB for very long, but I learned this principle long before we became IFB.

Context is king in interpretation. How many times have you seen this verse quoted in context?


Those three (in italics) make up a complete thought within the larger context. They should be interpreted as such.

One of my favorite discussions on this verse is here. Now I disagree with their interpretation of coinage (though its an interesting one) but they go on to say,

In my view, #2 is the biggest one for me. You shouldn't yank v. 22 outside of vv19-21 They form a complete thought. Test the spirits, take hold of the good, abstain from the bad.

[Annie]

FWIW, I agree with dwayner. Also, the word is not avoid, but abstain. I think that, although this is a minor point, it still affects the meaning at least in a small way. The verse is not telling us to avoid looking like we're doing evil; it is telling us to abstain from all forms of evil, period. Check out the meanings of the Greek words. Dwayner's view (IMO) is truer to these definitions, as well as more consistent with the context of the passage.

Jesus himself did not follow what many say is the meaning of this verse. He ate with publicans and sinners, which gave the Pharisees occasion to accuse Him (wrongfully) of being a winebibber. He spoke with a Samaritan prostitute--alone--at a well, an action that shocked his own disciples.

I'm not saying we should do as much as possible to damage our reputation, or that we shouldn't ever make wise decisions to protect it...There are too many other verses that speak of not placing a stumbling block in a brother's way, a good name being more valuable than great riches, letting our light shine before men, etc.

[dwayner79]

Annie, that is a great post. We should be careful about our testimony, its just not what I Thess 5:22 is saying.

bzmomo7, this is not a traditionally held belief within IFB circles, so I am sure there are plenty who disagree with my comments on this passage.

The same group, of course, holds no value in modern versions, so the next statement is probably a moot one, but every newly translated version of scripture (NKJV, ESV, NIV, NASB) all translate this verse closer to my definition, using either every "form" of evil, or every "kind" of evil, to make the meaning more clear. That is not to say that the KJV's translation is wrong. It is still fine grammatically, just unclear.

[kevinmiller]

I've never heard it explained like that and hadn't put much thought into it myself, thanks for that Dwayne. It makes much more sense. :thumb

[dwayner79]

No problem.

[Kubel]

I agree with Dwayne, I think it's one of the most misquoted verses in the Bible.

Abstain from every form of evil. Even Christ couldn't abstain from everything that simply appeared to be evil, because appearances aren't always the reality.

The appearance was that Christ was associating with sinners because he too was a sinner. The reality was that Christ was associating with sinners because the sinners needed him.

Too many IFB's will focus more on appearances due to their false interpretation of this verse, without looking deeper into the reality of the situation. It has the tendency to teach people that the outward appearance matters more than the inward condition of ones soul. People think as long as they wear a suit and a tie and go to church 3 times a week, they are fine. But deep inside, they aren't. That's probably my biggest problem with IFB churches is this tendency to misinterpret that simple word "appearance", because it has a huge impact on how Christians act themselves. Too much focus on show.

[Revelation3:20]

"Abstain from all appearance of evil" is a very broad statement. It carries both the idea of avoiding things that actually are evil and avoiding things that can be reasonably said to look evil.

To those who say that Christ gave an "appearance of evil" by eating with publicans and sinners, I would argue that the reverse is true. When Christ ate with the publicans and sinners it was by invitation and it wasn't as if he walked into a bar and just sat down to eat and drink with everyone else at the bar. What we see when he ate with publicans and sinners is that they had come to hear him speak, wanted to know more, and invited him to come home with them for that purpose. The pharisees objected to this because these people had bad reputations(usually justified) for one reason or another and therefor were shunned by them as people. They didn't want to have anything to do with them no matter what. It would be as if someone came to church covered with tattoos, body piercings, strange hair style, dressed the wrong way, and after hearing the sermon they invite the pastor over to their house for dinner and the "church people" becoming upset when he went. That response to the lost who were seeking was more or less what was offending the pharisees, and there is a far cry from visiting the sick who are desiring to be made whole and living their life style in an attempt to reach them.

If so, does this necessarily mean that believers are to avoid every appearance of evil? Not at all. In order for that to be the meaning, three other things must line up: (1) ?form? must lack correspondence to reality (like the word ?appearance? seems to do in the KJV translation); (2) v 22 must be interpreted in isolation from vv 19-21; and (3) we would expect to see examples, in the life of Paul and others in the NT, of avoiding the appearance of evil.

Verse twenty two does not need to be read in isolation from verses 19-21 in order to get this reading, it is a natural conclusion of those verses. If you expect to see examples of Paul avoiding the appearance of evil here are several:

"Acts 21:20-26 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law: And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs. What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come. Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them; Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication. Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for every one of them."

Here we have Paul doing this thing at the advice of the other apostles purely to give a good appearance and in an attempt to avoid offense. Paul had already taught that it was not needful to keep the ceremonial law yet he submitted to this to try not to offend.


"Acts 21:28-29 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place. (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)"

Before God it would not have been an issue for Trophimus to enter the temple, the veil had been rent from the top to the bottom. Yet, Paul had not taken him there for appearance sake even though the Jews thought he had. Presumably because of what Paul had been teaching.

"Acts 24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men."

Paul says here that he avoided both offense to God and to man. Obviously he only means when the two do not disagree. That would mean he often avoided certain things because of how they appeared to men.

"1 Corinthians 9:12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ."

Here Paul says that he has not instructed the churches to support his needs because he was concerned it would be a hindrance to the gospel of Christ. It could easily look as if he was out for personal gain.

"1 Corinthians 10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:"

"2 Corinthians 6:3 Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:"

Both of those verse should be self explanatory. They speak of appearances in the eyes of men.

[HappyChristian]

[heartstrings]

Annie, that is a great post. We should be careful about our testimony, its just not what I Thess 5:22 is saying.

bzmomo7, this is not a traditionally held belief within IFB circles, so I am sure there are plenty who disagree with my comments on this passage.

The same group, of course, holds no value in modern versions, so the next statement is probably a moot one, but every newly translated version of scripture (NKJV, ESV, NIV, NASB) all translate this verse closer to my definition, using either every "form" of evil, or every "kind" of evil, to make the meaning more clear. That is not to say that the KJV's translation is wrong. It is still fine grammatically, just unclear.

Anything can have a 'form' in total darkness. But for something to APPEAR, you have to SEE it.
The verse simply means that when something has the 'likeness, 'semblance'....the 'APPEARANCE' of evil, stay away from it.
Examples?

Don't park your car with the 'Jesus Saves" bumper stickers, in front of the local bar or strip joint.
Don't go into a lady church member's house when her husband isn't home. Your reason for being there might be honorable and totally innocent...but, not only does it open up the door for temptation, it just don't look good. Things like that have a 'semblance' of evil.

Look it up in the 1828 dictinary, look it up in Strongs.

[bzmomo7]

Verse twenty two does not need to be read in isolation from verses 19-21 in order to get this reading, it is a natural conclusion of those verses.

Thank you, I was beginning to think I must be a freak because I thought it was clear within the context of the other verses as well. I was especially confused when no one else stood up to defend the commonly taught/held view of that verse, too.

[1Timothy115]

The Lord Jesus was able to go alone to the abode of sinners and give His message to them. We, on the other hand He taught to go by two or more and witness, preach, or testify of Him. I believe...

1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

...which to me means, if it looks like sin, smells like sin, I don't need to taste it or step into it to know it is sin.

A lot of thought provoking in this Thread!
:thumb
and an
:amen:

[lettheredeemedsayso]

FWIW, I agree with dwayner. Also, the word is not avoid, but abstain. I think that, although this is a minor point, it still affects the meaning at least in a small way. The verse is not telling us to avoid looking like we're doing evil; it is telling us to abstain from all forms of evil, period. Check out the meanings of the Greek words. Dwayner's view (IMO) is truer to these definitions, as well as more consistent with the context of the passage.

Jesus himself did not follow what many say is the meaning of this verse. He ate with publicans and sinners, which gave the Pharisees occasion to accuse Him (wrongfully) of being a winebibber. He spoke with a Samaritan prostitute--alone--at a well, an action that shocked his own disciples.

I'm not saying we should do as much as possible to damage our reputation, or that we shouldn't ever make wise decisions to protect it...There are too many other verses that speak of not placing a stumbling block in a brother's way, a good name being more valuable than great riches, letting our light shine before men, etc.

Amen! When unsure I ask,"What would Jesus do?". We are to be in the world but not of the world. Jesus touched the lives of people everywhere he went. The Apostle Paul wrote:

1Cr 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.

The Holy Spirit guides and directs us.Thes 5:23 clarifies the verse that say," Abstain from all appearance of evil.

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and [i pray God] your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[kevinmiller]

Nice post. We are in this world for a time but we aren't of it. We are of the world of our Savior but are only here for the shortest time of our long long lives. We aren't bound by the sin of this world any longer.

[lettheredeemedsayso]

Nice post. We are in this world for a time but we aren't of it. We are of the world of our Savior but are only here for the shortest time of our long long lives. We aren't bound by the sin of this world any longer.

Amen Kevin!!