The Appearance of Evil

From time to time, I feel as though I am running out of things to write about.  I have written well over two hundred weekly articles since I retired from my day job.  But it looks as if God doesn't want me to retire from my writing because every time I think I'm starting to run dry, out of ideas, He speaks a word or a phrase into my heart.

So, here I go again, feeling like God is asking me to write about a subject that I haven't heard anyone talk about in 20 years or so.  I honestly believe my mother was the last person I heard speaking about ... "the appearance of evil."  I guess she could have been worried that the things I might be doing would reflect badly on how she raised me ... but no, I really don't think that was it.  She was just reminding me of what the Word said, and how she tried to live her life. 

1st Thessalonians 5:22 ... "Abstain from all appearance of evil."  So what is the Apostle Paul talking about?  Paul has just been speaking about how and when the Lord will return to earth.  He is telling the body of Christ, that they are not in darkness, but they are children of the light; therefore do not fall asleep spiritually and let the darkness overtake you.  I think we should take that to heart also, because the darkness will if you let it. 

Next Paul follows that up with ... how we should act while we wait on the return of Jesus.  Paul and most other believers thought the return of Jesus would happen in their lifetime.  That's why he wrote in his second letter to this same church, things like ... "When you see the man of sin in the Temple of God, showing himself as god ..." 

Paul expected to see the so called "Anti-Christ" himself.  Of course, time and 2,000 years of history has proven that wasn't to be ... showing we can't predict when God the Father will have redeemed the last person to be born again and saved by the Blood of His Son Jesus.  But that final number, whatever it is, must be getting close by now.

Paul's instruction on how to act in the last days while waiting for the return of Jesus, is truthfully how we should act every day of our life.  It's fairly simple ... well, honestly it will take a little effort on our part, just like overcoming temptation does.

Now remember, Paul is just the scribe with the pen ... the Holy Spirit is the real author of these instructions on our Christian lifestyle, that is witnessed by others.  And that is what this document I am writing is all about ... how we look to others, including the unsaved.

One thing he says not to do, is repay evil with evil; but rather aim to do good unto all men.  To be successful in following these principles you must never give up on prayer.

The old King James English reads ... "Pray without ceasing" ... which at first glance seems to infer that we need to be at prayer 24 hours a day.  Wrong.  It simply means, don't get dejected and give up or quit talking to God about things.  I enjoy my two girls sharing things with me.  God loves His children to share their hearts with Him.

So next Paul says, while you're at it ... in everything give thanks unto God.  That means in the hard times as well as in the good times.  Notice he does not say to give thanks "for" all things ... but "in everything" give thanks ... referring to whatever position or situation you may find yourself in, it's still the will of God that you praise and worship with thankful hearts.

I've said all this trying to put my key verse into it's proper context.  As I said, you don't hear these words much anymore ... "Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Let me break this scripture down and see if it is as simple to understand as it seems.

The word abstain in the original Greek is "apechomai" (pronounced ap-ekh'-om-ahee) and means ... "to refrain from, to hold oneself off."

In this case, the translation ... abstain ... is right.  In simple terms it is saying, "don't do it, hold off on that particular action."

The word from, or "apo" (pronounced apo') is a very common word meaning just what you think it means.  From ... "away from something near, a separation, a reversal, a departure  or cessation."

Next, the word all, or "pas" simply means ... "any, every, the whole thing, all."  That is simple enough for even me to understand.

Appearance ... the word this whole study is based on, it's the subject of this verse.  The Greek word it is translated from is "eidos" (pronounced i'-dos) and it means ... "to view, as if in a form or fashioned in a shape, with an appearance one can see."

Your actions may not be in a physical form, but they can form or fashion a judgment in the minds of the one who sees your actions which might appear to them as sin.

Lastly, the two words "of evil" are one, the Greek "pone-ros" (pronounced pon-ay-ros') and means ... "hurtful, bad influence, worthless, corrupt, evil."

So ... it looks to me that this scripture, translated into English, is right on target with the true meaning intended.  We are told throughout the Word of God to "sin not" and here we are also told to ... "avoid even the appearance of it."

But why be concerned about something we do that is not sinful for us, and may only appear to be sinful to someone else.  If it's not wrong or sinful ... what's the problem?

There are many things which in themselves, may not be wrong scripturally.  But since Christians seem to be held to a higher standard by the world ... "taste not, touch not, handle not" ... or we become hypocrites in their eyes and they use these things as an excuse not to become part of the Christian family of believers.

There are some outward visible things we may be certain of, that if done, our conduct will be regarded as improper for Christians.  Some things the "church" fifty years ago used to preach against, like smoking, drinking, dancing, going to movies and eating in places that had a bar in them ... I cannot say positively that they are "evil" ... simply because it's not spelled out as 100% sinful in the Word of God.  I try to let the Holy Spirit make those decisions for me personally.  I have enough trouble running my own life, to try and run yours.

Even though things like I just mentioned cannot be proven to be "in themselves" positively wrong or forbidden, they still might have "the appearance of evil" and will be interpreted as wrong by those who watch what we do and say.  Actions speak louder than words.  We are also told not to judge one another ...

The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 14:13 ... "Let us not judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man places a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way."  

Paul's example was in eating meat.  If one thinks the eating of meat is wrong, then don't eat meat in front of him or ask him to eat meat.  You can be certain no harm or injury will be done by our actions if we abstain from such questionable deeds. 

My dear departed mother wouldn't want me to say this ... but the truth is ... it is impossible to abstain from everything that might look like the appearance of evil in another man's eyes. 

I can hear her now ... "Why can't you?  Just don't do it."

I can honestly say ... not once did I ever see "the appearance of evil" in her life.



Comments welcome.