Abstain from every appearance of evil (Response to Pinacled)
Having been banned from posting or even responding in the "Christian (Lutheran) Theology" section on this forum, I will give my understanding to pinacled's question there, here -
"Abstain from all appearance of evil." - 1Thess 5:22 KJV
Literally in the Greek - "from every appearance of evil keep back."
"Appearance" is what others see of you. And as well what God sees you do. A misunderstanding circulating in some assemblies today is that God cannot see what we do anymore if we've "accepted Christ", because He now 'sees us through the Blood', or some other non-Biblical teaching.
I've taught much on this over the years, and received much heat for it, from the sect of our modern Christian Religion that is unable to accept that we will all be held accountable for our behavior one Day, and particually "Christians" who have not truly walked the road of repentance: "striving against sin to the shedding of their own blood"), truly "not loving their own lives even unto death." (Heb 12:4, Rev 12:11)
There is much to be said on this topic, but I'll share the first portion of Truth the Lord brought to my mind when I read pinacled's question -
The Holy Spirit, through the Apostle, warned us who name the Name of Christ -
"Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them." - Eph 5:1-7
The continual warnings to the "believers" throughout all of Paul's letters, tell us that if we do not "by the Spirit, put to death the deeds of our flesh", and "sow to the Spirit" we will not have "any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God." This Eternal Truth has become near impossible for many to accept today.
The witness we are giving by our behavior, our actions, our words and deeds, is our "appearance" before God and man. Is evil (the behavior of our "old man") evident in what we say and do? We could go into Romans 14 where Paul addresses even the things which we do that may not be "sin" but cause a weak brother to stumble, and speaking even of eating meat, says, "It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak." (Rom 14:21). Or Peter's letters to the churches, where he admonishes, again, not those in the world, but "believers" to "abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation." - 1Pet 2:11-12
I know there is a veil over much of the churches today, and the True "Blessed Hope"of the First Century disciples has been replaced by fables which pale in comparison to what God has predestined for His Elect, for those who will be Christ's "co-heirs", the counterpart for the Lamb, "seated with Him on this Throne, ruling the nations" into Eternity. So my earnest prayer has been as that of the Apostle -
"that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come." - Eph 1:17-21
Amen.
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