Tackling Tradition 31: Avoid The Appearance Of Evil

One of the prooftexts often cited by the “Thou shalt not attend the wedding, bake the cake, design the website; take the photographs coaltion is 1 Thessalonians 5:22. 

“Abstain from all appearance of evil (KJV).”

Other translations state, “Reject every kind of evil.” 

They sound exactly like the AI Bot @ Google. 

1 Thessalonians 5:22, often quoted as "Abstain from all appearance of evil," is a verse in the Bible that encourages believers to avoid not just evil itself, but also anything that might appear to be evil. It's a call to discernment and responsible conduct, prompting believers to consider how their actions might be perceived by others. 

Here's a more detailed explanation: 

• Original wording: The original Greek in this verse uses the word "apechesthe," which means "to abstain" or "to keep away from". 
  
  
• Beyond just avoiding evil: This verse isn't just about refraining from doing bad things; it's about avoiding anything that could be mistaken for evil. 

The AI Bot is generally correct, insofar as the text instructs us to exercise discernment, but it is wrong about avoiding anything that could be mistaken for evil.    It’s about avoiding what is evil, & if you aren’t certain, avoid it until you get more information &/or are in a more grown up/mature place in your life. 

As to our vertical, Godward relationship, God doesn’t make mistakes.   He judges us rightly based on His meticulous, exhaustive, perfect love for Himself & us & according to His exhaustive, perfect, meticulous knowledge of our every motive, thought, word, & deed.    

As to our horizontal relationships with each other,  our peers are sometimes mistaken, &, sometimes they are more radically mistaken than others.    It the text means we should avoid giving those around us the wrong impression, then that makes us captive to the fear of man more than God.    

Pay attention to the manner in which the Anti-Paraclete crowd argues their position.   Grandma should not attend the wedding because the invitation invites people to come celebrate a union that is (allegedly) ill-conceived.   Advising her to attend the wedding anyway, so their argument goes, & then behind closed doors is express her disapproval amounts to advising her to engage in hypocrisy or at least give the appearance thereof.  

That strikes me as an odd definition of the word, “hypocrisy,” insofar as the argument depends on the content of the invitation (“Come celebrate our union) defining Grandma’s moral intentions for her.    That is profoundly anti-biblical.  

The Bible teaches in James 1:14 - 15 that God judges us on the basis of our **own** desires, not what a wedding invitation asks us to do.    I Samuel 16:7 explicitly states that God does not judge us based on the outward appearance of evil.  He judges us based on the inner workings of our hearts & minds.   Therefore we ought to do the same.  

1 Thessalonians is not about avoiding all forms/ appearances of evil in relation to what others might think about us.  Rather it’s about avoiding every form/appearance of evil in relation to **God Himself.**    People are going to think what they are going to think, & some people who give the appearance of friendship can turn out to be those looking for anything & everything to tear you down from the outside in & the inside out.     

The fear of man is all about power & control.  Like the Devil himself, those beholden to the fear of man will seek to accuse you day & night.    Never forget, Believer, they too have been thrown down.  

And I heard a great voice in heaven, saying: "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ have come, because the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, the oneaccusing them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12:10).  

Thank you; God bless you all, & “Go and sin no more.”