Abstain From All Appearance of Evil
By Boyce Mouton
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The city of Thessalonica is situated on the Aegean Sea, southwest of Philippi. Its geographic location placed it in the lap of the Roman Empire. It lay astride the great Egnatian Road that stretched from Dyrrachium on the Adriatic to Constantinople on the Bosphorus, thus connecting the mystic East and the cultured West. Paul placed a great deal of importance upon the welfare of the congregation in Thessalonica. Its strategic location on a major artery of travel would allow the gospel to be injected into the bloodstream of the Roman world.
The Thessalonian church was born in the midst of adversity. The original converts were subjected to the taunts of professional agitators and the crushing accusation of treason. Jason and certain of the brethren were hailed before the rulers of the city. Later Paul wrote "For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews." (1 Thess. 2:14). It was under such trying circumstances that Paul and Silas reluctantly fled to the South.
Upon two different occasions Paul sought to re-visit Thessalonica but was hindered by Satan (1 Thess. 2:18). When he could no longer forbear Timothy was dispatched from Athens to bring word of their faith. The news which he brought upon his return prompted the first of Paul's inspired epistles.
William Barclay offers this insight into the letters of Paul. "We must not think of Paul sitting quietly at a desk, carefully polishing each sentence as he wrote. We must think of him striding up and down some little room, pouring out a torrent of words, while his secretary raced to get them down."
The inspired words "Abstain from all appearance of evil" sprang from a heart filled with emotion, they were eminently practical and were prompted by a jealous concern for the spiritual well being of the Thessalonian Christians. The words are often quoted today...but seldom with reference to their context.
The original letter to the Thessalonians was written much as you would write a letter. Thoughts were naturally grouped together for clarity of understanding but the letter was not divided into chapters and verses for many centuries. The Bible was first divided into chapters in the 13th century. Some ascribe this work to Cardinal Hugo de St. Caro and others to Stephen Langton, archbishop of Canterbury. Verses first appear in the Greek Testament of Robert Stephens (1551). His son, Henry, claimed that his father devised the verses during a long journey on horseback from Paris to Lyons. One might cynically conclude that when Bro. Stephens came to the latter part of 1 Thessalonians 5 the horse began to trot. How unfortunate for the Christian world that these inspired thoughts have been fragmented into verses.
The New English Bible correctly groups versus 19-22 into one paragraph. "Do not stifle inspiration, and do not despise prophetic utterances, but bring them all to the test and then keep what is good in them and avoid the bad of whatever kind."
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"Quench not the Spirit." In the absence of printed copies of the New Testament scriptures the Thessalonians were dependent upon supernatural gifts of the Spirit for their instruction. Because the spirits of the prophets were subject unto the prophets the attitude and actions of the hearers might serve to smother the flames of inspiration. Like the cult of the clock watchers in our own day some will ever seek to get by with as little information as possible.
"Despise not prophesyings." The gift of prophecy was among the most important and practical endowments of the Spirit. (1 Cor. 14:1-5). As the brethren were encouraged to "Quench not the Spirit" the first and most important application of this truth would be with regard to the gift of prophecy.
"Prove all things!" Many false prophets were circulating among the churches and the Thessalonians were advised to scrutinize every prophetic utterance. Christ never asked a man to be credulous or to disregard reason. We are not expected to blindly follow any leader without first of all putting him to the test. The Greek word translated "prove" is the word properly applicable to the assaying of metals. In this respect the Bereans were more noble than the Thessalonians for they searched the scriptures daily to "assay" the message of Paul and Silas.
"Other religions require their votaries to receive everything upon trust; Christianity asks us to examine everything. Error, superstition, bigotry, and fanaticism attempt to repress free discussion, by saying that there are certain things which are too sacred in their nature, or which have been too long held, or which are sanctioned by too many great and holy names, to permit their being subjected to the scrutiny of common eyes, or to be handled by common hands. In opposition to all this, Christianity requires us to examine everything--no matter by whom held; by what councils ordained; by what venerableness of antiquity sustained; or by what sacredness it may be invested. We are to receive no opinion until we are convinced that it is true; we are to be subjected to no pains or penalties for not believing what we do not perceive to be true; we are to be prohibited from examining no opinion which our fellow-men regard as true, and which they seek to make others believe. No popular current in favour of any doctrine; no influence which name and rank and learning can give it, is to commend it to us as certainly worthy of our belief. By whomsoever held, we are to examine it freely before we embrace it; but when we are convinced that it is true, it is to be held, no matter what current of popular opinion or prejudice may be against it; no matter what ridicule may be poured upon it; and no matter though the belief of it may require us to die a martyr's death." Barnes Commentary Thess.--Phil. p. 61
"Hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil." There is a play on words in the Greek Testament which is not evident in English. We are to "hold fast" (Gr. katecho) to the good and "hold off" (Gr. apecho) from all appearance of evil. These words meant something to the Thessalonians, and they should mean something to us.
The heirs of the Restoration Movement have to a large extent suffered from intellectual inbreeding. Just as selective inbreeding of animals can produce some "way out" shapes and sizes, so also factional "blue-bloods" after a century of regulated reproduction frequently differ as radically as the dachshund and the St. Bernard. Now that fences are being torn down we will not only meet new brethren who look and act differently but we will also face rugged terrain and roving packs of wolves.
Someone has observed that men seldom fall the way they lean. Usually, they over-react and fall in the opposite direction. If this be true it may very well be that many brethren who for decades have denied that any truth existed outside the framework of the faction may like the proverbial pendulum swing to the opposite extreme. We need to be careful that having started for Jerusalem we do not wind up in Egypt. I, too, am weary of the waving of fac-
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Jesus told his followers to leave some teachers alone (Matt. 15:14). Paul warned that some mouths must be stopped for they subverted whole houses (Tit. 1:11). The teaching of Hymenaeus and Philetus ate like cancer (2 Tim. 2:17-18). The Galatians were removed from the truth to a perversion of the gospel (Gal. l:6ff). Some had their faith spoiled through philosophy and vain deceit (Col. 2:8). Peter speaks of those who wrest the scriptures unto their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16). Virtually every book in the New Covenant Scriptures warns of false teachers and false teaching. I am sorry that these verses are used and abused to justify and perpetuate divisions in the body of Christ but I am not sorry that they are in the Bible. We are not free to leave the straight and narrow for a few intellectual "kicks." We are slaves who endeavor to bring every thought into captivity to Christ. We have no right to slosh through the muck of pornography and the thickets of blasphemy under the guise of "free thinking." We are to be wise concerning that which is good and simple concerning that which is evil. We are to meditate on things that are honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report...anything with the appearance of evil we are to leave alone.
The problem is compounded by the fact that the specific reference to evil in 1 Thess. 5:22 is in the context of religious instruction. I am convinced that we cannot accurately evaluate the religious world, ancient or modern, without recognizing that Satan appears disguised as an angel of light, and his ministers as ministers of righteousness. I am fully aware that these words are susceptible to the twisting of twisted men but 1 Thess. 5:22 is in the Bible and needs to be taught.
"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:32).
"Hold fast that which is good...Abstain from all appearance of evil."