Abstain From All Appearance of Evil

Abstain from all appearance of evil, 1 Thessalonians 5:22. This is a verse that has been repeated over and over to make sure that the congregations (and pastors) do not do anything of which the outward appearance might even remotely give someone the wrong idea, so that the reputation of the church and people might remain intact in the community as being above reproach. In fact, in many churches the reputation of being righteously superior to the rest of the community seems to supersede many other considerations, including that of being loving or even obedient to God. Of course there are always those who will look for evil in every action. The unsaved, because they are looking for reasons to reject Christ, and the saved, because some of them love to gossip and be busybodies and control others by trying to bend them to their will and rules. So it leaves people very restricted and restraining themselves from doing the very things that the Holy Spirit might lead them to otherwise do, because someone might get the wrong impression, or keeps them from just exercising a freedom in Christ that is allowed by God. Is that really what Paul meant when he wrote it? To be obsessed with how someone might perceive outward appearances and so not do things for the sake of reputation? Even when led by God to do something?

So many take the verse “Abstain from all appearance of evil” out of context and do not look further into its meaning. First of all, it should not be separated from the previous verse, of which it is a part. 1 Thess 5:21-22 “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” It is one complete thought. First we are to prove all things. That indicates that we are not to accept anything by its outward appearance. The very opposite of how this verse is used. For instance, new doctrines may look good on the outside to those who are not discerning, but we must examine and prove them to see what is at the core. Old traditions and new practices may seem good on the outside, but we are not to accept things by their outward appearance, whether they are generations old, or brand new. We are to examine them and find out what is at their core. We may see others behaving in a way that looks ambiguous or even looks sinful in its outward appearance, but as Christians, we are NOT to accept things on their outward appearance and judge them, for we may judge incorrectly and unrighteously. We are to find out what is at the core. What the reality of the situation is.

After we examine something to find out what the reality of it is, then and only then can we judge something as good or evil. That is the next part of the verse. What to do with the results. If it is good, we are told to hold fast to it. Embrace it, approve it, and accept it. If, on the other hand, what we find is that there is evil at its core, we are to abstain from it or stay away from it. But what about the word “appearance?” Does that not mean that we should judge by outward appearances? No.

In English the word “appearance” actually has two meanings. The first is that which bears a similarity to something else. In other words, the outward appearance which may resemble something other than what it really is. It is ambiguous as to what it actually is in its true essence, or it may possibly even be the opposite of what it looks like outwardly. The second definition is considered to be something that manifests visibly in its reality. In other words, it presents itself in its true essence. The first definition would be something like the following: “What she said had the appearance of being truthful.” It is not a certainty whether or not she is telling the truth. It is ambiguous as to what its reality or true essence is. Only on closer examination can the reality of its essence of good or bad be revealed. When it is examined, the truth of its reality comes out. This is what a court of law does. They examine a witness to see what the truth is before judgment is rendered. 

The truth of its reality is the second definition of the word “appearance.” It would be as follows: “After examination, the lie made its appearance.”It visibly manifested itself. The reality of its true core or essence became readily apparent or visible for all to see. In fact, in the above case, she was not telling the truth, even though in what she said, its outward appearance looked as if it were the truth. But the real truth, the real appearance came out in the examination (or proving) of the witness. The lie manifested itself visibly as to what its reality was. A lie. What initially would have been accepted as truth by outward appearance is in fact a lie. So what she said is then judged as something to shun. Since in English there are two meanings, and they pretty much mean the opposite of each other, we need to go to the Greek to discern what this verse is telling us and which definition of "appearance" we are to use.

In 1 Thess. 5:22, we find that the word “appearance” is the Greek word “eidos” which in fact has the definition of being something which is a certainty, of which one can be sure. It is that which is manifested visibly in its reality, not ambiguous as to what its reality is. It is the second definition of our English word “appearance” above. Thus this verse, used almost exclusively to judge people by outward appearances, tells us exactly the opposite. Christians are NOT to judge by outward appearances at all, but examine all things to find the truth of the matter and then judge it accordingly. How many times have I seen people doing work for the Lord, of which others do not know the circumstances, be judged on some ambiguous outward appearance, and be condemned for it. How many are doing something innocent only to have people spread vicious lies through gossip due to their evil minds and unrighteous judgment? Too many to count, that’s how many.

I have seen people brought publicly in front of the church and embarrassed for the purpose of  "church discipline," while being ostracized or reprimanded and threatened with punishment, if they did not “confess and repent” of their “sin” of having allowed an outward appearance of something they did (even while doing God’s work at His leading and innocent of any wrongdoing) which did not meet with others’ standards of expectations. This is so wrong. This in fact is sinful. The misjudging of outward appearances is not the sin of the doer, but actually the sin of the judge. God’s Word says it is wrong to judge in this way. How many times was Christ condemned for what He did? Hanging out with the “wrong” people (sinners), “working” on the Sabbath (of which He is Lord), doing all those things which the self-righteous religious leaders of the day condemned, because it did not meet with their standards and rules of outward appearances, of which that was all they were concerned with about themselves. What was at their core was of little concern to them. We all know how righteous God saw them as being.

We need to make sure we are proving all things before we judge. Jesus did not worry about what others thought as He carried out God’s work. Neither should we- if we are carrying out God’s work and not committing any sin. Looking for evil and judging with no knowledge is not the sin of the doer, but the sin of the judge. God tells us not to worry about what people think or our reputation when we are living righteously and doing His work and will. Outward appearances matter little to Him, if we are about His business. He will take care of our reputation for us. Look at the prophets Isaiah – who walked around buck naked for 3 years, and Hosea, who married a prostitute at God’s command. Not everything is always as it appears (outward appearance). God has given us His Word to show us that He feels this way.

1 Peter 2:15-16 “It is God's will by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God”

Proverbs 16:7 “When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

Matthew 5:11 “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.”

Is. 51:7 “Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.”

Galatians 1:10 “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

Eph. 6:6 “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;”

Is. 2:22 “Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?”

All of these verses tell us that we are not to worry about what others think, as we live our lives for God, doing His will. We are not to live to please others and their standards or expectations of what they think we should do, for their rules don’t matter. Only God’s rules do. Of course if you are sinning, whether someone else sees you or not, God does. He always sees on the heart and doesn’t need outward appearances to judge us.

One story that I cannot forget in regards to this outward appearance issue is the following. A pastor who lived out in the country (before cell service) was driving down the road and suddenly his car broke down. And it did it right in front of one of the local bars. Because he was worried that someone might see him walking into the bar (to use the phone) and think he was there to drink, he chose to walk until he could find a place from which to call. What he did not consider is that God is in control of all of our circumstances and it was He who had the car break down right where it did. Did this pastor ever consider that perhaps there was someone in the bar who was at a crucial point in their lives and needed someone to tell them about Jesus? Maybe someone was thinking of suicide, or committing a crime, or whatever. Who knows? We never will. Maybe God wanted this pastor to go in and talk to this person, but alas, because he was more worried about what people might think or say about him (I have to wonder if he thought about the fact that if people saw his car there, it wouldn’t matter if they saw him walk in or not.), he walked away from what may have been an opportunity to bring someone into God’s fold. His spotless, self-righteous reputation was more important to him than taking this as a possible mission from God. As a pastor he should have known that God is in control of every aspect of our lives, so there was a reason he broke down right there. Nothing is coincidence with God. So come judgment day, will he be told that he missed an opportunity because of his legalistic and self-righteous attitude? It’s hard to say, because we will never know until then, why exactly God did have him break down there. One hopes that God had a servant who wasn’t so full of self and concerned about what people think, who did obey God and do whatever needed to be done in that bar.

So while we should not seek to bring disgrace upon our Lord by being selfish and doing whatever we want, acting on our own desires and not following God's leading, (that's called sinning) neither should we be overly concerned about what someone will think, if God calls us to do something of which they don't approve or have reservations. I have done many things in my life in obedience to God that had others aghast at me and got tongues wagging.  Did I care. Quite honestly, no. And I still don't. I'm not here to serve them or please them. I'm here to serve God and do His bidding, regardless. And while many times that started the gossips tongues wagging, in every case that I'm aware of, God always preserved and brought my reputation back to me intact, and the gossip became nothing. That is what He has promised us, if we do His will and that is what He will do. So if you are being called in a way that others do not approve, don't worry about it. If God is calling you (and you must be sure it is God calling you, not self, not Satan) then follow the Holy Spirit's leading and don't worry about the rest.

Another connected problem that goes along with this is the stumblingblock defense. It is another passage which is misunderstood and misused at times as well, but that is another subject for another post.

Ezekiel 37 Valley of Dry Bones

One of the most confusing passages to me has been that of Ezekiel 37 and the prophecy of the dry bones. It is not long, so I will just post it here before discussing it.

[1] The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,
[2] And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.
[3] And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.
[4] Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.
[5] Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live:
[6] And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
[7] So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
[8] And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
[9] Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
[10] So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
[11] Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
[12] Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
[13] And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
[14] And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.

Growing up, every pastor that I ever heard refer to this, referred to it in the context of talking about the end times. And rightly so, for it is about the end times. But the way they interpreted it was always in a spiritual sense. In the hindsight of Israel becoming a nation on May 14, 1948, it was interpreted as meaning that God would restore the Jewish people to a nation and put them back in their country, meaning the living people of that event of 1948. But is that the way that God intends it to be interpreted, or as He wants us to interpret prophecy, with no personal interpretation (which then sort of precludes spiritualizing it), should we interpret it in the most face value or literal way possible? I believe the latter is the way we are to interpret it, but for a long time, I couldn’t quite figure out exactly what was going on. It took a question by a friend to cue me into what possibly might be going on here.

The question that my friend asked was essentially the following, “What happens to the Jews who believe in and worship God, (the same way as the righteous Jews did before Christ came), who are looking forward to their Messiah, but do not accept Jesus as their Messiah and Savior?”

This was a question I had never considered. As most Christians believe, it always seemed an easy answer to say that if a person does not accept Jesus as their Savior, then there is no other way to heaven. But this posed a dilemma in this case, for these people do believe in a Messiah that will come to save them. They do worship and believe in the one true God. They simply do not understand that the Messiah which they look forward to has already come. That God is looking out for these people cannot be denied, for there are miraculous stories that come from these righteous, God-fearing Jews that demonstrate that He has not forsaken them. And we know that God will choose to bring a remnant of them through the great tribulation and Day of the Lord to enter into the millennium, all without having accepted Christ as their Savior beforehand.

When I looked at this passage my first reaction was to believe that Israel (and this is speaking of the whole house of Israel, including the ten lost tribes, not just the Jews) was being resurrected, but how could that be? The resurrection when Christ returns is for those who die in Christ and are the Bride of Christ. A closer look showed that this passage is not speaking of resurrection. Resurrection is not a restoration of the mortal body. It is taking the seeds of the corporeal body and creating an entirely new type of glorified body, as Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 15:35-44.

[35] But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
[36] Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
[37] And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
[38] But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
[39] All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
[40] There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
[41] There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
[42] So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
[43] It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
[44] It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

The body of the resurrection is not formed the same way the natural body is. It is a glorified body. When we look at this passage in Ezekiel we find that these bones are being taken out of the grave and restored from the inside out as normal bodies. First bones are connected, then sinew (tendons and ligaments which joins bones, and muscle to bones, etc) and flesh is put upon them, then skin on top of that. Then the breath of life is given to them. None of this describes the resurrected body and how it comes about. It is an instantaneous change to a completely different type of body. The bodies being described are more similar to the way Adam came into being. First formed, then given the breath of life. They are not occurring as the resurrection bodies will occur – in the twinkling of an eye.

When this is completed, there stands an extremely large army of people. It is interesting that the word “army” is used. The Hebrew word means a “force” or in this instance a force of people. The use of the English word “army” was not used to necessarily imply a military might, but that the sheer number of the risen will be a formidable force of people. When you have that many people gathered who are in one accord, you actually do have an army of people, even if they are not military people.

This army of people declare that they are dry bones (dead for a long time), that all hope is lost to them, (they feel they have missed the boat for the promise of the covenant) and that they are cut off from their parts, which may mean that they believe they are cut off from their people, their salvation, and God’s promises. They say this, because they have died without their Lord and Savior, and in death they most likely have realized that Christ was the Messiah.

In Scripture we are told that when Christ ascended, he took captivity captive, Ephesians 4:8-9 [8] Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
[9] (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

We are told that Christ did not ascend to heaven when He died, but descended into the lower parts of the earth. Paradise was in the lower parts of the earth. Paradise was a part of Hades, the abode of the dead. It was separated from hell by a great gulf, as shown in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, which I believe was less storytelling and more truth than people realized. To understand more about paradise and hell, which both comprise Hades, I will put in a link to my article on that here on hell and I will explain about paradise.

https://bibleconundrumsandcontroversy.blogspot.com/2012/09/is-there-hell-who-goes-there-where-is-it.html

When Christ died, he told the thief that he would join Christ in Paradise. They descended to Hades, which as mentioned earlier is the abode of the dead. Hades had two compartments separated by a gulf. One was Paradise which was where the righteous went. God had probably made sure that people understood about the afterlife, for we find references to it in the Old Testament of the dead being conscious there. And when Christ told the parable, it was obvious the listeners knew about it. The ancient Greeks and other cultures would have also known, but they had different names for it. The Greeks called it the Elysian fields. They called their version of hell, Tartarus, which is what the Bible also calls a particular section of it, the deepest and worst part. So when Christ arrived in Paradise He would have presented himself to the righteous dead as the Messiah for whom that had been waiting. Hebrews 11:13-16, the faith chapter, tells us that they were looking forward to His coming and that the city has been prepared for them, as well as for the church.

[13] These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
[14] For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
[15] And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
[16] But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

The city that has been prepared for them is New Jerusalem, and it is where the resurrected will dwell for all time. (Rev. 21-22) When Christ ascended and led captivity captive, it appears He led those in Paradise to heaven with Him. They now were able to go there, as Christ had to be the first to ascend, but then after He ascended, those who are His can enter into heaven. Not in their resurrected bodies, of course, for the resurrection has yet to occur, but their souls went there, as they had to Paradise beforehand, and just as ours do when we die. As those in Paradise were already dead, and now would have accepted Christ, they qualified for entrance into heaven. The righteous Jews who died after Christ’s death and resurrection, who did not know or accept Him (it took a while for the Gospel to reach out into all the world, indeed it still is reaching into places), but did love and serve God, did not qualify for entrance into heaven due to not knowing Christ as their Savior, but neither do they deserve hell, having faith in God and looking forward to and believing in the Messiah (whom they missed). What is to be done with them? Paradise was emptied when Christ left it, but Paradise was a location and must still exist. Is this where the souls of the righteous Israelites since Christ’s time have gone? Or do they remain in the graves in an unconscious state? I have yet to find any Scripture that would tell me what the condition of these souls are at this time, and where they reside, but I would guess it must be one or the other and my inclination based on Scripture is to deduce that consciousness does not go away at death., therefore they probably are in Paradise. I cannot see God sending to hell those with whom He made a covenant and promise to give them a nation under His dominion, if they were to walk in His precepts and commandments and love Him, and there are Jews (and possibly Israelites who do not even know they are of the chosen people) who do this., while not knowing Christ as their Savior.

What is interesting is that it is said that these are those who have been slain. They have been killed, because they are Jews. Because they represented God and were His chosen people. Because they refused to renounce their faith in God. Usually when a person dies for God, they get to be with God. Naturally this is assuming that all those in this prophecy are not wicked, but righteous people.

The fact that these seem to be raised from the dead, as opposed to resurrected, and are put in the land of Israel, which is for mortal people, not the resurrected who will live in New Jerusalem, seems to indicate that this is God’s way of fulfilling the covenant He made with Israel and those who have honored Him, the Father, over the millennia. For this covenant was made with the nation of Israel and the Father, not Christ. Christ gave us a new covenant. The new covenant is not a national covenant, but a personal one.

Lastly it says that when God does this - raises them from the dead, gives them life again, puts them in the land, and finally puts His spirit in them - they will know that the Lord is the one who has done this. They will recognize Him and worship Him. But more than that, they will recognize and worship Jesus as their Messiah, for when the end comes, when Christ returns, it says that all Israel will be saved. The timing of this, putting them in their land, indicates that this happens when Christ returns. So just as the living of Israel will see Him whom they pierced and mourn, (Rev. 1:7, Zech 12:10-11) these who are raised will also see Him and realize that He was the Messiah that had been prophesied. The key here is the phrase “puts His spirit in them.” He will put His spirit in them or as it says in Zech. 12:10, "He will pour out His spirit of grace and supplication upon the house of David and all Jerusalem." We receive the Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus as our Savior. While in the Old Testament there were a few individuals who were given the Holy Spirit for a time in their lives, it was not the normal thing for everybody. Yet this entire group will receive God’s spirit in them. One only does this when one is alive (not resurrected for the resurrected already accepted Jesus and received His spirit before they died). This is another indication that they are not resurrected but raised from the dead.

While the idea of this may seem strange to us, this would be a way of God keeping the promise of His covenant to the nation of Israel and those who have worshiped Him and died for Him. For in dying without Christ, they are left in a limbo, and the promise they looked for of the covenant of a nation under the Messiah going unfulfilled.

The above passage is then followed by the following:

[15] The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
[16] Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:
[17] And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.
[18] And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?
[19] Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
[20] And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.
[21] And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
[22] And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
[23] Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
[24] And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
[25] And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.
[26] Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
[27] My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
[28] And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

God will take the chosen of the house of Israel, which is not lost, but lost within the heathen lands, and He will bring them out of those lands and along with the house of Judah He will turn them back into one nation under David, as their national prince/king, during the millennium, and they will have one Shepherd and King of Kings, Jesus, who will reign over the world from the temple in Jerusalem. God will make a new covenant of peace with them and fulfill His covenant that He made with the nation of Israel, and He will dwell with them forever. They will be the priests to the world, bringing God’s message to the rest of the nations. This passage shows that all 13 tribes (for there actually are 13, not 12) will be reunited for the millennium. The significance in this is that the 10/11 tribes hidden in the heathen worlds are not hidden from God, but still exist although they probably do not know who they are themselves. (The Levitical tribe was divided between the northern and southern kingdom, so some were of the House of Israel, and some of the House of Judah. They were the 13^th tribe as Joseph got a double portion through Ephraim and Manasseh.) So when one sees in Revelation the listings of the 144,000, it is not all Jews as some believe. Only three tribes qualify as being Jews, Judah, Benjamin, and the Levites. The other ten tribes were Israel, along with some of the Levites. The importance here is that the vast multitude of the 144,000 are not coming out of the Jews, They are coming out of the heathen nations, but not as Jews. This is a fact that many a prophecy teacher or student misses.

So while this interpretation cannot really be proven in any way, and therefore is hypothetical, it seems the most probable explanation of what this passage means. Often we get so caught up in the dogmas of tradition rather than really looking to the Word to guide us, that we get into a very narrow mindset that does not allow for any flexibility, when God is often very flexible. We need to be careful not to become too rigid in our traditional thoughts that we dismiss what God is trying to teach us, because it doesn't set well with our traditions.