Prove All Things And Abstain From Evil

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22

Just yesterday I was correcting my son’s schoolwork. I explained to him the great thing about math is you can prove it. People all over the planet argue about God, politics, and everything else, but there is no arguing math.

1+1 will always be 2.

My daughter had to chime in on the discussion and share a story from one of her reading books. She said with a bright smile, there was a math teacher who told his class, “The great thing about math, it never changes.” The teacher explained, politics change, but math never changes.

For the record, my kids know I loathe math, but the point still stands alright.

Prove All Things

Unfortunately, there are many untruths in this world disguised as truth. Often times they can be difficult to differentiate. I mean some of the untruths that we think are truths sound real good, and they fit into our overall belief system. Yet, that does not make them truth.

That is one of the many reasons why Scripture reminded us to “prove all things.” That means to test it out, try it by fire. Verify this newfound belief by finding its origin and going from there, never forgetting God in the process.

Nothing derails a Christian faster than an untruth masquerading as truth. Remember, that is how Satan will appear one day, he will claim to be a good guy, but he is the Devil himself.

Abstain From All Evil

Scripture also reminds us to “abstain from all appearance of evil.” In the modern era, this is a difficult one. These days it seems we are surrounded by evil no matter where we go.

The word “evil” here has all sorts of meanings, let me share some of them with you.

Hurtful, figuratively calamitous; also (passively) ill, that is, diseased; but especially (morally) culpable, that is, derelict, vicious, facinorous; neuter (singular) mischief, malice, or (plural) guilt; masculine (singular) the devil, or (plural) sinners: – bad, evil, grievous, harm, lewd, malicious, wicked (-ness).

I actually want you to think about these various words and apply them to this verse. When Christians abstain from all evil, it means we do not participate in any form of evil. Therefore, we must understand the word “evil” as used here to truly understand what we are to abstain from.

Let me give you a couple examples for your daily walk…

• We are to abstain from anything that is “hurtful” to God’s Word.
• We should never be “culpable,” which means to participate in things that support those who wish to destroy Christianity. That makes us just as guilty.
• We are to abstain from “lewd” behaviors which are contrary to God. They may seem fun to the young, but they lead to sexual immorality which is against God.

I should not have to explain “wicked,” but we live in precarious times.

These days, wickedness is paraded around as righteousness, while the things that are good are painted in a negative light. Let me share another verse with you.

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Isaiah 5:20

We were warned these sort of things would take root in the Last Days. 2 Timothy 3:1-6 reminds us of that.

Friends, this is why we must “prove all things,” not through the lens of what sounds good to us or fits our beliefs, but what is right and true with God and reality.

Otherwise, we become…

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Timothy 3:7