The appearance of evil.

[Running Gator]

So, what all can be seen as an appearance of evil?  It seems mostly in the church today to be limited to sex, but surely there are more.  

I think a nice list of things that can appear evil would be a good way to go so that people know not to do these things.

I will get us started.

1.  Walking down the beer/wine aisle.  This can give the appearance you are an drunk, which is evil.  We need to never walk down this aisle at the grocery store.

2.  Talking to the same woman who is not your wife/mother/daughter in the foyer at church two weeks a in row after the service.  This can give the appearance you are having an affair. 

3.  Driving an expensive car, this can give the appearance of greed or the love of money, which is evil.  

4.  Owning an expensive house.  See number 3.

5.  Being overweight.  This can give the appearance of both gluttony and slothfulness, both of which are evil. 

6.  Talking about the accomplishment of either ourselves or our children.  This can give the appearance of pride, which is evil. 

That is all I can come up with off the top of my head, I am sure there are more.

[GospelofGraceTV]

That is funny.  

1 minute ago, Yowm said:

7. Laying traps for other christians to fall into.

8. Not capitalizing 'Christians'.

Also the whole premise of this thread hits me as Old Covenant.  New Covenant is we are sinner, and will always sin but if you believe Jesus took punishment for our sins we are indeed forgiven and freed.  John 3:16. 

[Running Gator]

I belive this is a better translation of the passage...

1 Thessalonians 5English Standard Version (ESV)

The Day of the Lord

5 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,^[a] you have no need to have anything written to you. ² For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. ³ While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. ⁴ But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. ⁵ For you are all children^[b] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. ⁶ So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. ⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. ⁹ For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁰ who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Final Instructions and Benediction

¹² We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,^[c] encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. ¹⁵ See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise prophecies, ²¹ but test everything; hold fast what is good. ²² Abstain from every form of evil.

²³ Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

²⁵ Brothers, pray for us.

²⁶ Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

²⁷ I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

 

This translation of verse 22 fits better with the theme of the rest of the passage, but it does not give legalistic people a cudgel to beat people into submission with.

[Running Gator]

49 minutes ago, Yowm said:

methinks RG is just testin or teasin us.

neither, just highlighting out the inconsistent application of a cherry picked verse out of the bible. 

[Running Gator]

1 minute ago, Davida said:

It is a teaching by Apostle Paul about how Christians are to live and interact in the world. It applies to all Christians whether they like it or not . As always,  it is up to the individual if they obey the wisdom and follow the Bible's Instructions.

This is the teaching of the Apostle Paul...

¹² We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, ¹³ and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.¹⁴ And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,^[c] encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. ¹⁵ See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise prophecies, ²¹ but test everything; hold fast what is good. ²² Abstain from every form of evil.

[Running Gator]

6 minutes ago, Davida said:

It was not cherry picked , but  you just did not like the application of it being used to object to your views in another thread so you started your own.

In the other thread the OP asked for opinions and I gave mine, but that seemed to upset a lot of people so I started a new thread so as not to derail his. 

[missmuffet]

I do not need to make a list. We should have enough discernment to know evil when we see it. The Holy Spirit convicts us of that evil.

1 Thessalonians 2:4

1 Thessalonians 5:22

Romans 13:14

We must abstain from every form of evil as Christians. This is living in God's light. We are not on earth to please man but to please God.

[Running Gator]

2 minutes ago, missmuffet said:

I do not need to make a list. We should have enough discernment to know evil when we see it. The Holy Spirit convicts us of that evil.

1 Thessalonians 2:4

1 Thessalonians 5:22

Romans 13:14

We must abstain from every form of evil as Christians. This is living in God's light. We are not on earth to please man but to please God.

I agree, we need to abstain from every form of evil.  Riding in a car with a member of the opposite gender is not a form of evil.

[Neighbor]

2 hours ago, Running Gator said:

I agree, we need to abstain from every form of evil.  Riding in a car with a member of the opposite gender is not a form of evil.

I will not ride alone with a woman, nor should a woman invite shame upon herself and me by doing so. It is not a small thing, but instead an extremely important thing to be very wary as a witness for Christ Jesus. The enemy attempts deceit at all times, even taking joy in mocking the saints, - even for their awareness of his snares.  

It is important to not be parroting Satan's  "Surely God did not mean" ... selling the error and deceit that  appearances mean nothing. Far better to risk the accusation  of being a legalist, than it is to fall into his snare, while thinking surely no  real harm  to my reputation as a witness for Christ Jesus could possibly result from this situation. 

It is better to hold ones self to the standard of a king for example; a king may be required at any moment to make judgement upon the life of another. Or hold to the standard for  elder, or a deacon, than it is to allow oneself to indulge in the careless habits of a drunkard.

Always behave as though judgement will be required at most any time.  Never ever be put into a compromising situation that will dilute authority of one's thought and judgement, leaving room for the enemy to mock  Christ for any saint's behavior or appearance.

 

1 Timothy 3English Standard Version (ESV)

Qualifications for Overseers (Elders)

 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.  Therefore an overseer[a] must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,  for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?  He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

Qualifications for Deacons

 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.  They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.  And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.  Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.  Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.  For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

 

And...

 

Titus 2English Standard Version (ESV)

Teach Sound Doctrine ( with notes for the behavior and goals for women to attain)

 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.  Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.  Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,  and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,  to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.  Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,  and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,  not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,  training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,  waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

 

Edited April 21, 2017 by Neighbor

[Neighbor]

 From Proverbs comes a caution; "Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool,
    but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered." - Proverbs 26:28

The list of commentaries on  Proverbs 28:26 are brutally rebuking of anyone relying on  their conscience and thinking it wisdom. See http://biblehub.com/commentaries/proverbs/28-26.htm

 

BTW- Scripture is full of lists!