Introduction:

A. The Bible teaches that Christians are a people “selected by God from the other nations for his own possession.” - Thayer’s definition of “peculiar”.

1. Titus 2:14 
2. I Peter 2:9 

B. Being God’s people means that we have been taken from the world and added to the Kingdom (Colossians 1:13). 
C. This means we need to think and act differently than those of the world:

1. Romans 12:1-2 
2. I John 2:15-17 

A. Romans 12:9 “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”

1. The word abhor – “apostugeo” means “to dislike, abhor, have a horror of” –Thayer.
2. The word evil - “poneros” means “bad, of a bad nature or condition; in a physical sense: diseased or blind; in an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad.” –Thayer.

B. The messages of the Bible is a resounding “abhor that which is evil”:

1. Deuteronomy 7:26 
2. Psalms 97:10 
3. Psalms 101:3 
4. Psalms 119:104 
5. Amos 5:14-15 

C. Notice what Jesus said about evil people and their hearts

1. Mark 7:23 
2. Luke 6:45 

a. What kind of heart do you have??

A. Point II comes from the same passage as Point I: Romans 12:9.

1. The word cleave – “kollao” means “to glue, to glue together, cement, fasten together; to join or fasten firmly together; to join one’s self to, cleave to” – Thayer 
2. The word good – “agathos” means “of good constitution or nature useful, good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished, upright, honorable.”

B. Christ did good (Acts 10:38). 

1. Christ is our example to follow (I Peter 2:21). 

C. Good is what we are to do to defeat evil (Romans 12:21). 

1. Good is what we should do and walk in (Ephesians 2:10). 
2. Good is what we are to do for all men as we have opportunity: 

a. Galatians 6:10 
b. I Thessalonians 5:15 

A. I Thessalonians 5:22 “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

1. The word abstain – “apechomai” means “to hold one’s self off, refrain” – Thayer.
2. The word appearance – “eidos” means “the external or outward appearance, form figure, shape” – Thayer.
3. The word evil is the same as in Point I A.

 B. There are very good reasons for Christians to keep away from anything that appears evil:

1. Evil is contagious:

a. I Corinthians 15:33 
b. I Corinthians 5:6-7 
c. Do not get an attitude wherein you think you are above being taken over by sin (I Corinthians 10:12). 

2. We do not want to give others the idea that we are doing or being around evil things:

a. We are to be a GOOD example, not bad one (Matthew 5:14-16).

A. Notice what the Apostle Paul said to the brethren in Ephesus (Ephesians 4:17-32).
B. Learn the word of God well enough to be able to discern good from evil (Hebrews 5:12-14).
C. Our good works OR bad works will be brought into the Judgment Day:

1. II Corinthians 5:10 
2. What we sow we will reap (Galatians 6:7-9). 

2002 by Brian Yeager may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.