22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. Even Jesus Christ couldn’t avoid the appearance of evil. This was used, in my youth, to explain why you should not, among other things, drink ginger ale in a bar, go to drive-in movies with a girl even if you are completely virtuous, go into a liquor store to buy candy or pretend a Tootsie Roll is a cigar. It's tricky being a Mormon. Just about every Sunday Mormons are reminded to "avoid the appearance of evil." I was told directly that I should only have LDS friends growing up. They were using "appearance" in an antiquated way). Looking the part. It involves the phrase "avoiding the very appearance of evil". 22 a Abstain from all b appearance of c evil. Abstain from all appearance of evil. When the passage is poorly translated, and taken out of context, it appears as if it is saying that one should avoid doing anything that someone else might take as being evil. 25 Brethren, pray for us. That passage says “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” We need not become legalistic regarding what others may perceive to be evil. If we give the appearance of evil, we tell the world that it’s okay to sin. Hey Cathy, thanks for your kind words. 23 And the very God of peace a sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. Ironically, the whole “avoid the appearance of evil” Pharasaism is based on a mistranslation (actually, just an archaic translation, where a word means something different in Elizabethan English than it does today) of 1 Thessalonians 5:22. And the very God of peace sanctify you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:21-23 Paul told the Thessalonians to “abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22). (1 Thessalonians 5:22) "Since there are no harmless flirtations and there is no place for jealousy after marriage, it is best to avoid the very appearance of evil by shunning any questionable contact with another to whom we are not married." The KJV leaves the impression that Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 5:22, is saying that we not only should avoid evil, but we should avoid even the 'appearance' of evil' (Of course, that is not what the KJV translators intended. We need to avoid the mere appearance of evil. They have to obey all these rules - or at least look like they're obeying them. (1Th 5:22 KJV) This is generally interpreted by small-minded men as an excuse to avoid interacting for good in the lives of others. But we do need to remain cognizant of our witness to the world and of our duty to support fellow believers. Thessalonians 5:22: ‘Abstain from all appearance of evil.’. abstain from every form of evil. - President James E. Faust, April 2007 Ensign: First Presidency Message: Enriching Your Marriage … “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. The apostle Paul in writing to the Thessalonian members counseled them: “22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5: 22) There are too many members of the Church who have a tendency to live on the edge. Verse Concepts. To avoid the appearance of evil, or every form of evil, means to stay far away from evil. The SP counselor talked about what an evil world we lived in, and how this persons mind was now polluted with the things of the world. If you associate with those that don't believe as you do, you aren't "avoiding the very appearance of evil". Whether directly or indirectly, it is the message that is given. This is a very hard task indeed. "Abstain from all appearances of evil." 26 Greet all the brethren with an holy a kiss. [3] I did not avoid the appearance of evil. 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