Romans 12:9 (KJV)
Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
The issue of hating evil is not a subject of debate for those who know that they stand to gain by living a holy life. From our anchored Scripture, the Holy Spirit, through Apostle Paul, is warning all those who profess to belong to the family of God to stay away from everything that appears to be evil and cleave to that which is good. Evil is to be hated with passion and resisted with everything we have. As the children of God, we are to finish the Christian race in triumph. Therefore, we must be on the lookout for whatever appears to be evil and run away from it. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” It is evident that we are to hate evil. Abstaining from all appearances of evil and avoiding questionable activities are effective means of overcoming satanic tricks. We need to understand what constitutes the appearance of evil and what the Christian standard for evaluating godliness is because we wrestle not against flesh and blood; instead, we wrestle against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12).
In today’s world, abstaining from all appearances of evil is missing. We are in a generation with very high satanic wickedness in a widespread measure. Selfishness, hatefulness, and all manner of evil have become the order of the day. There is the degeneration of human sympathy and the escalation of cruelty. The request to do evil is not something the devil does directly, neither does he require a clear answer from anyone. Ephesians 4:27 admonishes us not to give way to the devil. For this reason, the children of God are to be mindful of their responses to any proposal by the devil because ordinary interest is usually taken as consent by the devil. The devil does not give favors away for free; his demands are usually much greater than the initial investment, and we may lose our souls. When one is strong and resilient, the devil cannot find any vulnerable spot to exploit and, therefore, cannot succeed. Let us not forget that before Delilah came, Samson saw and fell for a Philistine woman in Timnath. Many people have been bewitched through food, drink, media, social activities, culture, family, friends, and foes simply because they lack discipline and refuse to take heed when God is speaking. It is written in Proverbs 1:10, “Dear friend, if bad companions tempt you, don’t go along with them.” Joseph deliberately took a stand against evil by refusing to participate in the evil behaviors of his brothers. So, when a person decides to take a stand against evil, he stands alone in righteousness and tall in the crowd. Our God will be pleased if His Church takes the stance that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego took in Babylon when faced with Nebuchadnezzar’s great fiery furnace (Daniel 3:16-18).
Beloved, the task of rebuking evil is divine and as you perform this task you must live above reproach. Endeavor to stand out from the crowd by standing on the grounds of righteousness. As you hold on tightly to what is good, be ready for persecution and blackmail. However, the wise will abstain from sin and everything that appears evil, but the fool will want to continue in sin. Make up your mind to pray and fast more. Meditate day and night on the Word of God and discard anything that contradicts God and His Word. As a child of God, re-examine your lifestyle and passions to see if they are in line with the Word of God. Let the truth of God’s Word transform your life. Today, set your mind on things that are honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Above all, make God your best friend and delight in setting your affection on things that promote God’s Kingdom, and He will direct your path even to eternity. As you live in holiness, your purity will stand you out from the crowd and cause you to be exalted in Jesus’ Name. Remember, let love be genuine.
O Lord, help me always shun the presence of evil and cling to what is good in Jesus’ Name.