Reading from the New King James Version – “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22.

Because the KJV reads, “Abstain from all appearance of evil,” many have understood this verse to mean that, as Christians, we are to avoid doing anything that may appear evil to others. While this argument obviously has some merit, I don’t think this is what this verse teaches.

Paul is teaching that we are not to despise prophecies, or prophetic utterances, but rather we are to take what we hear and test it.  Today, we should take what we hear and test it by comparing it to the scriptures. Does what we hear agree with what we read in the scriptures?  If it does, then it is good, and we should hold onto it. If what we hear does not agree with the scriptures it is evil, and we should avoid it.

As Christians, we are to avoid this evil in whatever form it takes.  Every time evil appears and rears its ugly head, we are to abstain or avoid it.