Abstain from all appearance of evil (1 Thess. 5:22)

"A distinction has sometimes been made between religion and godliness. The authorised version of this text sounds emphatically as a religious version. There are those who pride themselves in abstaining from the appearance of evil, and who would claim a religious reputation upon these negative grounds. The true meaning of the command, however, appears to be, "Abstain from Every Form of evil." Some of the best acts of life have distinctly the appearance of evil, and our courage and consistency are often tested by our having to brave the appearance of a position, or of a course of conduct. We have not to care for what we cannot help; but what we have to care for is to see through the forms of things to their reality; for evil assumes many forms, and we have to abstain from them all."