When I was a younger man when I would hear this verse quoted I felt like it was a “carte blanch” reason for the self-righteous Pharisees to impose their legalistic rules on everyone else. They would make sure they would impose their rules especially on the young and the restless to keep us in line.  I remember in Bible College they had rules on top of rules and it really de-motivated me to be spiritual as they focused upon the outward man such as appearance, and curfews and such.  Anyway I remember looking into that verse “abstaining from all appearance of evil” realizing that the word for appearance is various kinds of evil.  I felt so liberated, knowing that the King James English once again gave liberty to the legalistic that was used to keep others in line and in submission.    

Now I have grown past all of that and am coming full circle in my theology and practice.  I see today that there are very few standards of holiness in place any more and people pretty much do what is right in their own eyes.  We use the mantra “don’t judge me / judge not lest ye be judged” and say things like “well that’s your interpretation” and we have fallen prey to a “willy nilly” theology that allows us to have our cake and eat it too so to speak.  We want all the blessings of heaven yet we are unwilling to live a disciplined life beating our bodies into subjection and making it our slave.  Rather we have become slaves to our own passions and desires and we make the Bible conform to us rather than conforming to it.

With all that said, I think it is important to bear in mind that others are watching us.  How we live and the manner of our lifestyle is important.  Paul exhorted the Ephesian Church to “walk circumspectly” that means to live righteously (To be upright and moral).  Indeed we are to abstain from all appearances of evil for why would we want to even want to stumble some one else in their faith?  Jesus said that it would be better if we would tie a millstone around our neck than to cause a little one to stumble.  The Apostle Paul was clear that we were not to use our liberty as an occasion to stumble or offend our weaker brother.  I used to think and even say, “Well they need to grow up.” But the truth of the matter is that I needed to grow up and not be so selfish in my thinking rather I needed to submit to one another.  I have grown to realize that how I live and the things I say, and the things I do have a profound impact on others. I think sometimes we minimize the weight of the truth that we all influence someone.  Imagine, if we all practiced what we preached? Imagine if we loved one another?  Imagine if we were dead to self and were not so concerned about our rights and our agendas?  I think it would have a profound effect upon our witness.  We need to be careful where we go, what we do, who we associate with, what we watch, what we listen to, how we talk etc….because people are watching us and they are needing a good example to follow and who knows you might lead someone to Jesus or create and opportunity for you to tell someone about Jesus.