1/9/14

As Evil Reigns In The End-Of-This-Age, What Should Believers Do? 'Eschew Evil' - Robert Leighton 17th Century

'Eschew evil' 1 Peter 3:11

The right eschewing of evil, involves a wary avoidance [1Thes. 5:22] of all occasions and beginnings of it. Flee from sin (says the wise man) as from a serpent. We are not to be tampering with it, and coming near it, and thinking to charm it- Eccles. 2:3; "For (as one says) who will not laugh at the charmer that is bitten by a serpent?" He that thinks he hath power and skill to handle it without danger, let him observe Solomon's advice concerning the strange woman: He says not only, Go not into her house, but, Remove thy way far from her, and come not near the door of her house. Prov. 5:8. So teaches he wisely for the avoiding of that other sin near to it, Look not on the wine when it is red in the cup, Prov. 23:31. They that are bold and adventurous, are often wounded: thus, He that removeth stones shall be hurt thereby - Eccles. 10:9. If we know our own weakness and the strength of sin, we shall fear to expose ourselves to hazards, and be willing even to abridge ourselves of some things lawful when they prove dangerous; for he that will do always all he lawfully may, shall often do something that lawfully he may not [James 1:14-15].

Robert Leighton [1611-1684] is most known for his widely regarded "Commentary on First Peter" from which this exhortation to believers is extracted. Written in the 17th century - exact date unknown - Leighton's commentary on 1Peter has rarely been out of print since. Bracketed scripture references added.
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Strong's: "Eschew" - ekklino (Greek) ek-klee'-no from 1537 and 2827; to deviate, i.e. (absolutely) to shun (literally or figuratively), or (relatively) to decline (from piety):--avoid, eschew, go out of the way.
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1Peter 3:12 'For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil'

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