1 Peter 3:11 KJV
[11] “Let him eschew evil, and do good; Let him seek peace, and ensue it.”
As believers, we have a command to avoid evil. That means we should avoid it at all costs and on all levels. God does not want us to flirt with the evil of this world. His Word commands us to come out from among them and be separate. After salvation, we are to live our lives separated from this world. We no longer love the things we used to love, and we no longer hate the things we used to hate. The new man on the inside desires a new life in Christ, and he wants to avoid evil and do good.
The old nature is still present and will war against the new nature. However, victory is possible if we seek after the things of God. If we look for trouble, we will find it, but if we seek peace, we will find it also. Our verse tells us that this is the right pathway in life.
A child of God has no business being around the evils of this world, yet many have embraced them. It is sad to see the things that so-called Christians participate in today and then seek ways to justify what they are doing. They claim that God has not convicted them, and they use scripture out of context to justify their actions. Let me sum this up by saying that evil is not hard to spot, especially if you are trying to live a godly life. If we make it our goal to avoid evil and do good, we will find a peaceful pathway in life.
The pathway may not always be easy, but it can always be peaceful if we look to God. God’s will for our lives is to avoid sin and serve Him by serving others. Service for the King always brings the believer lasting satisfaction. That is the right pathway for this life and the one to come. The most joyful people are those living holy lives and actively serving the Lord in their local church. They don’t need a title or a pat on the back to keep them going. They are not up and down in their Christian walk with the Lord, and though they are not perfect, they are at peace in their walk with God because they daily seek His will through prayer and Bible study. Where do you find yourself on the pathway of life? Is it your goal to avoid evil, seek peace, and do good? Or are you trying to walk God’s way and the pathway of this world together? Too many are living in defeat because they are straddling the fence between God and the world, or they have chosen a sinful path in life. I want to encourage you, dear reader, to stay on the old paths and seek God daily. You will never be sorry, and there will come a day when you will be glad you put Him first.