Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
Turning from evil and actively doing good means deliberately seeking peace and pursuing it rather than merely waiting for it or wishing for it. It is the condition for loving life and seeing good days and for hoping for a good life. In daily life this includes holding the tongue from evil and the lips from deceit, refusing envy and evil speaking, and living with compassion, brotherly love, kindness, courtesy and forbearance by answering wrong and insult with blessing instead of retaliation. This way of life is learned by experience through the transforming influence of the Spirit and the mediation of Christ, and it must be practiced continually until perfected in righteousness and true holiness. Those who live this way are the righteous over whom the Lord watches and whose prayers He hears, and they find true happiness, peace and joy in the Lord with health to the body and strength to the soul, especially as peace is maintained by daily effort in the home and by a softened, soothing influence that never gives up principle of truth.
Meaning and Context
The command is to turn away from evil, to do good actively, and to seek peace and pursue it actively rather than merely wait for it, wish for it, or claim the truth without living and practicing it. This conduct belongs to the high attainment of love for God and for those Christ died for, with compassion, brotherly love, courtesy, kindness, pity and forbearance, answering wrong and insult with blessing rather than retaliation. For Christian workers it means combining kindness, pity, courtesy and forbearance with firmness in principle, so that attractive manners and a loving, peaceful character make the truth attractive. In home life it is of the greatest consequence, setting ambition not to meet the world's standard or seek its applause but to do the will of the heavenly Father and be a blessing, calling for a higher and holier experience practiced daily that takes foolishness out of life, removes what hinders growth in grace, and brings peace and joy in the Lord. It is learned by experience through the transforming influence of the Spirit and the mediation of Christ, bringing divine and substantial consolation, true happiness, health to the body and strength to the soul, with Christ within as the hope of glory and Heaven's approval valued above earthly amusement.
It gives the condition for loving life and seeing good days and hoping for a good life: he who would love life and see good days must turn from evil and do good and seek peace and pursue it. These belong to a life and character educated under God's control and to a life changed by the good seed of God's word. It is a practical lesson to be learned and practiced continually until perfected in righteousness and true holiness, making believers practical Christians.
In context it includes refraining the tongue from evil and the lips from guile and deceit, refusing envy and evil speaking, and not allowing the tongue to lead others astray or beguile them. It forbids vain, idle, reckless, meaningless words, jesting, joking and cheap conversation, which dishonor Christ, show the heart needs cleansing from defilement, and put a person on ground where Satan can gain advantage or access as he plays the game of life for the soul. It likewise refuses vain, foolish, unprofitable talk such as talk about hats, dress and outward adornment, since words are precious talents to be used in serving God in this life in preparation for happiness in the future life, and mothers and parents must stop that kind of talk and change the conversation when visitors begin it. Keeping the tongue in this way reveals a heart purified and refined and made fit for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a tongue sacrificed to the glory of God and guarded from running at random, and a life acting on Christian principles in all concerns as one earnestly striving to obtain the world to come, cherishing instead the fruits of the Spirit.
This right conduct belongs with compassion, brotherly love and courtesy in community, building others up rather than tearing them down and refusing to sow discord. It refuses to repay evil or insult with the same, but gives blessing instead, refusing retaliation and hostile speech especially when trials and annoyances tempt the heart to rebel and the tongue to wound others. So understood, it is not merely claiming truth but living and practicing it in love for God and for those Christ died for.
Those who live this way are the righteous over whom the eyes of the Lord watch and whose prayers He hears, while He opposes those who do evil. This promise belongs also to the home, where believers must turn away from evil, do good, and actively seek and pursue peace. Suffering, weakness and pain do not excuse impatient speech or selfish, evil thoughts, for yielding to them drives away the Spirit and trains the soul in evil. Those preparing for the coming of Christ must therefore bridle the tongue, refuse evil speech and deceit, and actively pursue peace as part of sober watchfulness unto prayer and steadfast resistance to the devil who goes about seeking to devour, with the result that they love life, see good days, and live as the righteous watched over by the Lord.
Transformed Life and Speech
Turning from evil, doing good, and seeking and pursuing peace is learned by experience through the transforming influence of the Spirit and the mediation of Christ. It marks a life changed by the good seed of God's word into a new life formed after Christ's likeness, not pompous or overbearing, with life and character educated under God's control. Those who desire life and good days live this way, and those who live it find divine and substantial consolation, true happiness, health to the body and strength to the soul. It cures dissatisfied feelings, discontented repinings, morbid affections, restless longings, brooding over evil, borrowing trouble, having trouble beforehand, and fearful expectation of dreadful evil, which dishonor God and bring sickness of body and mind. Those who live it value the approval of Heaven above any earthly amusement, with Christ within as the hope of glory.
It is a practical lesson to be learned and practiced continually until perfected in righteousness and true holiness, making practical Christians. Obeying it calls for a daily higher and holier experience that takes foolishness out of life, removes what hinders growth in grace, and brings peace and joy in the Lord. Its ambition is not to meet the world's standard or seek the applause of the world, but to do the will of the heavenly Father and be a blessing to those met.
Keeping the tongue for loving life and seeing good days means refraining the tongue from evil and the lips from deceit. It requires refusing vain, idle, reckless, meaningless words, jesting, joking, and cheap conversation, including vain, foolish, unprofitable talk such as talk about hats, dress, and outward adornment. Such speech dishonors Christ, shows the heart needs cleansing from defilement, and puts the speaker on ground where Satan can gain advantage or access as he plays the game of life for the soul. Keeping it reveals a heart purified and refined and made fit for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a tongue sacrificed to the glory of God and guarded from running at random, and a life acting on Christian principles in all concerns as one earnestly striving to obtain the world to come. Words are precious talents to be used in serving God in this life, and mothers and parents must stop that kind of talk and change the conversation when visitors begin it, since serving God in this way now prepares for happiness in the future life.
Seeking peace includes holding back words that stir up strife and speaking in a way that blesses rather than harms or wounds others. It means refusing to repay evil or insult with the same, instead giving blessing, and guarding speech from evil and deceit, with the righteous expecting the Lord's care and attention to their prayers. Especially when trials or annoyances tempt the heart to rebel, the heart must not rebel nor the tongue answer with harmful, retaliatory, hostile words. This requires more than wishing for peace; peace must be actively sought and pursued.
In community it means building others up rather than tearing them down and refusing to sow discord, joined to compassion, brotherly love, and courtesy. It includes refusing envy and evil speaking and not allowing the tongue to beguile others, cherishing instead the fruits of God's Spirit. Believers should be sober rather than frivolous, living as a steady and holy influence that does good works, bears others' spiritual burdens, and represents Christ so that people accept Him. This vigilance belongs to an ongoing spiritual battle and must not be set aside, and a life of watchfulness in spiritual conflict includes turning away from evil, doing good, and actively seeking peace. Those preparing for the coming of Christ must bridle the tongue, refuse evil speech and deceit, and actively pursue peace, as part of sober watchfulness unto prayer and steadfast resistance to the devil who goes about seeking to devour, with the result that they love life, see good days, live as the righteous over whom the eyes of the Lord watch and whose prayers He hears.
Suffering, weakness, pain, or weak nerves do not excuse impatient, fretful, or selfish speech and thoughts, including in the home. The verse calls for daily effort to maintain peace at home even when the body is suffering or the nerves are weak, and hardship does not excuse fretful speech or impatience. Yielding to impatience and selfish, evil thoughts drives the Spirit of God from the heart, makes room for evil, and trains the soul in yielding to temptation and in evil. The Lord attends to the righteous and hears their prayers, while opposing those who do evil.
Home, Work, and Blessing
In home life turning away from evil and doing good and seeking and pursuing peace is of the greatest consequence to the children of God, and it sets their ambition not to meet the world's standard or seek the applause of the world but to do the will of the heavenly Father and be a blessing to those they meet. Obeying it calls for a higher and holier experience practiced daily, which takes foolishness out of life, removes what hinders growth in grace, and brings peace and joy in the Lord. Following the Lord's instructions in family life belongs with a contented, cheerful spirit that benefits body and soul. Peace at home must be actively sought and pursued by daily effort even when the body is suffering or the nerves are weak, for hardship does not excuse fretful speech or impatience. Giving way to impatience drives the Spirit of God from the heart, makes room for evil, and can train the soul into habits of yielding to temptation.
For Christian workers it means combining kindness, pity, courtesy, and forbearance with firmness in principle, so that attractive manners and a loving, peaceful character help make the truth attractive. For those laboring in church capacity it means turning from evil to good by working diligently to secure souls from the service of sin to righteousness. It also means seeking peace by confessing error and repenting of a wrong idea or doctrine when mistaken instead of holding a once-taken position and refusing to change.
For those who claim to be ministers of the gospel and for ministers' wives and their families it is part of a message of great importance calling for deep searching of heart and clean work for eternity. It calls for zeal to labor for unsanctified, unconverted companions in the home and in the churches, because dangers follow gospel ministers especially from unsanctified, unconverted wives. Unless the convicting, converting power of the gospel searches the hearts of ministers and their families there will be an irreligious element in their homes.
Seeking peace does not require giving up any principle of truth, but calls for a softened, soothing influence rather than conduct that stirs up opposition. It calls for one's example to match the precepts one gives to others. The life of Jesus is the model, harmless and followed by peace.
The one who loves life and hopes to see good days must turn away from evil, do good, seek peace, and pursue it, and those who live by this are truly happy and value God's approval above earthly amusement. This course is learned by experience through the transforming influence of the Spirit of God and the mediation of Christ, bringing divine and substantial consolation, true happiness, health to the body and strength to the soul. Living in godliness and righteousness is not harmful to health but brings health to the body and strength to the soul, and the consciousness of right-doing is a remedy for troubled bodies and minds. Obedience to God is a path of virtue, health, and happiness, by which the plan of salvation provides a way to find happiness and prolong life on earth, enjoy God's favor, and receive future life. It cures dissatisfied feelings, discontented repinings, morbid affections, restless longings, brooding over evil, borrowing trouble, having a time of trouble beforehand, and fearful looking for dreadful evil, which dishonor God and bring sickness of body and mind. God's approval promotes physical health and strengthens the soul against doubt, perplexity, and excessive grief, which can weaken the body and bring on nervous illness.
Turning from evil and actively doing good means deliberately seeking peace and pursuing it rather than merely waiting for it or wishing for it. It is the condition for loving life and seeing good days and for hoping for a good life. In daily life this includes holding the tongue from evil and the lips from deceit, refusing envy and evil speaking, and living with compassion, brotherly love, kindness, courtesy and forbearance by answering wrong and insult with blessing instead of retaliation. This way of life is learned by experience through the transforming influence of the Spirit and the mediation of Christ, and it must be practiced continually until perfected in righteousness and true holiness. Those who live this way are the righteous over whom the Lord watches and whose prayers He hears, and they find true happiness, peace and joy in the Lord with health to the body and strength to the soul, especially as peace is maintained by daily effort in the home and by a softened, soothing influence that never gives up principle of truth.
Meaning and Context
The command is to turn away from evil, to do good actively, and to seek peace and pursue it actively rather than merely wait for it, wish for it, or claim the truth without living and practicing it. This conduct belongs to the high attainment of love for God and for those Christ died for, with compassion, brotherly love, courtesy, kindness, pity and forbearance, answering wrong and insult with blessing rather than retaliation. For Christian workers it means combining kindness, pity, courtesy and forbearance with firmness in principle, so that attractive manners and a loving, peaceful character make the truth attractive. In home life it is of the greatest consequence, setting ambition not to meet the world's standard or seek its applause but to do the will of the heavenly Father and be a blessing, calling for a higher and holier experience practiced daily that takes foolishness out of life, removes what hinders growth in grace, and brings peace and joy in the Lord. It is learned by experience through the transforming influence of the Spirit and the mediation of Christ, bringing divine and substantial consolation, true happiness, health to the body and strength to the soul, with Christ within as the hope of glory and Heaven's approval valued above earthly amusement.
It gives the condition for loving life and seeing good days and hoping for a good life: he who would love life and see good days must turn from evil and do good and seek peace and pursue it. These belong to a life and character educated under God's control and to a life changed by the good seed of God's word. It is a practical lesson to be learned and practiced continually until perfected in righteousness and true holiness, making believers practical Christians.
In context it includes refraining the tongue from evil and the lips from guile and deceit, refusing envy and evil speaking, and not allowing the tongue to lead others astray or beguile them. It forbids vain, idle, reckless, meaningless words, jesting, joking and cheap conversation, which dishonor Christ, show the heart needs cleansing from defilement, and put a person on ground where Satan can gain advantage or access as he plays the game of life for the soul. It likewise refuses vain, foolish, unprofitable talk such as talk about hats, dress and outward adornment, since words are precious talents to be used in serving God in this life in preparation for happiness in the future life, and mothers and parents must stop that kind of talk and change the conversation when visitors begin it. Keeping the tongue in this way reveals a heart purified and refined and made fit for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a tongue sacrificed to the glory of God and guarded from running at random, and a life acting on Christian principles in all concerns as one earnestly striving to obtain the world to come, cherishing instead the fruits of the Spirit.
This right conduct belongs with compassion, brotherly love and courtesy in community, building others up rather than tearing them down and refusing to sow discord. It refuses to repay evil or insult with the same, but gives blessing instead, refusing retaliation and hostile speech especially when trials and annoyances tempt the heart to rebel and the tongue to wound others. So understood, it is not merely claiming truth but living and practicing it in love for God and for those Christ died for.
Those who live this way are the righteous over whom the eyes of the Lord watch and whose prayers He hears, while He opposes those who do evil. This promise belongs also to the home, where believers must turn away from evil, do good, and actively seek and pursue peace. Suffering, weakness and pain do not excuse impatient speech or selfish, evil thoughts, for yielding to them drives away the Spirit and trains the soul in evil. Those preparing for the coming of Christ must therefore bridle the tongue, refuse evil speech and deceit, and actively pursue peace as part of sober watchfulness unto prayer and steadfast resistance to the devil who goes about seeking to devour, with the result that they love life, see good days, and live as the righteous watched over by the Lord.
Transformed Life and Speech
Turning from evil, doing good, and seeking and pursuing peace is learned by experience through the transforming influence of the Spirit and the mediation of Christ. It marks a life changed by the good seed of God's word into a new life formed after Christ's likeness, not pompous or overbearing, with life and character educated under God's control. Those who desire life and good days live this way, and those who live it find divine and substantial consolation, true happiness, health to the body and strength to the soul. It cures dissatisfied feelings, discontented repinings, morbid affections, restless longings, brooding over evil, borrowing trouble, having trouble beforehand, and fearful expectation of dreadful evil, which dishonor God and bring sickness of body and mind. Those who live it value the approval of Heaven above any earthly amusement, with Christ within as the hope of glory.
It is a practical lesson to be learned and practiced continually until perfected in righteousness and true holiness, making practical Christians. Obeying it calls for a daily higher and holier experience that takes foolishness out of life, removes what hinders growth in grace, and brings peace and joy in the Lord. Its ambition is not to meet the world's standard or seek the applause of the world, but to do the will of the heavenly Father and be a blessing to those met.
Keeping the tongue for loving life and seeing good days means refraining the tongue from evil and the lips from deceit. It requires refusing vain, idle, reckless, meaningless words, jesting, joking, and cheap conversation, including vain, foolish, unprofitable talk such as talk about hats, dress, and outward adornment. Such speech dishonors Christ, shows the heart needs cleansing from defilement, and puts the speaker on ground where Satan can gain advantage or access as he plays the game of life for the soul. Keeping it reveals a heart purified and refined and made fit for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a tongue sacrificed to the glory of God and guarded from running at random, and a life acting on Christian principles in all concerns as one earnestly striving to obtain the world to come. Words are precious talents to be used in serving God in this life, and mothers and parents must stop that kind of talk and change the conversation when visitors begin it, since serving God in this way now prepares for happiness in the future life.
Seeking peace includes holding back words that stir up strife and speaking in a way that blesses rather than harms or wounds others. It means refusing to repay evil or insult with the same, instead giving blessing, and guarding speech from evil and deceit, with the righteous expecting the Lord's care and attention to their prayers. Especially when trials or annoyances tempt the heart to rebel, the heart must not rebel nor the tongue answer with harmful, retaliatory, hostile words. This requires more than wishing for peace; peace must be actively sought and pursued.
In community it means building others up rather than tearing them down and refusing to sow discord, joined to compassion, brotherly love, and courtesy. It includes refusing envy and evil speaking and not allowing the tongue to beguile others, cherishing instead the fruits of God's Spirit. Believers should be sober rather than frivolous, living as a steady and holy influence that does good works, bears others' spiritual burdens, and represents Christ so that people accept Him. This vigilance belongs to an ongoing spiritual battle and must not be set aside, and a life of watchfulness in spiritual conflict includes turning away from evil, doing good, and actively seeking peace. Those preparing for the coming of Christ must bridle the tongue, refuse evil speech and deceit, and actively pursue peace, as part of sober watchfulness unto prayer and steadfast resistance to the devil who goes about seeking to devour, with the result that they love life, see good days, live as the righteous over whom the eyes of the Lord watch and whose prayers He hears.
Suffering, weakness, pain, or weak nerves do not excuse impatient, fretful, or selfish speech and thoughts, including in the home. The verse calls for daily effort to maintain peace at home even when the body is suffering or the nerves are weak, and hardship does not excuse fretful speech or impatience. Yielding to impatience and selfish, evil thoughts drives the Spirit of God from the heart, makes room for evil, and trains the soul in yielding to temptation and in evil. The Lord attends to the righteous and hears their prayers, while opposing those who do evil.
Home, Work, and Blessing
In home life turning away from evil and doing good and seeking and pursuing peace is of the greatest consequence to the children of God, and it sets their ambition not to meet the world's standard or seek the applause of the world but to do the will of the heavenly Father and be a blessing to those they meet. Obeying it calls for a higher and holier experience practiced daily, which takes foolishness out of life, removes what hinders growth in grace, and brings peace and joy in the Lord. Following the Lord's instructions in family life belongs with a contented, cheerful spirit that benefits body and soul. Peace at home must be actively sought and pursued by daily effort even when the body is suffering or the nerves are weak, for hardship does not excuse fretful speech or impatience. Giving way to impatience drives the Spirit of God from the heart, makes room for evil, and can train the soul into habits of yielding to temptation.
For Christian workers it means combining kindness, pity, courtesy, and forbearance with firmness in principle, so that attractive manners and a loving, peaceful character help make the truth attractive. For those laboring in church capacity it means turning from evil to good by working diligently to secure souls from the service of sin to righteousness. It also means seeking peace by confessing error and repenting of a wrong idea or doctrine when mistaken instead of holding a once-taken position and refusing to change.
For those who claim to be ministers of the gospel and for ministers' wives and their families it is part of a message of great importance calling for deep searching of heart and clean work for eternity. It calls for zeal to labor for unsanctified, unconverted companions in the home and in the churches, because dangers follow gospel ministers especially from unsanctified, unconverted wives. Unless the convicting, converting power of the gospel searches the hearts of ministers and their families there will be an irreligious element in their homes.
Seeking peace does not require giving up any principle of truth, but calls for a softened, soothing influence rather than conduct that stirs up opposition. It calls for one's example to match the precepts one gives to others. The life of Jesus is the model, harmless and followed by peace.
The one who loves life and hopes to see good days must turn away from evil, do good, seek peace, and pursue it, and those who live by this are truly happy and value God's approval above earthly amusement. This course is learned by experience through the transforming influence of the Spirit of God and the mediation of Christ, bringing divine and substantial consolation, true happiness, health to the body and strength to the soul. Living in godliness and righteousness is not harmful to health but brings health to the body and strength to the soul, and the consciousness of right-doing is a remedy for troubled bodies and minds. Obedience to God is a path of virtue, health, and happiness, by which the plan of salvation provides a way to find happiness and prolong life on earth, enjoy God's favor, and receive future life. It cures dissatisfied feelings, discontented repinings, morbid affections, restless longings, brooding over evil, borrowing trouble, having a time of trouble beforehand, and fearful looking for dreadful evil, which dishonor God and bring sickness of body and mind. God's approval promotes physical health and strengthens the soul against doubt, perplexity, and excessive grief, which can weaken the body and bring on nervous illness.