The King James Bible provides very clear directions regarding what the righteous Soul should actively reject, flee, turn away from, or despise. These divine instructions focus on our own moral choices, evil practices, hypocrisy, and spiritual compromise rather than hating other individuals.
1. What to Hate: The King James Authorized Version explicitly instructs believers to hate evil and unrighteous behavior, rooted in a reverent devotion to God.
*Evil, Darkness, and Sin within yourself* "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil:” (Psalm 97:10). Likewise, *“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13). Expose your darkness to the LIGHT of the world, ask HIM to remove the specific darkness from your heart. (John 3:21)
*Falsehood and Lying in yourself* “I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.” (Psalm 119:163).
*Double-Mindedness and Hypocrisy within your own heart* "I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love." (Psalm 119:113).
*Works of Unrighteousness* “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” (Psalm 101:3). Avoid sinful environments and resist sinful trains of thought. (Proverbs 4:14-15)
*Defilement by Sin* “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” (Jude 1:23).
*Luke 14:26* Jesus says, *“If any man come to ME, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children... he cannot be MY disciple.” This verse indicates that my devotion to Christ must be so supreme that all other earthly loyalties should look like hatred by comparison.
2. What to Abhor: "Abhor" in the Bible signifies deep moral aversion or disgust toward that which dishonors God and may disrupt communion with God the Father.
*Evil* “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” (Romans 12:9). Intense holy repulsion toward evil, and to cleave to JESUS who died for the sins we now abhor. To abhor is to shudder with violent disgust, to recoil and shudder with intense moral horror, as when a person would cringe from coming close to a lethal toxin or a decaying corpse/road kill.
*Idolatry and Cursed Things* “thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.” (Deuteronomy 7:26).
*Injustice and Perversion of Truth* “Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob... that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.” (Micah 3:9).
*Lying* “I hate and abhor lying: but Thy law do I love.” (Psalm 119:163; Proverbs 13:5)
3. What to Avoid: The Bible frequently warns Christians to steer clear of specific behaviors, influences, and disruptive attitudes.
*The Appearance of Evil* “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).
*Foolish Debates and Contentions* “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.” (Titus 3:9).
*False Science / Speculation* “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:” (1 Timothy 6:20).
*Divisive and False Teachers* “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” (Romans 16:17).
*Fleshly Lusts* “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” (1 Peter 2:11). What does your heart and soul actually LOVE?Because what you LOVE directs what you pursue, and what you pursue becomes your practice, and your practice forms your character, and your character reveals the direction of your life.
4. What to Eschew: "Eschew" in the Bible means to habitually and deliberately shun, avoid, or stay clear of something. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against THEE." (Psalm 119:11) Don't CHEW on Evil and swallow it down. ES-CHEW Evil immediately and deliberately turn away from the Sins that try to enter your thoughts, words and actions; Don't even put Evil in your mouth, spit it out, and leave it behind.
*Evil* “Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.” (1 Peter 3:11). “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” (Job 1:1,8 and Job 2:3). Eschewing evil must be paired with doing good/right, for Jesus' sake.
2. What to Abhor: "Abhor" in the Bible signifies deep moral aversion or disgust toward that which dishonors God and may disrupt communion with God the Father.
*Evil* “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” (Romans 12:9). Intense holy repulsion toward evil, and to cleave to JESUS who died for the sins we now abhor. To abhor is to shudder with violent disgust, to recoil and shudder with intense moral horror, as when a person would cringe from coming close to a lethal toxin or a decaying corpse/road kill.
*Idolatry and Cursed Things* “thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.” (Deuteronomy 7:26).
*Injustice and Perversion of Truth* “Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob... that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.” (Micah 3:9).
*Lying* “I hate and abhor lying: but Thy law do I love.” (Psalm 119:163; Proverbs 13:5)
3. What to Avoid: The Bible frequently warns Christians to steer clear of specific behaviors, influences, and disruptive attitudes.
*The Appearance of Evil* “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).
*Foolish Debates and Contentions* “But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.” (Titus 3:9).
*False Science / Speculation* “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:” (1 Timothy 6:20).
*Divisive and False Teachers* “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” (Romans 16:17).
*Fleshly Lusts* “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” (1 Peter 2:11). What does your heart and soul actually LOVE?Because what you LOVE directs what you pursue, and what you pursue becomes your practice, and your practice forms your character, and your character reveals the direction of your life.
4. What to Eschew: "Eschew" in the Bible means to habitually and deliberately shun, avoid, or stay clear of something. "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against THEE." (Psalm 119:11) Don't CHEW on Evil and swallow it down. ES-CHEW Evil immediately and deliberately turn away from the Sins that try to enter your thoughts, words and actions; Don't even put Evil in your mouth, spit it out, and leave it behind.
*Evil* “Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.” (1 Peter 3:11). “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” (Job 1:1,8 and Job 2:3). Eschewing evil must be paired with doing good/right, for Jesus' sake.
The King James Bible uses the words **flee** and **abstain** as urgent, active verbs. While "avoid" or "eschew" suggest steering clear, "flee" implies rapid, physical or spiritual escape from imminent danger, and "abstain" commands explicit self-restraint.
5. What to Flee From: In the B-I-B-L-E, "flee" is used for situations and things where remaining nearby creates an overwhelming risk of temptation or judgment.
*Fornication / Sexual Immorality* “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18)
*Idolatry* “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” (1 Corinthians 10:14)
*Youthful Lusts* “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)
*Covetousness & Love of Money* “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” (1 Timothy 6:10–11)
*Impending Wrath to Come* “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7)
5. What to Flee From: In the B-I-B-L-E, "flee" is used for situations and things where remaining nearby creates an overwhelming risk of temptation or judgment.
*Fornication / Sexual Immorality* “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18)
*Idolatry* “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” (1 Corinthians 10:14)
*Youthful Lusts* “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)
*Covetousness & Love of Money* “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” (1 Timothy 6:10–11)
*Impending Wrath to Come* “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7)
6. What to Depart and Abstain From: Abstain means to deliberately hold back or refrain yourself from specific practices.
*Iniquity* Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19)
*Fleshly Lusts* “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” (1 Peter 2:11)
*All Appearance of Evil* “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
*Idolatry, Blood, and Sexual Immorality* “That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well.” (Acts 15:29; also Acts 15:20)
*Fornication / Uncleanness* “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
*Fleshly Lusts* “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” (1 Peter 2:11)
*All Appearance of Evil* “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
*Idolatry, Blood, and Sexual Immorality* “That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well.” (Acts 15:29; also Acts 15:20)
*Fornication / Uncleanness* “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
Fear/Honor God; Beware of/Deny yourself/Hate your evil.
Love GOD the Father (Mark 12:30), Love God's words (Psalm 119:140), Love God's Son (John 14:15), Love the Truth (2 Thess 2:10), Love your spouse and family (Ephesians 5:25; Titus 2:4); Love Mercy (Micah 6:8), Love God's children (John 13:34-35), Love your neighbor (Matthew 22:39), Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44), Love strangers (Deut 10:19)
Let every one
that nameth the name of Christ
depart from iniquity.
(2 Timothy 2:19)
B - Basic
I - Instructions
B - Before
L - Leaving
E - Earth
