What does "innocent of evil" mean in a modern Christian context? Opening Verse “For the report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.” (Romans 16:19) Background of Romans 16:19 • Paul closes his letter praising the Roman believers for their obedience. • He warns them against false teachers (vv. 17-18) and, in the same breath, urges a lifestyle that combines sharp discernment (“wise about what is good”) with moral purity (“innocent about what is evil”). • The Greek term for “innocent” (akeraios) carries the sense of unmixed, pure, free from guile—like undiluted wine or metal without alloy. What “Innocent of Evil” Is NOT • Naïveté or ignorance of reality • Indifference toward injustice • License to withdraw from culture • A call to cloister oneself away from unbelievers What “Innocent of Evil” IS • Morally untainted—hands and heart free from participation in sin • Unmixed motives—no hidden agenda, no double life (see 2 Corinthians 1:12) • Harmless toward others—never weaponizing knowledge or influence (see Matthew 10:16) • A lifestyle that resists curiosity about wickedness for its own sake (Psalm 101:3) • A testimony that exposes evil by contrast, not by compromise (Ephesians 5:11) How to Cultivate This Innocence Today Guard the Mind • Saturate thoughts with Scripture (Psalm 119:11). • Filter entertainment; refuse media that glamorizes sin. Guard the Senses • “Set no worthless thing before my eyes” (Psalm 101:3). • Choose environments that strengthen, not weaken, holiness. Guard the Relationships • Walk with the wise (Proverbs 13:20). • Maintain accountability with mature believers. Guard the Choices • Immediate obedience to the Spirit’s prompting (Galatians 5:16). • Quick confession and repentance when sin occurs (1 John 1:9). Why Innocence Matters • Witness: A pure life authenticates the gospel (Philippians 2:15). • Worship: Purity safeguards intimacy with God (Psalm 24:3-4). • Warfare: Uncompromised believers stand firm against Satan (Romans 16:20). • Wisdom: Clean hands and a clear conscience sharpen discernment (Hebrews 5:14). Balancing Wisdom and Innocence • Wisdom without innocence becomes cynicism. • Innocence without wisdom becomes gullibility. • The Spirit produces both: “wise as serpents, innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Living It Out • Daily renew the mind in the Word (Romans 12:2). • Pray for “love that abounds…to discern what is best” (Philippians 1:9-10). • Engage culture as light, not as dimmer versions of the darkness (Matthew 5:14-16). • Trust that “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Romans 16:20), assuring victory for those who remain wise in good and innocent of evil. |
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