Proverbs 4:15 (Mini Sermon)

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1.      Pro 4:15 – “Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.”

1. This verse sets forth two ways to “enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.”
   1. The first way is preemptive: stay away from it in the first place (avoid it, pass not by it).
   2. The second way is reactive: leave it once you realize you’re on it (turn from it, and pass away).
2. Avoid it,
   8. Avoid v. – III. To keep away from, keep from, keep off. (the usual current sense—a natural extension of 7): To leave alone, keep clear of or away from, shun; to have nothing to do with, refrain from:  a. a person or place.
   9. The first level of prevention is to keep away from the way of evil men and have nothing to do with it.

• Don’t go to the bar, the club, the party, the charismatic church, etc.

1. Say no to any invitation you get to any of those places.
2. A good man eschews evil (Job 1:1).
3. Eschew v. – 1. trans. To avoid, shun. †a. To avoid, keep clear of, escape (a danger or inconvenience). b. To ‘fight shy of’, avoid (a place); to stand aloof from (a person). c. To abstain carefully from, avoid, shun (an action, a course of conduct, an indulgence, an article of food or drink, etc.).

1. pass not by it,
   1. Pass v. – 1. a. To go on, move onward, proceed; to make one’s way. pass by.  a. intr. To go or proceed past; to move on without stopping; to flow past.  c. trans. To go past (a thing or person) without stopping, or without taking notice; to fail to notice, to overlook; to omit; to take no notice of, dismiss from consideration, disregard, ignore
   2. The next level of prevention is to not even go near the places where evil men congregate.

• Even if you think that you can walk or drive by without stopping (passing by), don’t do it.

1. If you drive by the bar or the party, you may be tempted to stop in for just one drink.

1. turn from it,
   13. Turn v. – IV. To change or reverse course. 13. trans. To alter the course of; to cause to go another way; to divert, deflect. fig. To divert or deflect from a course of action, purpose, thought, etc.; to alter the course of (something immaterial)
   14. The next level of prevention is to turn around and head in a different direction if you find yourself in or near the way of evil men.

• Foresee the evil and hide yourself before it’s too late (Pro 22:3).

1. and pass away.
   60. Pass – 60. pass away. a. See simple senses and away adv.  b. intr. Of persons: To depart; also, to get or break away (as from restraint).
   61. The final level of prevention is to depart and break away from the way of evil men if you have failed to avoid it and turn from it.

• By this time, it is almost too late to get away.

1. This is why it’s critical to avoid the path of the wicked before ever getting near it.
2. “To keep from falling over the edge of the precipice one should move as far back from that edge as possible.” – Jay Adams
3. Put iniquity far away from you (Job 11:14).

• Abstain from even the appearance of evil (1Th 5:22).