Pastor Léveillé wrapped up a series by turning to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. He focused on verses that many believers know well yet often apply only to outward appearances. The Christian life, he explained, is far more than optics. While how we live certainly matters to those around us, the deeper call is to genuine holiness that begins in the heart.
Pastor Léveillé reminded the congregation that this verse is frequently used to reinforce a focus on how things look rather than how they truly are. He shared a conversation with a pastor who had returned from the mission field in Europe and found it difficult to adjust to what he called cultural Christianity, where outward image sometimes matters more than heartfelt dedication to Christ. The tendency to manage appearances is not new; the Pharisees mastered it, looking righteous on the outside while their hearts remained full of pride and hypocrisy. Jesus rebuked them for cleaning the outside of the cup while the inside stayed unclean.
The message unfolded around three clear observations drawn directly from the text.
Test Everything Carefully (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Paul commands believers to “prove all things.” This is an active, ongoing responsibility. When we test something, we do so with a specific objective in mind. Our objective is clearly stated in verse 23: that the very God of peace sanctify us wholly and that our whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The spirit is the part of us that communes with God, the soul is the seat of our emotions and will, and the body is the instrument through which we serve the Lord. Every choice we make should be examined in light of this goal.
Pastor Léveillé illustrated the point with everyday examples. A doctor orders blood work with specific tests in view. Someone choosing a diet first decides whether the goal is to run a marathon or to train for another pursuit. In the same way, believers must know their aim is Christlikeness before they can wisely evaluate television programmes, music, hobbies, conversations, or friendships.
He drew a striking parallel from aviation. Before any commercial aircraft carries passengers, every critical system is repeatedly tested. The recent grounding of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft after an incident in Portland, Oregon, in January 2024 served as a vivid reminder that safety cannot be assumed; it must be continually proven. In our spiritual lives we are to do the same. Does this activity, this friendship, or this habit help us become more set apart for God in spirit, soul, and body? If not, it fails the test.
Hold Tightly to What Is Good (1 Thessalonians 5:21)
Discernment is not only about rejecting what is wrong; it is equally about embracing what is right. After testing everything, Paul says we are to “hold fast that which is good.” One preacher at a recent conference defined discernment as seeing things as God sees them. When we view our choices through that lens, we become excited about the good things that draw us closer to Christ.
Pastor Léveillé recalled how his own father, upon finding unsuitable content in a stack of Archie comic books, removed them without hesitation. The memory stayed with him as an example of protective love. Yet the verse also calls us to the positive side of discernment. Just as investing in healthy eating and exercise makes it easier to say no to unhealthy snacks, actively pursuing godly habits, friendships, music, books, and spiritual disciplines strengthens our resolve to keep the good and release the rest.
He shared a light-hearted birthday request from several years earlier. When his parents asked what he wanted, he requested a smoothie maker because he was on a health kick. The choice flowed naturally from a clear objective. In the same way, when our goal is sanctification, we hold tightly to those things that help us walk more closely with the Lord.
The apostle Paul echoes this balance in Romans 12:9 (KJV): “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” The word “cleave” speaks of being glued or cemented to what is good. A believer who only knows what he is against will eventually stand for very little. We are for Jesus Christ and for everything that makes us more like Him.
Reject Evil in Every Form (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
The final instruction is to “abstain from all appearance of evil.” The word translated “appearance” does not refer primarily to how something looks to others. In the original language it carries the sense of shape, form, kind, or type. Paul is therefore calling believers to abstain from every kind of evil.
This does not mean we live without regard for our testimony. Scripture elsewhere teaches us to avoid being a stumbling block to others (Romans 14:13; 1 Corinthians 8:9-10) and to provide things honest “not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Corinthians 8:21). Pastor Léveillé illustrated this with a personal memory from his childhood. A man in their church who had come out of a deep obsession with hockey chose to abstain from it entirely after his conversion. When the man visited their home on a Saturday night during Hockey Night in Canada, young Eric was asked to turn off the television out of love and consideration. The action was not about optics but about protecting a brother in Christ.
At the same time, the primary emphasis of 1 Thessalonians 5:22 is not fear of what people might think. It is a call to reject every form of evil that would hinder the sanctifying work of God in our spirit, soul, and body. A strong focus on appearances can sometimes create a culture where outward image is carefully managed while sins of the heart are quietly tolerated. God’s concern runs far deeper.
Conclusion
The Christian life is not image management; it is spiritual discernment shaped by the Word of God with the single purpose of becoming more like Jesus Christ. As Pastor Léveillé closed the message, he prayed that the Lord would help each of us maintain this balance: to be a faithful testimony to others while refusing to live by the fear of man. Instead, may our deepest passion be to please Christ and to be wholly sanctified, spirit, soul, and body, blameless unto His coming.
May we continually test everything, hold tightly to what is good, and reject evil in every form so that the God of peace may sanctify us completely for His glory.
