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Turn Away ἐκκλιμνω or ekklino, means to deviate, shun, avoid, or go out of the way (Strong’s); it is used three times within the New Testament giving us instruction on how we should live our lives. |
Turn Away
ἐκκλιμνω or ekklino, means to deviate, shun, avoid, or go out of the way (Strong’s); it is used three times within the New Testament giving us instruction on how we should live our lives.
- In sin, we have turned away from God (Rom. 3:11-12)
- First it is used in a negative sense; here Paul uses the words of the psalms (Ps. 14:1-3; 53:1-3) to enforce the universal problem of sin, need of a savior, and justification through faith in Christ (Rom. 3:9, 23, 26).
- Since the days of Adam and Eve, every accountable person had sinned by turning away from God and His will (Isa. 59:1-2; 1 John 3:4—missing the mark; lawlessness) but forgiveness is found in Christ; we are now to turn our lives back to God (Rom. 6:13, 16-18, 22-23).
- But we must now turn away from sin (1 Pet. 3:10-11)
- Peter now is addressing Christians who are to live as obedient children (1:3-16) and as such there are things to avoid or turn away from (3:9-11) because God’s face is set against such actions (3:12).
- Instead we should turn away from sin and follow God’s ways (4:2) with confidence that God watches over us and is attentive to our prayers when we do (3:12).
- And we must turn away from any who would again turn us from God (Rom. 16:17)
- Just as Peter was urging Christians to be faithful in spite of opposition, Paul will urge us to turn away from any who would lead us away from God back to sin.
- Such ones only deceive and destroy (16:18-19; 2 Pet. 2:1, 18ff).
