Some people try to live in peace by telling themselves lies. This has always troubled me.
"Peace at any cost is not peace."
Speaking well of an evil doer only causes you to live in deception and become a liar.
2 John vv. 8-11
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
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Paul's instruction was this:
2 Timothy 3
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Be not partaker of other men's sins. (I Tim. 5:22) Keep thyself pure.
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Recently
we were changing cars. We told our neighbor for we knew she wanted a
larger version of an SUV. We had one for sale with only 11,000 miles.
She drove it several times. Then she proposed that Pam put a selling
price on the car title which was less than she actually paid for the
car. Pam said she could not do that. This woman thought about it and replied, "You're right. We should do that which is right." (honest)
Pam dealt with this in an honest way, continuing in peace, and even helped the neighbor (a Catholic woman) to see the dishonesty that would have come through lying concerning the sale price of the car. And the woman was restored to the right way to go.
(She did not buy this car. But she did return to what was right.)
Living in peace and truth and honesty.
I Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
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