Do Not Imitate Evil, Even When It Looks Normal

“Do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.”
3 John 1:11

That line sounds simple, almost obvious. Most people read it, nod their head, and move on. But that sentence is far more confrontational than people realize, especially in the world we live in right now.

I want to slow this down and explain it in plain language, the way I would explain it sitting across the table from someone. No church jargon. No abstract theology. Just truth that lands where we actually live.

When Scripture says do not imitate what is evil, it is not talking about obvious villains. It is not talking about the extremes that everyone already agrees are wrong. It is talking about copying patterns, behaviors, attitudes, and decisions that have become normal in the world, even when they quietly oppose God.

That is the key word. Imitate.

Imitation means you are learning by watching. It means you are shaping how you think, act, decide, and justify yourself based on what you see around you. And here is the uncomfortable truth. Everyone imitates something. Nobody is neutral.

The world trains people every day. Business trains you. Media trains you. Social pressure trains you. Survival instincts train you. And if God is not living in you and actively shaping you, you will imitate the world without even realizing it.

That is why this command is not motivational. It is diagnostic.

Let me make this very practical.

A person says they are a Christian, but in business they lie a little because everyone lies. They exaggerate results because that is how deals get done. They hide details in contracts because that is industry standard. They justify it by saying they have to feed their family or keep the lights on.

That person is imitating evil, even if they pray at night and attend church on Sunday.

Another example. A person says they follow Christ, but they gossip constantly. They talk about people under the excuse of concern. They tear others down quietly. They enjoy hearing bad news about others because it makes them feel better about themselves. Everyone does it, so it feels harmless.

That is imitation. That is learned behavior. That is not good.

Or take this one. A person claims faith, but they are driven by envy. They compare their life, their income, their marriage, their influence, and their possessions to everyone else. They resent people who succeed. They secretly want others to fail. They call it ambition, but it is jealousy dressed up in polite language.

Scripture does not call that good. It calls that the flesh.

Here is where it gets uncomfortable for many people. You can believe the right things in your head and still imitate evil in your life. Scripture never says knowledge proves faith. Scripture says fruit proves faith.

Jesus said you will know them by their fruit, not by their vocabulary, not by their religious language, not by their labels.

The reason this feels impossible is because it is impossible without God living in you.

Left to ourselves, we will always copy what benefits us most in the moment. We will always drift toward comfort, approval, money, power, and self protection. That is human nature after the fall. Scripture is brutally honest about this.

That is why the command is paired with something else in Scripture. Walk by the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.

In other words, you do not stop imitating evil by trying harder. You stop by being changed from the inside.

When God is not in a person, they may admire goodness, but they cannot live it consistently. They may agree with truth, but they cannot obey it when it costs them something. They may respect righteousness, but they will abandon it under pressure.

That is why so many people think they are Christians while their daily lives contradict Christ. Not because they are evil monsters, but because they are imitating the wrong source.

The world says win at all costs. God says obedience matters more than outcome.

The world says protect yourself first. God says deny yourself.

The world says everyone bends the truth. God says let your yes be yes.

The world says get even. God says forgive.

The world says look out for number one. God says love your neighbor.

These are not minor differences. These are opposing kingdoms.

So when Scripture says do not imitate what is evil, it is not asking for perfection. It is calling for allegiance. Who are you copying? Who is shaping your decisions when nobody is watching? Who sets the standard when it costs you something?

And then it says but imitate what is good.

Good is not defined by culture. Good is defined by God’s character. What reflects Him is good. What contradicts Him is evil, even if it is legal, popular, profitable, or socially acceptable.

This is why clarity matters. A person cannot follow Christ while borrowing their values from the world. You cannot serve two masters. One will always shape you more than the other.

If God truly lives in you, He will confront the patterns you copied before you knew Him. He will disrupt your habits. He will challenge your excuses. He will make you uncomfortable, not to punish you, but to transform you.

And if none of that is happening, the question is not whether the verse is hard. The question is who is really being imitated.

That is the weight of that sentence. It is simple, but it is not shallow. It draws a line through everyday life and asks a very honest question.

Who are you becoming by what you are copying?