“Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” -1 Cor 15:33
God is not just concerned with our witness to the world but our nearness to the world, He doesn’t just care about how you affect the world but how the world affects you. Proverbs cautions us to be careful with whom we hang out with; “Don’t make friends with a hot-tempered man, and do not associate with someone who is easily angered, 25 or you may learn his ways and find yourself caught in a trap.”, (22:24-25 ISV). In other words you are who you hang out with! When we take the bait of ungodly friendships we fall into a trap hard to get out of.
Indeed bad company does corrupt good character - it puts a cover on our light and it takes the flavor out of our salt. You see influence is dependant on our proximity to others, therefore Influence is proximal, and we are most affected by those we are nearest to. If you make it a habit to hang out with your old friends you will also pick up old habits, for old friends often come with old habits. If you choose to marry an unbeliever you might not see the effects in the courthouse, when they say “I do”, but in the house when they say “I don’t” - I don’t want to go to church, I don’t want your Jesus, and I don’t want you there either”.
God understands the principle of proximity - the effect of those we are nearest to - therefore He calls us to not be unwise but wise with who we spend time with. It is very interesting that James tells us to “draw near to God and He will draw near to us” (Jam 4:8) right after he cautions us about our ties with the world. (4:4) In conclusion the wise Christian must create two things: proximity to God and distance from the godless.
Indeed bad company does corrupt good character - it puts a cover on our light and it takes the flavor out of our salt. You see influence is dependant on our proximity to others, therefore Influence is proximal, and we are most affected by those we are nearest to. If you make it a habit to hang out with your old friends you will also pick up old habits, for old friends often come with old habits. If you choose to marry an unbeliever you might not see the effects in the courthouse, when they say “I do”, but in the house when they say “I don’t” - I don’t want to go to church, I don’t want your Jesus, and I don’t want you there either”.
God understands the principle of proximity - the effect of those we are nearest to - therefore He calls us to not be unwise but wise with who we spend time with. It is very interesting that James tells us to “draw near to God and He will draw near to us” (Jam 4:8) right after he cautions us about our ties with the world. (4:4) In conclusion the wise Christian must create two things: proximity to God and distance from the godless.
- HOW IS SEPARATION NOT THE SAME AS ISOLATION? HOW CAN YOU BECOME AN INFLUENCER INSTEAD OF THE INFLUENCED?
- “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too." -Angry mob (Acts 17:6)