Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm
You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep. I have seen the damage done time and time again by people who once went to church, and still hanged out with their old friends only to find themselves pulled back into the world. Especially when you become a new believer, you can not hang out with the old friends like you used to and think you will not be affected.
Before I became a Christian, I loved hanging out with my friends. We didnt go out robbing people or get drunk but we used to go out at the weekends and go to parties and clubs and generally have a good laugh. But when I became a Christian, my allegiance changed (which was quite hard admittedly) but I knew I had to be around like minded people who loved God and loved his word. I had to throw out all of my old records because at that time, I could not handle it because of the affect it had on me. Looking back now, this was definitely God changing me
Now I am not saying that you should never mingle with non christians or old friends but when they begin to have a negative affect on your spiritual life, then maybe its time to loosen the reins.
This is also so true with ministers of the gospel that hang around together. Of course there are exceptions and but generally you can have a good idea the where a pastor or minister stands theologically by the people that they have to speak at their meetings and conferences and the ministers that they ‘hang around’ with.
The best analogy I can give is if you are a sheep, you feel uncomfortable being in a pig pen and vice versa. If you are comfortable in a pig pen, then it is probably because you are a pig. Do you feel comfortable hanging around with people who constantly swear, get drunk etc. Then it maybe a good idea to examine yourself to see if you are truly saved.
So my advice is find wise people and be in their company as much as possible. It could literally save your life
Alan…hmmm…I don’t really know about this one.
The problem is that a lot of churches are just Christian ghetto’s that aren’t really anything more than humanistic or egotistical landing places.
It’s widely reported that both Luther and Calvin used common street language in their ministries. Many of the hymns used in the protestant church are words set to old bar songs and even Jesus hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes.
What I am getting at is “Hanging Out” with someone who is not of your faith and in fact is openly against your faith does not bring your salvation into question. On the day of judgment each person will account for themselves, not their friends.
I hear what you are saying Marty and you are correct. Maybe I did not make myself clear in the blog. Our salvation does not depend on who we hang around. But from experience I have found that christians who prefer to generally (and I stress generally) hang out with unbelievers than believers normally get influenced by them. That is not to say that we should not hang out with them at all otherwise, how can we win them to Christ. I suppose I am trying to say that there must be a healthy balance
Thanks for your comments
Hi, first time visitor here…
I agree with what you say Alan and can apply it directly to my life. I had to cut some strings because, to be quite honest, when I started take true walk with GOD, that not one of the folks I considered friends or close acquaintances believe as I believe. For them GOD and Jesus are bywords. These are OK people, you know, as we are all OK people. But if I can’t even speak with them about the most important aspect of my life…then it becomes harder and harder to call them my friends.
And one definitely cannot serve two masters… you know how it goes… either you will cling to one and despise the other, you can’t serve GOD and mammon, a body divided cannot stand, etc.
In my case, I haven’t cut all of these people off and out 100 percent. I hold the ones I need to at a certain distance and interact with the others as the Spirit leads me. I am in no way or shape ‘better’ than they are, but I have accepted the truth and love abiding in the light. If they feel oppositely, one day this would divide us anyway.
And, for those who may need to have me write this, I am not saying Christians need to ostracize the ‘unsaved’ or something. You would pretty much have to leave the planet if you wanted to avoid interaction with non-Christians (and there are many so-called Christians who need to be avoided, too). Every saved person is a repentant sinner…only One came into this world without sin.
Remember, it rains on both the godly and the unjust.
Peace, http://www.lavrai.com/blogs
Very well stated Lavrai. Thanks for your contribution
I LOVE THIS BLOG, the bible clearly tell us to choose are friend wisely
Proverbs 12:26
26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
So to say this has nothing to do with your christian walk is , totaly off, either you take the bible entirely or none at all, this goes back into surrendering your life completely to christ as paul said it is no longer I who lives but christ in me who lives. Hang around fools you will become a fool, i think peole who would argue with this should read the book of proverbs again, wonderful blog!!!
Matthew 4:4 (New King James Version)
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
1 Corinthians 5:11
11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person.
There is a fine line here though. The bible also states that you should not judge, which is basically what you are doing. Maybe your friends aren’t walking on the same path as you as far as faith goes, but it is your duty as a Christian to show the road to them.
Teller A:
The Bible does not say not to judge. This is an oft-misquoted part of Matthew chapter 7.
The whole context states thus,
1Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
It says to first cast out the beam in your own eye. Once you have done that, then you can see clearly to cast the mote out of someone else’s eye. We clearly can judge, just so long as we are not committing the same sin.
The Bible also states:
John 7:24
Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
1 Corinthians 6:2
Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1 Corinthians 6:3
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
Also, the LORD tells us to be separate:
Ephesians 4:17 (King James Version)
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind.
Alan is right.
First of all, please tell me where is the judgment? Secondly where am I not showing love?
First time visitor here..
I loved this posting!!!!!! This is so on point. Really..you are not judging anyone. It’s like my mother used to say “Birds of feather flock together”. Similar people go to the same places and do the same things together…
I understand completely. When we truly submit our lives to the Lord we do not want anyone or anything to jeopordize our testimonies and our spiritual growth. We are trying to live a life pleasing to God and we can not allow ourselves to be tempted by constantly surrounding ourselves with places or people that may cause us to stumble.
Our friends may not understand..but if they are true friends they will respect our decision. Ever since I decided to really surrender to the Word of God I had to be careful which of my old friends I chose to hang out with because they would purposely try to see if I was still the old me.
I still have some friends that are unsaved but I am wise about when and where we hang out. I will not compromise my faith by allowing them to influence me. My goal is to be a positive influence on them and lead them to the Lord. That is what Jesus was doing when he was hanging out with the tax collectors, he was influencing and ministering to them.
My desire is to please the Lord and not go back to the pig pen.
Thanks again for this posting..How do I subscribe? Do you have a mailing list for new postings?
in my experience I have found self proclaimed christians rather two faced individuals and therefore I stay clear of this type…what’s wrong in just being a decent human being?? signed…happy nonbeliever….please don’t try to convert .
It’s funny how many self professed non-believer hangout at these Christian sites. Christianity is addictive, beware you may become one.
Addicted to Christ my self!!
You may be a happy now kittykat but you still will be guilty when you die and you need a savior.
Read http://realchristianity.wordpress.com/a-message-to-non-christians/
or
http://www.readthisbeforeyoudie.com
FYI Marty the majority of Jesus time was spent with his disciples not with tax collectors although i do not deny that he did spend time with them he did with the goal of converting them and making them have the same morals that Jesus did. Further more you are not Judging the individual you are simply choosing to avoid these individuals for your own good, you should not be thinking any less of them, just avoiding them because of your morals.