04/27/24 bad company

04/27/24 bad company

"EVIL COMPANIONS CORRUPT GOOD MORALS..." (a New Testament truth).

This means that you need to choose your companions carefully.
The unsaved need to be reached; they do not need to be supported in their sins.
The weak and shallow believer needs to be built up and encouraged in their Christian journey; they do not need to be excused from their carnality and worldliness.

Not only should we carefully choose our companions, we must make sure that we personally are good company, fellow travelers for other Christians.

If you hang around negativity, it will show up in your life.
If you hang around critical attitudes, it will sour your attitude.
If you hang around people who are focused on the present evil age, it will distort your spiritual values and vision.

If you are the negative, critical, worldly person, then you are a destructive influence on your family, your friends, your coworkers.

There are a great number of Biblical passages, which give us sound teaching, instruction and encouragement to live godly lives. Sadly, some people lose touch with the positive directives and need to be challenged with the negative statements.

While you are hungering and thirsting after righteousness, you do not need to be told abstain from the appearance of evil. But sadly, people veer from the strait and narrow and need to be warned about drifting and shifting or they need to be brought back into a right relationship with God. This shows the validity that, "a little leaven, leavens the whole lump."

If you mislead someone, it will take a lot more influence to get them to turn and then go in the right direction. Do not be a stumbling stone to others. Do not offend others. Do not mislead others.

Seek to be built up in the faith and live in such a way that you build others up in the faith.