IT'S NOT WORTH IT: EVIL ASSOCIATION

Hello beloved saints, I welcome you to the month of October in the name of the Lord Jesus. I hope you are increasing in the knowledge of God? This month, I will be sharing with you on what I titled “EVIL ASSOCIATION.” 

Many have argued that the company a person keeps does not necessarily have much impact on his or her character. They say many people have become great and successful inspite of their perverse lifestyle and bad behaviour. The one who molded us disagrees with this notion. He declared in His word that evil communication corrupts good manners (1st Corinthians 15:33). Irrespective of a person’s background or lifestyle, the company you keep and the kind of information you consume determines the predominant thoughts that rules your hearts, and they go a long way to establish who you are and the kind of future that awaits you. 

The Bible says in Psalm 1:1-4, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, not standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsover he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.” Beloved, ungodly association have no future with you, The company or association you keep can either make you or mar you. The lives of so many believers have deviated from the original plans God has for them just because of the wrong association they choose to carry on with. Their lifestyle, attitude and character is no longer built on the initial counsel of the ungodly association which they keep which they call friends. 

Moving with an evil association is very dangerous to a Christian’s spiritual stand. It will gradually lead him into sin. There are three stages to this downward course. First, he walks along with the ungodly. They might be the people he met at his or her work place or anywhere else even in church who invite him to go to pleasure seeking on Sunday when he should be in Church. Next we find him standing in the way of sinners. Finally, he feels a little more at home, and soon finds himself taking on their ways. Until he eventually sits in the seat of the scornful mocking all that is righteous and holy, and hating the teachings that the bible set forth. 

It would be a great error for you to think of the term “evil association” only with respect to interaction with unbelievers; it can also apply to inter personal relationship among Christians. God wants us to shun the evil activities of the ungodly just as much as He wants us to avoid every appearance of evil among Christians. The Holy Spirit teaches us that those who perpetrate backbiting, disobedience, rebellion and false doctrine among brethren should be identified and avoided (2nd Thessalonians 3:6). He explicitly says in Romans 16:17, “Now, I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” 

A Christian must carefully choose his companions. He lives in the world of sin, does business with its inhabitants, and to a certain extent lives among those who are ungodly. But a Christian must realize the danger of close association with any member of a “mixed multitude,” lest he takes on himself the sin of that group or be found unnecessarily in their company more than in the company of God’s children. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.” 2nd Corinthians 6:17. 

If conversing too frequently and too freely with worldly minded acquaintances has no other ill effect upon a man, it will put a bias on his mind that will continually draw him to the earth. Instead of being wholly transformed in the renewing of his mind, he will be again conformed to this world with its vain conversation. But whosoever renounce the company of ungodly association, God expressly said, “And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2nd Corinthians 6:18. 

God bless you. See you next month.