My dear mother, God rest her soul, used to tell me that I would be known by the company I kept. How right she was. But aside from being associated with the people I ran with something even more pernicious was taking place: I was actually becoming like them. “If they say, ‘Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood; let us ambush the innocent without reason; like Sheol let us swallow them alive, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder; throw in your lot among us; we will all have one purse’” - Proverbs 1:11-14. “One purse,” an apt way to describe any affiliation that places you and the crew you associate with in one bag.
The preceding example exemplifies people with near or certain criminal nature, but there are similar associations which, while not even remotely ‘criminal’, are just as corrupt and morally reprehensible. It may be the group of friends we hang out with. It could be that coworkers or school mates fit the bill. God forbid, it could even be members of our family or church! The one thing they all have in common is their immoral and godless way. “For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” - 2 Timothy 3:2-5
Scripture is clear on this issue - avoid these people and people like them at all costs. We will not merely be judged by the people you run with - you will be convicted with them! “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them . . .” - Ephesians 5:6-7. But what of family members and work relations? Are we to strain those relationships by giving them the cold shoulder?
Jesus never minced His words. Perhaps we should seek an answer to the above question from Him. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” - Matthew 10:34-37. I can already hear the objections to Jesus’ words. Weak and mollifying Christian ministers will try with all their might to minimize the gravity of Christ’s words just to ‘keep the peace.’ But what did Christ Himself say? You see, this is how critical proper exegesis is when interpreting the words of the Bible. When Scripture tells us to separate ourselves from unwholesome people, it means it, and it doesn’t matter what their relationship is to us. We cannot allow unrepentant sin to enter through our hearts, minds, or front doors! “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? . . . Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you . . . .” - 2 Corinthians 6:14-15,17.
Lord help us to keep ourselves clear of bad company less we are judged by the company we keep.
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