Choose wisely whom you hang out with!

For the follower of Jesus, who we spend time with is very important. The people we spend time with will influence us in many ways. God warned us of this in His Word:



2 Corinthians 6:14-18

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,



“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,

and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

17 Therefore go out from their midst,

and be separate from them, says the Lord,

and touch no unclean thing;

then I will welcome you,

18 and I will be a father to you,

and you shall be sons and daughters to me,

says the Lord Almighty.”



It is easy to see what God is saying here, if you are a follower of Christ hang out with followers of Christ. Look at all the opposites between a follower and a non-follower:



1. Righteousness vs. Lawlessness

2. Light vs. Darkness

3. Christ vs. Belial(devil)

4. Believer vs. non-Believer

5. Temple of God (your body) vs. Idols



Wow. Some non-followers would like to say, just because I am not a follower of Jesus does not mean I am a follower of the devil. Well according to the bible there is no in between! You are either of God or you are of the world. Being of the world means you are a follower of the prince of this world which is the devil himself!



Now the hard part about not being unequally yoked is witnessing to these folks. The bible is clear we are to love, meet needs, and share the gospel with unbelievers. The key here is you do these things but you are not spending great amounts of time in which you can be negatively influenced. It is a fine line to walk. God even warned us of this here:



1 Corinthians 10:12



12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.



No matter how strong we think we are in the Lord, we can be influenced, and if we are spending great amounts of time with an unbeliever we can fall!!!



So be very careful with those you spend great amounts of time with! God is clear in His Word on this!



Tom