When I
was a teen I liked to watch teen movies where character development was the
major part of the story. It always made
me sad though to see a relatively ‘good’ person get caught up in a gang, a
group of badly behaved teens, or really rebellious group because I knew the
grief that would eventually happen, or the person would change for the
worse. “Do not be deceived; evil
companionships corrupt good habits.” (1Cr. 15:33) That is the reason the Bible admonishes us to
be careful, but check out with whom:
I wrote to you in the letter not to associate
intimately with fornicators; yet
not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or
extortioners, or with idolaters; for then you must go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to
associate intimately, if any man called
a brother and is either a
fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an
extortioner; with such a one not to eat. 1Cr. 5:9-11
fornicator- sexual immorality of any kind
covetous- eager to have more or what belongs to
others
idolater- given to blind or excessive
devotion to something- anything
reviler- scoffer, one who insults, treating others
bad by use of words
drunkard- drunk, intoxicated
extortioner- monetarily preying on others, getting
money using force or threats
Notice the
difference between intimately associating with the world and our brothers in
the Lord. If it’s the world, God is okay
with it because He wants us to spread His Truth, but our brother should be
doing his best to live a holy life (ourselves as well). Having said that, if he is trying but
struggling, if he hates his sin but can’t seem to break free, if his heart
wants desperately to stop sinning, then I don’t think these verses apply to him
for God looks on the heart (1Sm. 16:7).
If he is unrepentant, regularly practices, or doesn’t want or feel the
need to stop, then that’s a different matter and whom I believe this passage is
talking about.
For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving
the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, Hb.
10:26 ESV
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil…
1Jh. 3:8 ESV
No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for
God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been
born of God. 1Jh. 3:9 ESV (also 5:18)
When I was a
teen, born again, I went with friends to hand out tracts outside a male strip
club. A group of happy, laughing women headed in and we handed them tracts. They
said, “Hey, we’re born again too!” and they meant it. I couldn’t understand how you could be saved
and still choose to participate in such things, so I asked. They believed as long as you’re saved you
could do what you want. Biblically
incorrect.
Yes, we are all sinners, but just where is our heart? Is it owned by God?…
Oh Lord, please help us all!