Bad Company

The company you keep. 

Why is it we read things like this?

"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 6:17

We read things like this.

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." 1 John 1:5-10

One more.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions, are not from the Father but from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." 1 John 2:15-17

Why do we read things like this? Because we are keeping "bad company." Especially when you first get saved. Before you get saved? Guess what? YOU are bad company. But not anymore. The problem is, they still are.

This is what we will be talking about coming up in the next few weeks. Bad Company. Yes, some of you have the song playing in your head right now. We will be talking about,

1- Bad Company

2- Separate from Bad Company

3- Coming together with Good Company.

Let's start with the basics. You and your childhood group of friends. Think about them. You all did the same things. The good, the bad, the ugly. Think about your close nit inner circle of friends you had before you got saved. You all did the same things. The good, the bad, the ugly. You know their secrets and they know yours. You were all the same.

Herein lies the problem. You are no longer the same. The Word declares that once you are saved, that you,

"have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Colossians 3:10

But they are not new. They have not changed. They are the same. They still drink, do whatever, and mess around with this or that. Sleep around. Look at things you should no longer be looking at. Doing the things you USED to do, but now should no longer be doing. They are still doing and enjoying doing these things.

Here is the problem. In a lot of cases, they want YOU to still be doing all these things too. When you say no? They become offended and they think you think you are better than them. The sad truth is, no matter how much you may desire to have them join you and accept Jesus and give up their sin, unless God Himself calls them, and they decide for themselves to accept the call, they will never even hear what you say. Why? Because you are speaking a new tongue. You are speaking spiritually. They are seeing, hearing, and living in the flesh. look what Jesus told the religious folks of the day.

"Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word." John 8:43

Paul writes this in his letter to Rome.

"For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:7-8

I understand your compassion and your desire to free those you love from the laws of sin and death. God has blessed me, with three beautiful children. Joshua is not going to be seventeen years old this year. He accepted Jesus into his heart at age 7. Without conversation or prompting, he stood up and walked up to the altar, and asked to be, and was, baptized. Elijah is 11, and Maya is now 7, at this time. When the time comes, it will be their choice. No matter how much I love them, I could even lay down my life for them. It is STILL up to them.

Your friends are the same way. Your other family members are the same way. It is a personal decision to accept and believe or reject and not believe. However, look at this warning in the Bible.

“Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 1 Corinthians 15:33

The short answer is "No." You really cannot be a new child of God and still remain as you were before. You can not accept Jesus and sin on. look here.

"For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries." Hebrews 10:26-27

You hear how God so loved the world. You hear how Jesus came to earth and lived His life sin-free, only to die to pay the price for YOUR sin and mine. For YOUR sin, His back was torn apart by a cat of nine tails. For YOUR sin, He was tortured and hung on a cross to die. For His love for you, He called you out of the bondage of sin and death. Continue reading a little bit further.

"How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?" Hebrews 10:29

In departing some of his God-given wisdom, Solomon wrote this.

"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Proverbs 13:20

Are they bad people? Are they really bad company? These are your best friends, and some are even your blood. Your family. Is it fair to call them bad company? Well? Just because they are not bad, in a worldly sense, does not mean they are good for you. They do not have faith. Paul warns us that “Whatever is not from faith is sin." Romans 14:23, and here,

“And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

I encourage you to read all of Romans chapter 8. It gives a clear and concise picture of the difference between walking in the Spirit, of which you are now, or at least you should be, and walking in the flesh, which is what everyone, including your most loved ones, is doing, who have no faith in Jesus or God.

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. " Romans 8:5

A little bit later we read this.

"You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact, the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." Romans 8:9-11

They are living in the and according to the flesh.

"For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. " Romans 8:13

It's like this. You get on a plane and fly to Japan. You get off and what do you see and hear? You see Japanese people doing Japanese things. Talking in their Japanese tongue. Unless you learned these things and this language you will have no idea what is going on. Are they trying to offend you? Are they trying to hurt your feelings? No. They are just simply being them. You do not understand because you are not them. 

You have been adopted into the Kingdom of God. You have become a new person and Heaven is now your home. You have new ways and a new language that your friends and family no longer understand. Most of the time, if we are to be truthful, they do not like the new you.

This is why it is so important, not for their sake, but for your own, that you separate. That you come apart from them. Oh, by all means, share the truth with them. Tell them the good news. But if they cannot hear you? If they are not willing to learn? Chances are more likely that YOU will fall back into your old ways, far before they come to salvation. Besides that, you can still feed into them without being them.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be well, be blessed, and Jesus IS Lord!