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What Kind Of People Do You Communicate With?

December 16, 2007

The importance of godly fellowship

Acts 2:42 “… they [the baptized members of the church in Jerusalem] continued stedfastly [“were continually devoting themselves,” NAS] in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”

Evil communications corrupt

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

Evil company corrupts good habits NKJ

Bad company corrupts good morals NAS

Bad company corrupts good character NIV

Evil company does damage to good behavior BBE

Behave wise toward them that are without

Colossians 4:5 Walk [conduct yourself, or behave yourself] in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Without covenant relationship

Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus (in the church, which is His body 1:22-23) you who once were far off have been brought near (the new covenant – the promise of the kingdom) by the blood of Christ.

Without the church

1 Corinthians 5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without (those “of this world” v.10 not in the church)? do not ye judge them that are within (the church)?

Our friends influence and shape us

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

It is so easy to learn their ways

Proverbs 22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man, And with a furious man do not go, 25 Lest you learn his ways And set a snare for your soul.

Choose your friends carefully

Proverbs 12:26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray (NKJ).

A good companion

Psalm 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

To be wise walk with the wise!

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

Didn’t Jesus eat with sinners??

Matthew 9:10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.

Mark 2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?

Jesus ate with sinners calling them to repentance!

Luke 5:30-32 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31 And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. 32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

If we do not reprove the sins of others we

have fellowship with them

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them [present active imperative].

Reproving by avoiding and turning away from

Proverbs 4:14-15 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

It is God’s will that we stay in the world

John 17:15-16 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Associations with immoral people are inevitable

1 Corinthians 5:9-10 I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; 10 I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters; for then you would have to go out of the world.

Resist the temptation of sinners to influence you

Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.

Do not be unequally yoked together – be ye separate!

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people." 17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." 18 "I will be a Father to you [2Sam.7:13-14 – a promise of the kingdom], And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty."

Jesus had a purpose for associating with the world

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Are you the salt and the light of this world?

Matthew 5:13-16 " You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Communicate more with the members of the church

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together [the holy brethren 3:1], as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (KJV).

Hebrews 10:25 And let us not neglect our meeting together [the holy brethren 3:1], as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near (NLT).