FRIENDS

There is one thing that most all people desire to have, we desire to have friends. This is a desire that begins very early in life. Don’t you find it amazing that children can be fighting one moment and hugging and playing together the next? We can certainly learn a lesson from children about forgiveness. As we grow older we begin to pick and choose our friends. This can be a good thing! If there is anything that a parent should teach their children I would suggest to “teach them to choose their friends wisely.” The Bible class teacher should take this advice also. The preacher from the pulpit should also teach this. Tragically some choose the wrong friends and this is what this article is about.

A good point to begin this teaching is to warn that the wicked will tempt us: (Neh 6:2-4) "That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. {3} And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? {4} Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner." We should take notice that the temptation of the wicked does not just come ONE TIME! As verse four informs they will keep trying to get us to join in their sin. Friends, we must be on guard all the days of our lives. There is a very strong exhortation in the book of Proverbs to shun all inducements to wickedness: (Prov 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." Yes, teach this to your children; begin this teaching at a very young age and remember to apply it to yourself as long as you live.

Then we can teach about the dangers in choosing wicked friends; (Num 16:26) “And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins." Regardless of how strong we may think our will-power to be there is always the danger of yielding to temptation. If we place ourselves in the midst of wickedness there is always the danger that we too might be “consumed in their sins”.

To the very young we might want to inform them of some of the wickedness that exists in the world around them: (1 Cor 5:9-11) "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: {10} Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. {11} But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." Although this is only a partial listing of the wickedness in our world it is a good place to begin.

We should also teach both the young and the not so young the consequences of choosing the wrong friends. Warn the young that they will bring shame unto their parents: (Prov 28:7) "Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father." Warn the not so young that in choosing the wrong friends they will bring shame to their character: (1 Cor 15:33) "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."

Choosing the wrong friends is unbecoming to those who are called saints: (2 Cor 6:14-16) "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? {15} And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? {16} And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

We must be sure to teach those who have chosen the wrong friends that there is a way that we can have God’s forgiveness: (2 Cor 6:17-18) "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, {18} And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Withdraw from them, make new friends and God will receive you!