Bad Company Corrupts Good Character! Skip to main content

Bad Company Corrupts Good Character!

Yes, there is a need to avoid Bad Company.

1 Corinthians 15: 33 says this "Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (NIV).

Do your friends corrupt your morals? Do you allow your friends to corrupt your morals? 
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It is important to choose wisely who you allow to influence you. We are humans and are easily corrupted by the company we keep. We need to prevent others bad influences from causing us to become a bad influence on ourselves and others. Friends can either help us or harm us. Only You can choose the company you keep! God made the statement in His Word, the Bible, which proclaims"Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (NIV). This statement reminds us that we are a building board for Jesus and we must not Waiver and stumble off the path that God has set for us. Bad company can have a great influence on our walk with God. It can trick us into thinking that we can keep the wrong type of company and continue on living and walk with God. Obviously, it doesn't quite work like that. 

"Don't be deceived...!" If you truly think that your walk with God will not suffer when you keep bad company, then you are deceiving yourself, because your walk will unquestionably suffer! Having this mindset assuredly corrupts the things that you stand for. When you begin to allow the influences of bad company to dominate your morals, you are allowing yourself to drift from your devotions, your values and your devotions to the Lord. Look at Solomon in (1 Kings 11:4). The bad company you continue to keep will eventually outweigh your existing knowledge, understanding and wisdom. Wisdom is having experience, it's what allows you to make the right decisions, to make good judgement, and be wise. But this wisdom, when corrupted can keep you from making the right decisions. Sources of bad company consist of friends who influence you wrongly and can, if allowed, corrupt your values and morals. 

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is; his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Roman 12: 2) (NIV). Friends are good and essential to have but you need to choose your friends wisely. Why? Simply because Proverbs 1:10-19 & Proverbs 4:14-19 warm us about friends and how and why they should be chosen wisley. 

So how can you choose the company you keep?

Well, good company/friends help us when you are in trouble and are in sticky situations. Good friends support you, pray for you, tell you when you're in the wrong, give you advise and express when you need to re-evaluate the bad thing you did. On the other hand, bad company can lead you to sin, lead you astray, desert you when you no longer benefit them, and give you bad advice (corrupt your wisdom, if allowed). "Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."  (Proverbs 27:5-6) (NIV). This passage reveals that a true friend will openly tell you about your conduct; when you need to find yourself again because they can see that you are beginning to get lost in the company you keep.




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Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I pray for wisdom and knowledge. Lord, I pray that we do not allow ourselves to stumble and become lost in the company we keep. Lord, I pray to be a reflection of You, Jesus, and not allow myself, my morals and integrity to become corrupt. Lord, show us the way to find good company and to not conform to the patterns of the world. Father, help us to remember that though we are in the world, we are not of it! In Jesus' name. Amen!

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