“Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33-34
As godly fathers and mothers are to have a sincere focus on building and shaping godly character and living in their children, as young men and women grow to be well disciplined in the Word and ways of the Lord, the good fruit of such deposit and investment manifests in their continued walk in wisdom as young adults and well into adulthood, Lord willing. So, young men, I have more words of wisdom for you today. I pray that you receive, hold on to, and apply them well.
By the way, I hope it’s well understood that these devotions for young men don’t merely bear wise words for them, but for all who read them. Young women, read them and be blessed as you consider biblical traits and practices godly men should pursue and seek to possess.
Young men, here is a three-fold investment for you regarding:
- The words you speak- As I mentioned briefly last week, the words that come out of your mouth need to be bridled and few. Never forget that it’s out of the abundance of your heart that your mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34) The poison that can come from the free flapping of your tongue must be restrained and not allowed to spew forth. If you don’t have wise or edifying words to share, hold your tongue. Solomon speaks to this in Proverbs 17:27-28 “He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.”
- Speaking as one with knowledge and wisdom is more of a challenge than we are often willing to admit, isn’t it, man of God? For we can all too easily let our passions fly. We can give in to peer pressure, blending in with sin and evil around us. We can snap and bite with the jaws of wolves, wounding tender hearts. We can gossip and slander with serpentine tongues. We all too often hurt our family, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and give a poor witness of Christ to the world as we act just like them. A sad and dangerous thing is that we can be so used to doing so, our conscience is no longer pricked when we cross the line God has drawn in His Word. Considering all of this, go to Christ, young men. Go to Christ and look daily into the mirror of His law. Don’t rationalize or minimize the sin it reveals to you. With the eyes of your heart opened, and sorrow deepened, go to Christ often seeking His mercy and forgiveness, seeking the aid and work of His Spirit to shut your mouth, bridle your tongue, and educate your conscience once again.
- Hear and heed the Apostle Paul’s words to the Galatians in Galatians 5:13-15 “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”
- The company you keep- Hear the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 above and take them to heart. Many in Corinth undoubtedly thought that they could maintain sound doctrine and godly wisdom in their walk, that their godly morals would be unaffected regardless of the friends they surrounded themselves with. They thought they could surround themselves with the worldly wise and still flourish in the wisdom from above. Did the Apostle Paul agree with such belief? No! In fact, he called it a lie. Specifically, many in Corinth had latched on to a defective view of the Resurrection because of the influence of the bad company they kept. They in turn were corrupting others, or lit. bringing deterioration and ruin to the godly morals of others in the congregation as well. Many of the saints had sadly been deceived by false doctrine.
- And so, this is a good word of warning for you today as this proverb in verse 33 teaches an important principle that can be rightly and broadly applied in your life today. Who do you listen to and allow to influence you? It’s one thing to engage with the world and establish limited relationships with those of it to bear witness of Christ. It’s another to bring them or false teachers into your inner circle and allow them to shape you. Are you unconcerned about worldly friends you keep?
- Indeed, heed Paul’s call and command in verse 34- “Awake to righteousness and do not sin.” Shed any evil, and surround yourself and grow with good and godly company, who have the knowledge of God. Surround yourself and grow with those who will support and encourage in your thoughts, words, and walk in godliness. For he who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. (Proverbs 13:20) “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2)
- The path that guides your feet- Young men, do not be deceived and therefore willing to leave the straight and narrow path. Don’t follow the pack down the wide path that leads to destruction and Hell. (Matthew 7:13-14) Your friends can likewise be deceived. They too can take the bait and encourage you to follow them. They can dull the sting of sin. Remember that at first glance your change of course may not look or feel bad. It likely will have things in it that look harmless and feel good. It has that greener grass. But, it’s full of death. No sooner than you know it and you’re at the doorstep of the immoral woman’s house in the dark night.
- Solomon describes it this way, “For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, and saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, a young man devoid of understanding, passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night. 10 And there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. She was loud and rebellious, her feet would not stay at home. At times she was outside, at times in the open square, lurking at every corner.” (Proverbs 7:6-12)
- This is all the more reason for you to choose your friends and companions well. This is all the more reason in guarding your eyes and heart. As you walk with godly friends, encourage and sharpen one another with the Word as you stay grounded in the Word and committed to walk with Christ in the light together as He is in the light. Keep the Apostle John’s words fresh in your mind and close in your heart- “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and 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 Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:6-7)
And so, young men, though your walk is challenging, trying, and even daunting at times, engage and stay in the fight. As we’ve been refreshed in our study of the good and worthy warfare in 1 Timothy in our morning preaching series at Heritage, see your speech, company, and path to be part of your battle as essential areas in your sanctification and growth in godliness and holiness. Don’t be a fool, but wise, strong, and growing stronger in and for Christ!