Influences/Testimony

1 Corinthians 15:33 KJV 1900

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Let’s learn some background of this passage:

Paul is telling us that in associating with false teachers, we will be adversely influenced by them. The truth is that false teachings do not lead to holiness. As such, it is critical that we are careful whom we form relationships with, especially those outside the church because unbelievers can cause even the strongest Christians to waver in their faith and adversely affect their walk with Christ and their witness to the world. This is why Paul tells us, “Do not be misled.” Actually, this was the second time Paul warned the Corinthians not to be deceived (1 Corinthians 6:9). He cautioned them not to take up the lifestyles of corrupt people—those who will not inherit the kingdom of God. Paul knew how easy it is for people to be influenced by such adverse teachings. If not checked at the very beginning, they could begin to adopt such perverted ideas and behaviors as normal. For this reason, Paul quotes a proverb by the Greek poet Menander: “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). No doubt this proverb was well known among Greeks of this time. The point Paul makes here is pertinent to all people in all ages. When we associate with or take delight in the company of people with worldly morals, we run the risk of mimicking their behaviors, their language, and their habits. Before long we no longer look like Christ, but we look like the world, with its denial of absolute authority, its rejection of the Bible as the Word of God, and its ideology of relative morality. This is especially pertinent to young people who are generally easily influenced by their peers. Young people are desperate for the approval of others. So motivated are they by the need for acceptance that godly wisdom in decision-making can go out the window in the face of peer pressure. Therefore, it is crucial for teens especially to be on guard against the influence of bad company.

Whatever is around you is influencing you.

Family, friends, church, school, internet, games, sports. Everything that you interact with is influencing you.

Specifically, one of the biggest influences in your life is your friends.

Friends can either destroy your life or tear your life down.

Usually, the “bad influences” start small. The first thing I think of when I think of small compromises in the Christian life is language and cursing. One of the sayings I really don’t like is when somebody says something like “I’m a Christian but I cuss sometimes”. That is something so small, that we can practice surrendering ourselves to the Spirit rather than the flesh.

Here’s why, if you can’t resist temptation in a matter so small as language how are you gonna resist temptation in a matter that’s even bigger, with even more temptation?

Listen to this statement, if you’re taking notes write this down, if you already tuned me out, hear this: Small compromises lead to great disasters.

Small compromises lead to great disasters.

or, little sins lead to big sins.

I wanna tell you a small snippet of my testimony of how this was evident in my own life. I don’t think I’ve told this specific story before, just cause I guess I didn’t really understand how serious this situation was.

— meet friend in jr high at church

— tells a dirty joke every once in a while

— uses a cuss word every once in a while

and was just that for a while until we got into high school

— he started messing around with girls

— started going to parties

**and so on

It all started with my friend, who told a dirty joke every once in a while.

Small compromises lead to great disasters.

1 Corinthians 15:33 KJV 1900

Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

So what do we do?

Remove the negative influences from your life.

Cut out the friend who really isn’t that great of a friend, delete the social media that always makes you bitter or makes you lust, whatever the source is, remove it.

Remove the bad influences from your life.

And then be a good influence. You have a realm of influence around you, even if you don’t think that you do. The kids in the grade below you look up to you, the kids in your class, everybody watches you. Be a positive influence on them.

Practically, how do I overcome these bad influences and temptations:

Paul gives us the answer at the end of this chapter.

1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV 1900

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain

Stand firm. What does it mean to stand firm, how do I stand firm?

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:13

Ephesians 6:13 KJV 1900

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Every single day when you wake up, you are entering the battle field. And every single day you must, you must prepare yourself, you must put on the armor of God.

You must put on the belt of truth- what is truth, Jesus said He is the truth, you must spend time with Jesus everyday and his Word is truth, we must be in His word. Pursue God’s truth through his word, Memorize His truth, memorize scripture.

You must put on the breastplate of righteousness- you must act right and the only way to do that is through the power of Christ, through prayer and meditating in his word. You must obey Him and His word.

You must put on the shoes of the gospel of peace- you must be able to stand, Ephesians repeatedly tells us to stand strong and the only way to do that is if we have a strong foundation, and our foundation is the gospel. We must remember and believe the gospel and Christ’s power to help us every day.

You must take the shield of faith- you must trust Christ daily. You must have faith that He has the power to work in you and give you victory in your day. If you lack faith or your struggling with belief that you can have victory, listen, you must read the word. The book of Romans says that Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. To increase your faith, you must be in the Word of God.

You must take the helmet of salvation- this protects the head and mind specifically. Surrender thoughts that don’t line up with Scripture. As Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Wash your mind with the renewing of God’s Word. As Romans 12:2 says, “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.”

You must take the sword of the spirit, the word of God- It is the only piece of armor that is both defensive and offensive. It helps us and hurts our enemy. “When we are tempted, the most effective weapon that God has given to us as believers is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. “Jesus modeled this so beautifully during His temptation in the wilderness. When the devil tried temptation after temptation against Him, Jesus used the sword of the Spirit (see Luke 4:1–13).” When the devil tempted him three times, Jesus responded with the truth of God’s word – every time.

Application:

Remove the negative influences.

Be a positive influence.

Stand strong by putting on the armor of God.