Posted by: Bill Hornbeck | November 30, 2011

“Bad company corrupts good morals.” But, God surrounds us with good company!

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Corinthians 15:33-34.
 
33 Do not be deceived:  “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
 
34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning;  for some have no knowledge of God.  I speak this to your shame.”  1 Corinthians 15:33-34.
 
————————
 
Think of the context.  The immediately preceding verse speaks of the attitude of some who say:  “LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.”  These people seek to party as much as they can with no or insufficient knowledge of God, His will, and their accountability to God.  These people are an example of this “bad company” who can corrupt good morals.  In resisting the temptation to run with this crowd, the admonition that we should “become sober-minded” is certainly appropriate.
 
Instead of hanging around bad company who can be this partying type of people or any other “bad company” with different lusts, but who also have in common no or insufficient knowledge of God, His will, and their accountability to God, we should hang around people who seek knowledge of God, His will, and how they may fulfill their duties to God.
 
1 Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart,
In the company of the upright and in the assembly
.
2 Great are the works of the LORD;
They are studied by all who delight in them.
3 Splendid and majestic is His work,
And His righteousness endures forever.
4 He has made His wonders to be remembered;
The LORD is gracious and compassionate.
5 He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will remember His covenant forever.
6 He has made known to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the heritage of the nations.”  Psalm 111:1-6.
 
As for the saints who are in the earth,
They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight
.”  Psalm 16:3. 
 
Although we should seek out such good company, our ultimate trust is not in our own ability to do so, but rather our ultimate trust is in God that He will do what He promised a few chapters ago in 1 Corinthians Chapter 12.  God has placed each of us, members of the body of Christ, in the body, just as He desired.  1 Corinthians 12:18. 
 
God surrounds us with good company!      
 
“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;  until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”  Ephesians 4:11-13.

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