EMBRACE Godly Friends To Keep Sexually Pure|4 Christian Friends To Cut Off

The company you spend most of your time with either builds or destroys you.

Dinah visited her girlfriends and when one of their brothers, Shechem, saw her, he took her away and raped her.

He fell in lust and said to his father, “I want to marry this girl.”

So Shechem and his father visited Dinah’s family and made them an offer to intermarry their children. But the brothers of Dinah were unhappy about the defilement of their only sister. They put one condition of marrying off Dinah.

All the men in the city had to circumcise first.

They accepted.

After circumcision when the men were still in pain, two of Dinah’s brothers stormed the city and killed every male. (Genesis 34)

This happened thousands of years ago but the same repeats in every generation. Hanging out with the wrong friends has landed many young people into harmful habits that lead to ruin.

Who you spend most of your time with will influence your life whether you realize it or not!

Please Study Psalms 1 and 101!

Peer pressure is real and powerful, either for good or for bad! As emotional beings, we tend to flow with what’s trending. And usually, the most followed path is the wrong one.

Jesus said broad is the way and wide is the gate that leads to hell. And narrow is the path that leads to life and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

It takes keeping company with the right friends to overcome sexual temptations and maintain sexual purity. This is not to say we should always be alone. No.

Singles without godly companions fall into harmful habits, too. The right friends sharpen us so we can become better people.

Apostle Paul wrote, “Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.” (2 Timothy 2:22) and King Solomon wrote, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” (Proverbs 13:20)

I discourage Christian singles from leaving their parent’s homes too early to start living alone before they’re ready. It’s wiser to wait until one is about to marry or when they have godly friends they can stay with who keep them accountable.

At university I lived with roommates. And when I left my parents place, I lived with a Christian friend. The few months I lived alone before starting courtship were lonely, hard and dangerous. They taught me the need to not be alone and seek godly friends to stay with.

In the story of Amnon and Tamar, the wrong advice destroyed the lives of these two young people and brought other problems to King David’s family. (2 Samuel 13) A wiser and godly friend would have averted the disaster.

4 Signs Of Keeping Bad Company

Have you ever found yourself in bad company? How do you know you’re in bad company?

Consider these guidelines:

#1: You’re in a bad when you hang out, go clubbing or to sleepovers with sexually active friends because you’ll soon start behaving like them. They won’t tell you to do anything but their actions are speaking louder than their words.

Be warned; the drinking clubs you see are dens of hungry wolves and lions that waylay innocent boys and girls to tear apart their bodies and mislead their souls. Those inside there may seem to have fun but the reality is they’re selling their souls to the devil!

#2: You’re in bad company when you’re watching unclean movies with dirty jokes, curse words, sexual immorality like fornication, homosexuality, adultery and porn or listening to secular sensual music. You’re slowly being desensitized to sin and will soon speak about and engage in the same things and feel no conviction, guilt, shame or remorse.

The Psalmist said, “I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar…” (Psalms 101:3a)

#3: You’re in bad company when you’re flirting with a girl or boy because words have the power to lead the other person astray.

5 Benefits Of Embracing Godly Friendships

#1: Companionship

Loneliness and isolation are not good for your spiritual, mental and emotional health. You need to belong to a family or fellowship where you’re loved, appreciated and accepted.

#2: Accountability

You need a person(s) to be answerable to about your personal life; highs and lows, whereabouts, love life, money decisions, etc. Such spiritually mature friends(s) will help you avoid certain dangers.

#3: Sharpening One Another

Who is learning and growing with you in knowledge, understanding and wisdom? (Proverbs 27:17)

Join or start a fellowship for sharpening each other. Read the Bible or books on topics of common interest together. Having constructive discussions will accelerate your personal and spiritual growth!

#4: Correction

When we make mistakes, we need someone who can correct us without fear or favour. We all need a ‘Prophet Nathan’ in our lives who can point a finger in our face and say, “You have done wrong, repent.” (2 Samuel 12:7)

King Solomon didn’t have such a prophet and failed in the end! The many wives he married turned his heart from the Lord and worshipped idols. (1Kings 11:1-13) Who corrects you?

No one is too wise for counsel and godly companions.

#5: Encouragement & Comfort

During hard times or moments of discouragement, you need someone to encourage you and in times of loss, someone to comfort you.

King Nebuchadnezzar exiled Daniel and his friends to Babylon miles away from their homeland.

When their caretaker obligated them to eat the lavish food at the king’s table, they refused to touch it and requested vegetables and water instead. The boldness and solidarity of their stand during that situation were the fruit of their personal godliness and godly friendship. (Daniel 1)

As we’ve already seen, Amon, King David’s son, made the greatest mistake of his life. He lusted for his stepsister Tamar and pretended to be sick. Then his adviser Jonadab gave him a plan for luring Tamar into his room and rape her.

Because he listened to the wrong advice, he raped Tamar and a few years later, her brother Absalom killed Him to avenge the wrong done to his sister.

What kind of friends do you walk with? Are they adding value to your life? If not, cut them off.

5 Dangerous Christian Friends To Cut Off

The Idle Christian. (2 Thessalonians 3:6)

This person is idle, doesn’t like to work and doesn’t take care of his/her family if he has one. Remember the saying, “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”

“Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.” (Ezekiel 16:49)

The Sexually Immoral Christian. (1 Corinthians 5:11)

As Christians, we don’t keep living in sin, rather we repent and turn from our sin. (1 John 3:9) Such Christians who live in sin and refuse to repent will corrupt you too.

The Divisive Christian. (Titus 3:10-11)

This is a person who causes divisions in the church even after being warned several times. He hates correction even from the church leadership.

The Lying Christian. (Colossians 3:9)

People speak what fills their hearts. Listen to the person you admire while they speak. Are their words clean, holy and pleasing to God? Do they lie or fail to keep their promises? Do they slander or gossip about others? If they can lie to others, they’ll lie to you and gossip about you given a chance.

The False Teacher. (1 Timothy 6:3-5)

This is someone who chases deep revelations and prophecies and who sways from sound doctrine. They’re always learning but show no willingness to live right. Their error is poisonous and you do well to avoid them.

Here is a wonderful Psalm from King David that should serve as our guidelines as we embrace godly friends.

¹I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.
I will praise you with songs.
² I will be careful to live a blameless life—
when will you come to help me?
I will lead a life of integrity
in my own home.
³ I will refuse to look at
anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all who deal crookedly;
I will have nothing to do with them.
⁴ I will reject perverse ideas
and stay away from every evil.
⁵ I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.
I will not endure conceit and pride.

⁶ I will search for faithful people
to be my companions.
Only those who are above reproach
will be allowed to serve me.
⁷ I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house,
and liars will not stay in my presence.
⁸ My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked
and free the city of the Lord from their grip.

Psalm 101

Thank you for reading this article. I welcome your comments and questions – as iron sharpens iron, let’s sharpen each other.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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