Have you been developing a close
friendship with unregenerate people? Have you been ‘dating’ an
unbeliever? Or have you been maintaining your relationship with a
Christian in an unbiblical, worldly, carnal manner? Then, please
consider the following warnings of God’s Word, and quickly deliver
yourself from the displeasure of God and much heart-wrenching
consequences in life.
Consider what an ungodly relationship brings upon you:
It pours contempt on Christ and the spiritual union with Him
Ungodly marriages and adulterous relationships of Christians not only
despise but also pour contempt on the sanctity of your spiritual union
with the Lord. So, all Christians are admonished in 1 Corinthians
6:15-20, “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I
then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an
harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an
harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that
is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication… What? know ye
not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a
price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are
God’s.”
All genuine Christians are joined to Christ, and hence, there exists a
sacred spiritual union – a close, intimate spiritual oneness with Christ
– “he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” Because of this
spiritual union of believers with Christ, “We are members of his body,
of his flesh, and of his bones” (Ephesians 5:30). This sacred union with
Christ is an abiding relationship that His people cherish more than all
other relationships. They are eternally bound to Him and therein grow
in closer communion with Him. For this reason, they should not enter
into or maintain any relationship that would betray or desecrate their
union with Christ.
If you are a Christian, you certainly would not appreciate a
relationship with someone who does not honour Christ. If you are truly
bound to Christ, you will not drift away from Him with someone who does
not appreciate Christ and His righteousness. It is a terrible scorn on
Christ to be in an ungodly relationship!
It promotes unbelief and ungodliness
A Christian’s intimate relationship with unbelievers places him in a
league that accepts and supports unbelief and unrighteousness. Hence,
Scripture warns us, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what
concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth
with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?
for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell
in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my
people” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16).
How could Christians, who are saved out of unrighteousness, darkness,
idolatry and all other forms of worldly and satanic activities, be in
alliance with those who continue in them? Christians are always expected
to keep away from the ways of unconverted men. 2 Corinthians 6:17
exhorts believers, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will
receive you”. Christians should never associate with anyone in a manner
that would erase the line of demarcation between them and unbelievers.
It is the duty of Christians to extricate themselves from all
relationships that would require them to accept quietly and support
others’ unbelief and ungodliness.
It propels one into sinful conduct
Christians are warned: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt
good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Close and intimate communication
resulting from ungodly companions will corrupt any Christian. Anyone who
thinks that he or she will be unaffected by close companionship with
unregenerate people is deceived. A Christian who grows closer and closer
to a non-Christian is lying if he claims that his morals have not been
corrupted. The influence that an ungodly person can have on Christians
should never be underestimated – “a little leaven leaveneth the whole
lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6)!
God’s people are therefore warned: “Enter not into the path of the
wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it,
turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done
mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and
more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they
know not at what they stumble” (Proverbs 4:14- 19). Likewise, Proverbs
22:24-25 cautions: “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a
furious man thou shalt not go: Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare
to thy soul.”
It provides bad example for others
Scripture cautions us about men and women who would not only walk
disorderly but also become a motivation for others to follow their
ungodly example. 2 Peter 2:2 speaks of this dangerous and ensnaring
scenario – “And many shall follow their pernicious ways”!
Why would you or I be a bad example of rebellion and betrayal? Instead,
let us be “an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in
charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1Timothy 4:12b).
By Rev (Dr) Prabhudas Koshy
