1 Corinthians 15:33

Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

(v33, NIV)

Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals."

(v33, NASB)

Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."

(v33, ESV)

Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

(1 Corinthians 5:6, ESV)

Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

(James 1:16, ESV)

This verse is found in a section where Paul is speaking against those who do not believe in the resurrection of the dead. 1 Corinthians 5:6 and James 1:16 are both referenced when looking at 1 Corinthians 15:33. In 1 Corinthians 5, there is a sexually immoral man among them. However, they aren't doing anything about it. This thinking has become a little bit of leaven. If they allow this to remain among them, this thinking will leaven the entire lump. This idea and teaching and immorality will spread throughout as yeast works through the entire dough. Therefore, they should rid themselves of this immediately so that it doesn't spread.

This now leads me to think about a story Greg was telling which I particularly liked. I will try to do it justice. There was a man who had a disagreement with his daughter, and the daughter was trying to justify a white lie. It's the type of brushing it off as such a small thing that she used as an excuse for it being okay. However, argument was over without much resolution. The daughter's birthday happened to be approaching and the father baked a cake for her. When he presented her with the cake he said that there was a tiny piece of poo-poo in the cake. However, he tried to justify it by saying that it was a small thing and that it wasn't a big deal. Of course he had done it on purpose in order to prove a point. The daughter did not eat the cake. Somewhat similar to the yeast analogy, the small piece of poo affected the entire cake. We need to ensure that in or lives or in our communities or in our churches that we do not allow this sort of thing.

The only reason why I know this verse is because Voddie Bauchan quotes it in the 722 Love and Marriage sermon series. He uses it as a counter-point to people who try to justify dating and/or marrying a non-Christian. Or maybe it was more specifically against people who were using the attempt to convert their non-Christian boyfriend or girlfriend as justification for dating them. Regardless, his point was that their "bad company" will corrupt your "good morals".

I believe this happens all the time all too often to us without us even realizing it. I am reminded of a recent buzz about how some people are saying things against Mark Driscoll's sermons and sermon style. In Mark Driscoll's defence, I've heard a number of people say that they find nothing wrong with his sermons. I am not trying to say anything for either side of this debate. However, do you think it's possible that for those who do not see anything wrong with his sermons, that maybe it's because we have been corrupted in a sense? Maybe we have been corrupted because of our culture or the people we hang out with or the entertainment we watch. Some may still disagree. However, do you think that if he were a pastor preaching the exact same sermon to an "average" (actually, I'm not quite sure what I mean by average, maybe what I really mean is to ask you to go along with this without trying to contradict me on this area trying to think of a weird corner-case) church 100 years ago, would most of them agree that there's nothing wrong with what he's saying? From what I've heard and read, he is theologically sound. He is beast in that respect. My point is that maybe we are being drawn in by the way of this world little by little without even noticing it. We are being corrupted.

I bring this up because I am very much convicted of this. I am being corrupted without even realizing. You may think that you're safe among whoever you feel safe with. However, even those people you must be careful of. We are all sinners. Be careful of yourself too. We deceive ourselves.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

(James 1:22, NIV)

This is not an excuse to put blame of your own sin on others. Sure, others may cause you to sin, but your own sinful actions make you the sinner. Whether you were deceived or not, you still committed the crime.

I do not have an answer other than to be aware. We are instructed in 1 Corinthians 5 to purge the evil person from among us. 1 Corinthians 15:34 following verse 33 instructs us to be sober-minded and to stop sinning. In Ephesians 4 verse 14, Paul talks about no longer being carried along by every wind of doctrine. Preceding this verse, the Paul talks about unity in the Spirit and building up the body. Afterwards talks about speaking the truth in love and in all things to grow up to Christ. There are a lot of teachings and the Word that God has given us is so full and rich with teaching.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

(Ephesians 4:1, NIV)