Should We Hang Out With Sinner

Tonight we had a debate on the topic: Should we hang out with sinner. Some comment from you is that we should try our best to stay away from sinner, so that we won't get influenced by them. You said even it is what Proverb 2 teach us. Really? Is that really what the bible teach us?

Here I only try to go back to the bible and seek for the truth. Perhaps during this process we can learn more about Christ together.

We said we should try our best to stay away from sinner, so that we won't get influenced by them. This idea seems kind and make sense, and even normal parent would tell their kids in order to protect them. God wants to protect us too, but all I say is that I think we have missed out the main point.

Yes, we should hate sin, and avoid from sinning because this is what God hates, but the bible didn't says that we can escape from it. The moment we are in the world, we can't help it but surrounded by darkness, as Ephesians 5 tells us that "the days are evil". Think about the media, TV, movies, even cartoons has a power to influence us to the darkness now. Is stop hanging out with "sinner" or "criminal" really the points from the bible? When the moment Jesus stepped into this sinful world, "道成肉身", He tells us that He was IN the darkness, but He overcomes it by the power of God, because He is God. He teaches us that we are IN the world, but we are not OF the world. Thousands of examples from Jesus life have taught us that we should spread the gospel to the sicks because only the sicks need doctor. So should we hang out with "sinner"? I don't think this is a question of should or should not, because the reality from the bible tells us that we are already surrounded by "darkness". If we should stop hanging out with sinner the logic tells me that we should isolate ourself from the world? (yet still even we do so, we can't help it).

The Bible urge us that "Do not be deceived", either by yourself or by the world (by the evil one). The main point is, IT IS NOT WHAT WE DO TO SAVE US, BUT WHO HE IS IN US. It is not what we should or should not do to avoid from sinning, but to understand that WE CAN ONLY BE SAVED ONLY THROUGH HIM, AND OVERCOMES SIN. It is not we should stop hanging out with sinners, or should read the bible or go to church so that we can be saved, but ONLY THROUGH HIM, so that we will be transformed, and than He will open our eyes to do what pleasing to God. That is the wisdom in Proverb 2 is really saying. What is the wisdom? It is the fear of the Lord. It is only the beginning. Once we received the wisdom, then it is the holy spirit who protects us from doing evil. This is the main point of the bible, but seems like we have totally missed out the point, but to focus on what we should or should not do.

My final point is that, in order to teach the kid to be Godly, I hope that they will understand that it is not what they do to overcome sin, but who He is in us who protect us and help us overcome. That's what the true meaning when the bible said "don't let people look down on you because you are young", because when the moment you receive His salvation, you have the power to overcome sin, not because what you do or who we are, but because who He is in us. And we should emphasize this to the kids. I don't want them to miss out this point, because this is what the Bible teach us.