“Do not be deceived (be lead astray, to wander, to roam aimlessly, to be lead away from the truth and into error and sin, to mislead, to seduce): “Evil company corrupts good habits.” Awake to righteousness, and DO NOT SIN; for some do not have the knowledge of God.” (1 Corin. 15:33-34) This warning is about deception. We are not to be deceived into thinking what God is telling us is either not true, or doesn’t apply to our situation or that it was meant for someone else. Why? Because that’s exactly what the devil want’s us to think, “This does not apply to me!” But the fact is, evil company does indeed CORRUPT OUR GOOD HABITS. What is evil? That which is not of God. We must understand that every person on this earth, serves someone, we either serve God or we serve the devil.
“…if sinners entice (pâthâh: to deceive, persuade) you, Do not consent…do not walk in the way with them, Keep your foot from their path…For their feet run to evil…” (Prov. 1:10, 15-16) Solomon is warning us that we will be persuaded by sinners to do what they are doing, which will not be pleasing to God, so we must not APPROVE OF AND TAKE PART of their ways.
What do we do if we have been deceived? As Christians, we can usually find at least one area in our lives in which we have sought to follow our own understanding instead of the STANDARDS OF THE LORD. God has promised to forgive us for this behavior if we would but draw near to Him. Go before the Lord today in the confidence we have to enter His presence, asking for His forgiveness, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, LET US DRAW NEAR with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us HOLD FAST THE CONFESSION OF OUR HOPE WITHOUT WAVERING, for He who promised IS FAITHFUL.” (Heb. 10:19-23)
“Blessed is the man Who WALKS NOT in the counsel of the ungodly, NOR STANDS in the path of sinners, NOR SITS in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And WHATEVER HE DOES SHALL PROSPER.” (Psalms 1:1-3)
-Bill Stockham