‘My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! They may say, “Come and join us. Let’s hide and kill someone! Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent! Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave ; let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death. Think of the great things we’ll get! We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take. Come, throw in your lot with us; we’ll all share the loot.” My child, don’t go along with them! Stay far away from their paths.’ Proverbs 1:10-15 https://my.bible.com/bible/116/PRO.1.10-15
‘Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.’ Proverbs 13:20(NLT)
‘Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.’ Proverbs 22:24-25(NLT)
‘Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” ‘ 1 Corinthians 15:33(NLT)
‘Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil ? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord . Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.’ 2 Corinthians 6:14-17(NLT)
Have you ever heard the famous saying, “Show me your friends, and I will show you your future?” Did you know that it came from the Bible? Yes! The book of Proverbs is the book in the Bible that teaches wisdom on how to live godly lives daily. This book is full of must-have advice about relationships. It also teaches us about friendships.
The book of Proverbs starts by telling young people not to listen to sinful friends. It says that they will entice youth into evil behavior and get them into trouble. That’s right! Friends can be dangerous. Young people who listen to advice from people who are evil fall under peer pressure and do evil things. Then, they suffer the consequences of such actions. In other words, the Bible tells us to be careful who we listen to. We listen to the people we spend time with and respect; we listen to our friends. That is why evil friends can be very dangerous in our lives.
Another passage in the book of Proverbs tells us that one should not be friends with an angry person. We should not associate with people who have a hot temper. Why? The Bible says that as we observe such people, we learn from them. Very soon, we start behaving in a similar manner. We become like the people we spend time with.
The Old Testament is not the only place that warns us about the danger of ungodly friendships There are several Scriptures in the New Testament that teach a similar principle. In fact, these passages are very serious warnings about the quality of our friendships. For example, one Scripture tells us not to deceive ourselves, but to be aware that “bad company corrupts good character.” In another passage, the apostle Paul says that close relationships between unbelievers and believers are nearly impossible because we do not have anything in common. It is like a fellowship between light and darkness.
Believers and unbelievers think differently. As Christians, we live our lives for a purpose different from the purposes of our non-Christian acquaintances. We want to live righteously for God; many unbelievers want to do wicked things. We do not agree about our life’s goals. As believers, we must remember that our lives belong to God. That is why friends who pull us in a direction that is different from the way the Lord wants us to go are dangerous for us.
from Choosing Our Friends and Companions Wisely