Baptist City Blog

One of the greatest influences on Christianity are your influences. Galatians 5:7 shows this to be true when it says, “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” You will notice it isn't a “what” that influences, but it’s a “who.” Your associations will always determine your direction and beliefs.

We often think that it is the unsaved world which influences a Christian to do wrong, but more often than not it is another saved person who influenced someone to go the wrong way. I could tell you scores of stories about people who once did right but were adversely influenced by someone and today they are no longer serving the LORD.

God made this distinction to the children of Israel. He reminded them what the Ammonites and the Moabites had done to them through Balaam’s influence, and because of this, God told them not to let any person of that nationality to enter into their congregation for at least ten generations. There are three principles God is teaching through this verse that will help you to protect yourself from wrong associations.

First, there will be times when you can’t associate with a Christian brother or sister. The Ammonites and Moabites were distant relatives of the Israelites. When studying their history in the Scriptures, you will find their ancestry goes back to the children of Lot. Many people have the mentality that Christians need to get along no matter the differences. They believe we need to lay aside our differences for the sake of getting along. Friend, there are times when you have no business associating with another saved person. When their direction or what they believe is diametrically opposed to your direction or beliefs, you are then to disassociate yourself from them.

Second, you are not to seek a way to work together. Verse 6 says,“Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.” There is nothing wrong with living the separated life. When someone is directionally and doctrinally different from you, don't try to find ways where you can yoke up together. Joining up with someone over a common cause will eventually change you. The common cause will cause you to change your opinions of the differences you have with that person. Always remember that you can't walk in mud without getting muddy. If you yoke up with someone who is different, be assured they will change you.

Third, let time be the justifier of direction and beliefs. Just because a person has changed doesn't mean you should immediately become close associations. God is teaching the importance of allowing time to reveal the true change when He told Israel not to allow the Ammonites and Moabites to enter their congregation to the tenth generation. I’m excited when someone who believed differently comes over to the old paths, but I’m going to let time help me to determine if they are for real. You can't see their heart, so the only way to know if they are truly changed is to let time validate the change. Be kind, courteous and helpful, but be careful about getting too close too quickly.