"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT FRIENDS, AND FALSE TEACHING"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT FRIENDS, AND FALSE TEACHING"

1 Cor 15:33  Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
1 Cor 15:34  Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
NKJV

1 Cor 15:33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
1 Cor 15:34 Come to your senses and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t even know God.
NLT

Some explanatory thoughts and application:

1. Paul is giving a warning here, "Do not be deceived, or Don't be fooled by people who are teaching false doctrine. In Corinth, there were those who were actually denying the fact of the resurrection.

2. Paul then explains that false doctrine will hurt you, it will corrupt your life, and your character. False doctrine is very, very dangerous.

3. Finally, in verse 34 Paul exhorts and encourages the believers in Corinth and us today, to "Awake to righteousness, or the right way of living, or Come to Your senses, and stop sinning. Again, two great thoughts.

4. Putting this into application for you and I today, here are some thoughts to consider.
(1) As Proverbs chapter 1 says, be careful who you hang out with. Watch who you become friends with. Pick your friends carefully. Or it could cost you in the end.
(2) The devil is out to fool you. He is a liar. And, he fools people by lying to them about the truth of Christ. The problem with being fooled, is that it can lead you down a path of destruction. It can ruin your life.
(3) The path to choose, is also stated, "Come to your senses, and start thinking the right way about everything. Let God lead you the right way through His Word. That will help your life, preserve your life, develop your life, make your life fruitful.
(4) Paul was also admonishing the church in Corinth, that it was to their shame that some of them did not even know God. Do you ever wonder how many people in your church, that attend regularly do not know God? I do.
(5) One final thing that Paul says, which is a great prescription when we are dealing with sin. It's not only and effective prescription, but it's true and effective if you are sinning. "Come to your senses and stop sinning"
(6) Now God would never say such a thing unless it was possible to do. We do what God calls us to do, not by our power, but by His power and grace.

A prayer:

Father, Your Word is so amazingly spot on with our lives. Friends, truth, character, danger, growth, truth etc, etc. Thank You for Your Word, and please give us continued desire to be in it, and to understand it, and to put it into practice so we can grow in the grace and the knowledge of Christ.

In Jesus name, amen
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia