Bad Company Corrupts Good Character

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” - 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

It seems like in today’s modern evangelical message something is missing. There is this desire to get people saved by telling them about Jesus (in a superficial way) and then getting them to say a “sinner’s prayer” and then declaring them saved. However, what really happens is these people get this new present handed to them, like a Christmas present on December 25^th. They're excited about it. They embrace this new label as Christian and they try to make a change or changes in their lives. However, they don’t change some things of their life. They hold onto ideas that reject God will.

They will hear things like Jesus still hung out with tax collectors and sinners therefore it must be OK to still go into bars and drink beer. Or, God made the plants so why can’t we smoke pot. This is usually the case because they really weren't taught any different or they just wanted the benefits of Jesus without a relationship with Jesus. That’s most likely the fault of the sharer of the message and partly the receiver of the message.

However, there are those that not only want what Jesus has to offer but they want Jesus himself. They want to truly follow Jesus because they love Him. They want to obey Jesus when he said, “If you love me you’ll obey my commands.”

That’s why Paul’s advice to believers is so important. Even though we have been free from the law and it judgments through Jesus Christ we still must make the right choices in our daily lives as ambassadors of Christ.

“Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything. - 1 Corinthians 6:12 (NIV)

“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. - 1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV)

In the world of AA, NA or whatever addiction anonymous groups that are out there, there is one thing that is key to staying free from that thing that brings destruction into their lives. Avoid people, places or material that temp them. These groups call these things triggers.

For those who are followers of Jesus Christ our desire is to avoid sin and to live for Jesus. We want to avoid the sin that Jesus went to the cross for on our behalf. As brand new believers we have just escaped from the errors we live in.

The triggers for addicts are the same for new believers wanting to leave sin behind.

A trigger is any form of stimuli that initiates the desire to engage in addictive behavior. During the course of a recovery program, triggers may prompt an individual to slip-up and use a substance or engage in a behavior that they otherwise are trying to avoid.

Triggers are associated with a memory or situation that relates in some way to prior substance abuse behaviors. As someone struggles with addiction, the people they interact with, the places they spend their time and in some situations their place of work can become strongly associated with their addictive behavior. It could even be smell, a song or even a passing thought. It could be an inner unpleasant feeling like stress, anger, loneliness, anxiety, or any other negative emotion that may coarse through our bodies and any given time.

During recovery, it helps to reduce exposure to these triggers as much as possible. This may require changing relationships, moving to a different side of town or making a career change. Triggers prompt cravings, which are strong desires for a certain substance.

Learning how to identify triggers and developing strategies to manage cravings are key aspects of most addiction recovery programs.

For a follower of Jesus Christ we need to be taught the same kind of things. The bible calls these temptations.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  - Ephesian 4:22-24

It is a learning process, however, we don’t have to rely on our own strength. The bible tells us we have the supernatural helper of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus tells us, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” - Luke 11:11-13 (NIV)

Jesus says this in John. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans;” - John 14:16-18

Paul describes our dilemma this way, “ So I find this law at work:  When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being  I delight in doing the right thing; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war  against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin  at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!  - Romans 7:21-25

Jesus really is the answer. It’s not the institutionalized religion we see today that is done with the label of Christian. It’s the supernatural encounter that brings us into a personal relationship with someone who cares even more than our family or friends.