Bad Company Corrupts Good Morals – A Little About A Lot

Scripture is clear that Lot initially did not settle in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He actually settled on the outskirts of the city. However, further in the Scripture, we discover that when the angels come to rescue Lot, he’s actually seated at the gates of the city. The question is how did he find himself here? The people who sat at the gates of cities were usually elders and people who made decisions on behalf of the city and so we find that now Lot is seated in the gates of the city – the place of decision making. This means he has a position in the city. He is no longer an outsider but an insider. It’s either the city has expanded to where he had settled or he has moved from the outskirts to the city. The Bible warns us that we should not be deceived, bad company corrupts good morals. It’s very interesting that the Scripture begins with “do not be deceived.” That means it’s very easy to actually be deceived that the wrong company you keep is not going to affect you. Many times we tell ourselves that we are just going to hang around them but not do what they do. We will attend the event with them but not do what they do. As time moves on, we find ourselves behaving like the wrong company we keep. This is what the Scripture warns us against. In Psalm 1:1-2, the Bible tells us that,

Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers).

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night.

When you look at this Scripture closely, you actually begin to see a pattern: there’s walking, then standing and finally there’s sitting. So it is possible that just one begins by walking with the wrong company. Then over time they become comfortable and now they stand with them. Then with time they become even more comfortable and find them sitting with them. This is what the Bible is warning us about. It is possible to begin by hating something, but if you keep staying in close proximity to it over time you get used to it. It no longer bothers you as much as it used to before, then with time, you tolerate it and you can even end up loving it. When the angels came to rescue Lot, his daughters were going to marry men of the city. At this point, Lot is so comfortable with inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah that he’s willing to give his daughters to them in marriage. This raises ethical questions. It shows how much Lot has assimilated into the culture of Sodom, despite its immoral practices. Marriage would have deepened Lots ties with Sodom. In Revelation, Jesus writes a letter to one of the Churches and He rebukes them for allowing in their fellowship a certain group of people who held the doctrine of Balaam.

But I have a few things against you, because you have there some [among you] who are holding to the [corrupt] teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, [enticing them] to eat things that had been sacrificed to idols and to commit [acts of sexual] immorality.

Revelation 2:14AMP

The reference to Balaam and Balak in this passage is a warning against false teachers who lead people astray. The teaching of Balaam refers to the temptation to compromise one’s beliefs and engage in sinful behaviour for personal gain. It’s very clear that the Lord does not want the Church to allow and tolerate the people who hold this wicked doctrine. The Lord knows the impact of tolerating such company. Very soon, a number of people in the Church will hold that doctrine and will become sympathetic to that way of teaching. With time, they will fall to the sin that Balaam caused the children of Israel to fall into. In the same letter he commands them to repent of and turn away from this. To turn away from this. We must be very careful who we associate with and who we yoke ourselves with. We must be very careful the environment that we settle in. We must be very careful the company that we keep and the company that we allow our children to keep because this company will definitely shape their value system and this will affect their lives. And if we find that we missed our way, it is important for us to turn away and repent in order to receive forgiveness and avoid negative consequences. It is never too late to make a change and surround ourselves with positive influences. By doing so, we can ensure that we and our children are on the right path towards success and happiness assured by following God’s will.