Evil company

Do not be deceived:“Evil company corrupts good habits.” Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. - 1 Corinthians 15.33-34

Paul has been speculating about what it would be like without the gospel while reinforcing the truth of the gospel. He makes a point 'if there were no resurrection then we might as well just do whatever we want.' 

But he says, 'Don't be deceived.' 

There is a resurrection. Therefore we don't just do whatever we want. We have to be aware that we must live in the light that there is an accountability. We can't live however we want. 

Paul uses a secular proverb of the time. JFB puts it this way 'a current saying, forming a verse in Menander, the comic poet, who probably took it from Euripides.' 

It's intersting that Paul uses a secular saying. A lot of Christians find that very put-offish. But that's not the point here. 

Anyway, Paul points out that there are dangers in spending too much time hanging around and spending time with 'evil company.'  Off course Paul is not saying that we should crawl away hide is some monastery. He didn't say we should cut off all our old connections. He is not saying that we should only spend time with believers. 

However, he is saying that there are dangers in spending too much time with unbelievers. We tend to become like those we spend time with. We spend time with. We need to be careful of our friends and their influences. 

But that's not all. As we spend time with with the world it is our responsibity to 'awake to righteousness and do not sin.' 

The reason, there are many who don't have the knowledge of God, and that is to our shame. 

We have to live in this world. But when we do we have to be sure that we maintain our testimony. We can't take part in their activities. Our goal is to bring them to the knowledge of God, not to become like them.