Revelation 18 Lesson

Bad Company Corrupts Good Morals

We will begin today’s lesson with three questions.

  1. Does it matter to God who our friends are?  
  2. Do our friends influence our behavior?  
  3. Can having the wrong friends keep us from going to Heaven?  

Our focus verse is taken from the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians:

OUR FRIENDS INFLUENCE OUR STANDING WITH GOD

As Christians, and children of God, we need to choose our friends carefully.

The company that we keep can lift us up to become better Christians, but it can also drag us down and cause us to sin.

Peer pressureis alive and well in the world! If we are not careful, others can cause us to do things that we would not normally do. Things that are against the will of God. And if we allow that to happen, we put our very souls at risk!

According to study.com:

  • Thirty-eight percent of individuals between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four report that they have been pressured by peers to drink beer or alcohol,
  • Thirty-two percent reported being pressured into having sex,
  • Twenty-seven percent reported being pressured to do drugs,
  • And twenty-four percent reported being pressured to smoke cigarettes.

Yes, peer pressure is alive and well, and If we do not heed the warnings found in the Bible, we can easily succumb to it!

A WARNING FROM GOD

In Revelation 18, God issues a warning for all believers to flee from Babylon and its sinful ways:  

  • “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” – Revelation 18:4-5.

God created us. He understands our nature better than anyone. And the fact that He warns us to be careful of the company that we keep should serve as a wake-up call to all of us.

As humans, we are all affected by the company that we keep.   If our friends love God and follow Jesus, they can be a source of strength and encouragement in our lives.

Conversely, if we associate with the wrong people, doing the wrong things, we will be tempted to sin ourselves. It does not take much for us to get thrown off course and become desensitized to sin.  This is a dangerous position to be in.  

At times in our lives, we may find ourselves trying to rationalize our behavior and saying things like, “Everyone else is doing it so it must be ok.”

This is unacceptable and does not live up to the expectations that God has for us. As Christians, we are to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Instead of living to please ourselves, God wants us to glorify Him and serve others.

Sometimes, the smartest decision we can make is to leave a bad situation before we are tempted to sin.   It is always a wise decision to remove ourselves from people and events that put our souls at risk.    

JESUS WILL HELP US IF WE ASK HIM TO

Life gets difficult!  

Without a good support system, we can easily succumb to Satan’s attacks and get caught up in sin.

Fortunately for us, Jesus understands our temptations because He too was tempted during His time on earth.

The Hebrew writer talked about this in the following scripture:   

  • “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.   Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.” – Hebrews 4:15-16.

None of us will be successful at avoiding temptations all the time. We are imperfect people worshipping a perfect God!

This does not, however, excuse us from trying to do the right thing. The character is in the trying, and God knows our hearts.

If we turn to Jesus for help, He will not only help us, but He will advocate to His Father on our behalf! Consider the following scripture:

  • “If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” – 1 John 2:1.

CONCLUSION

Throughout history, there have been cities known for their sinful lifestyles. These include:

  • Sodom,
  • Gomorrah,
  • Corinth,
  • Babylon,
  • Las Vegas.

In Revelation 18:4-5, God warns His followers to flee from a bad situation in Babylon. We must learn from this and remove ourselves from bad situations in our own lives.

We also need to choose our friends carefully because their behavior can influence ours. When we find ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, the best decision that we can make is to simply walk away.  

There is a wise saying that it takes a village to raise a child.   But why limit that type of support to just children?   One could argue that when we become adults (with adult problems), we need the support of others more than ever!

Turning to the right friend at the right time can help us avoid temptation and move on to doing something positive that pleases God. If we look to avoid temptation and live righteous lives, God will intervene and help us. Without fail, He will be there!

We will end today’s lesson with the following scripture:

  • “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” -1 Corinthians 10:13.

Comments

Virtual Bible Study

1) What did today’s Bible study make you think and feel?
2) How can you apply what you have just learned to something specific that is happening in your life?

***PLEASE POST YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HERE***

Click To Join The Discussion
Kelly

I have made some mistakes in my life and realize how important a support system is. There were times when i turned from my faith to follow the ways of the world. I grieved the heart of Jesus, and felt it. I repented. Now I am very careful who I share my time with. My chances of staying on the eternal path are much greater that way. My life is best when I reflect the character of Christ.

Reply
Virtual Bible Study

1) What did today’s Bible study make you think and feel?
2) How can you apply what you have just learned to something specific that is happening in your life?

***PLEASE POST YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HERE***

Reply
BT
Virtual Bible Study

Very helpful!!

Reply
JB

I will share part of my testimony. Years ago, I moved across the country for work. My childhood friends and I kept in touch. One of these childhood friends was a NYC police officer. He had been through 9/11 and had seen some horrific things.

This friend would call me a couple of times per year. Each phone call began with the same two questions: 1) Are you still going to church? 2) Are you drinking? He asked me these questions because he was used to the way I was in my childhood where we drank a lot and seldom went to church.

As I started attending church three times per week and stopped drinking like I used to, he noticed. Years later, this same friend called me up and said that he was having a hard time believing in God, but not before he asked me his usual two questions. If I had not answered "correctly", as to my church attendance and drinking habits, I do not believe our conversation would have gone much further.

My friend talked about all of the horrible things he sees, and how horrible people are to one another. That is why he said he had trouble having faith. Because of all the sin that he sees.

That led to a discussion about Philippians 4:8 and the thoughts that God tells us to focus on. I suggested that he needed to offset the horrible things he sees, by getting involved with people who are living Christian lives. People who volunteer, attend church and put others' needs ahead of their own.

How did this friend impact my faith? In a good way. . .

If I ever became tempted to return to the sins of my youth, I would think of my friend and the damage I would be doing to him. It held me accountable to do the right thing.

Reply
Pam
JB

Thank you for sharing part of your testimony - have very recently been led to memorize Phil 4:8 :)

Reply
JB
Pam

That is great Pam! Thinking about Phil 4:8 helps us to stay positive and hopeful in a sinful world.

Reply
Kelly
JB

Thank you. That was inspirational.

Reply