ASSOCIATE NOT WITH THE WICKED.
By E. B. Saunders
We do not mean by this to exclude ourselves entirely from the company of evil doers, for then must we needs go out of the world; but we mean to avoid all unnecessary society and fellowship with wicked men. It is an old saying that “a man is known by the company he keeps;” and if we who profess to be preparing for translation, who expect to be found without spot and blameless, are fond of the company of those who love pleasure, and if we gather with them on their festivals unnecessarily, then we may expect to be judged with them. Also we virtually deny our Lord before men, for the world would not know by our actions that we pretended to be the meek followers of Jesus, but would naturally suppose us to be “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God,” and those who are acquainted with us, and know our high profession, would say that our godliness was only a mere form. While we thus deny Jesus before men, we cannot expect him to confess our names before the Father, and we shall be left to weep and mourn when it is too late for repentance to benefit us. “Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning,” and in the record of the dealings of God with his people anciently, we find that not one person of those nations that were driven out before the children of Israel, was permitted to remain among his people; and the reason given was this, “lest they make thee to sin against me.” Ex. xxiii, 33. Now if there was danger of a few unbelievers making a nation to sin, how much greater is the danger of a nation of unbelievers making a few righteous to transgress in these days of peril and apostasy. When Jehoshaphat had helped the wicked king of Israel, Jehu, the son of Hanani the seer, went out to meet him, and said to him, “Shouldst thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.” It is natural for us to company with those we love; and the converse is also true, that those we company with we love; and if we company much with the world, that is, go to their parties, pic-nics and gatherings for pleasure, our deeds, which speak louder than words, show to men that we love the world and those that hate God. But the humble followers of Jesus can ever say with David, “I have not sat with vain persons, neither will go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.” Ps. xxvi, 4, 5. Let us heed the instruction of the wise man. “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. . . . Walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path.” “Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them;” but choose the company of the truly wise, for “he that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Who are fools? not those that are incapable of understanding, alone, but those who have knowledge; (see Prov. i:) those who despise wisdom and instruction; those who will not turn at the reproof of the Lord, when he is about to pour out his Spirit; those who set at naught the counsel of the Lord; whose destruction is about to come like a whirlwind; or briefly, those whom the Lord is about to destroy—the wicked. Reader, are you a companion of such? If so, forsake them lest you too be destroyed. “Who shall abide in thy tabernacle?” Is it those who love the world? He “in whose eyes a vile person is contemned.” Ps. xv. While we seek the company and friendship of the world, and our lives pass along smoothly here below, will not the record in heaven stand thus against our names: “Guilty of spiritual adultery; professing to be married to the blessed Saviour, they lived in wanton pleasures with the old man of sin.” O let us not love the world, nor seek its pleasures, for “the friendship of the world is enmity with God.” Do not love the friendship of the world, lest you be found the enemy of God. James iv, 4.