Probably your response to the title of this article would be “What an audacious and outrageous statement! How in the world would one dare to tell a Christian not to seek the company of another Christian just because he is disorderly? Even if there is a verse in the Bible that appears to say such a thing, is it not unrealistic and unkind to teach that we Christians should not keep company with Christians who are disobedient or noncompliant?”

Dear reader, what ever be your feelings and opinions about the subject of this article, I would have you to take careful notice that God’s Word insists that we maintain no company with Christians who walk in ungodly ways. The Bible does say repeatedly that we should not keep company with certain Christians. It rehearses this instruction not just once or twice, but many times over! The Bible is loud and clear in teaching us that we should not keep company with unbelievers as well as disobedient, unbiblical or worldly Christians.

Consider the following admonitions in the Bible:
“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you” (2 Thessalonians 3:6-7).

“And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother” (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15).

“But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with suchan one no not to eat” (1 Corinthians 5:11; cf. vv 9, 10).

These are just three of the many of such admonitions in the Scriptures to avoid the so-called Christians who live in sin of one kind or another. Some other Scripture portions that admonish us to keep away from disorderly churchgoers are 1 Corinthians 5:9, 13; Romans 16:17; 1 Timothy 6:5; 2 Timothy 3:5; 1 Timothy 6:5; Hebrews 12:15-16; 2 John 1:10.

Just as much as it is important that Christians ought to practise the Biblical admonition to love and care for one another, it is also imperative that they do not associate closely with brethren who walk disorderly or disobediently. It is against godly wisdom to stay in close fellowship with brethren who choose to live in any unbiblical way.

How serious is this admonition?
“In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” says the Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 3:6, “that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly.” The full title of our Saviour is used in order to stamp this mandate with full divine authority. The apostle’s use of “the name” also indicates that he was acting on behalf of Christ by His commission (cf. Acts 3:6; 2 Corinthians 2:10).

This command not to keep company with disorderly Christians is spoken with an authority that is higher than that of the kings or of the governments of the earth, even with the authority of the Divine Head of the Church. Therefore, it is paramount that Christians obey it.

What does this admonition really mean?
Striking words like “withdraw” (2 Thessalonians 3:6; 1 Timothy 6:5), “have no company” (2 Thessalonians 3:14; 1 Corinthians 5:11), “mark them . . . and avoid them” (Romans 16:17) and “turn away” (2 Timothy 3:5) are used in this admonition. These words arrest our attention and cause us to consider seriously our casual attitude in having close association with those who walk disorderly. The Apostle Paul puts it even more graphically when he said, “with such an one no not to eat” (1 Corinthians 5:11b). In a similar vein, John the Apostle said, “receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed” (2 John 10).

All of the words we have noted above, when taken either individually or collectively, strongly urge us to avoid close interaction with disorderly Christians. Here we have a language of strategy; a cautious general shrinking from social engagement with a disorderly brother. Perhaps we might illustrate it by the familiar phrase “fight shy”.

In certain cases of disorderly behaviour, only a social censure or omission is required, not an ecclesiastical excommunication. For instance, in 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15, after urging believers to “have no company with” the disobedient man, the readers are advised to “yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother”. Nonetheless, in some situations of serious and prolonged departure from truth and holiness, an ecclesiastical excommunication is mandated (cf. Matthew 18:17).

So it is not a complete ostracizing of a disorderly brother that the Bible is teaching us, but a cautious restraining from close associations with such a one. In other words, we would have him remain in the church and also greet him as a brother, while not keeping a close company with him until he repents and makes his ways right.

One may ask, “Is it not important that we show love that we might have an opportunity to admonish him?” That is the reason why Paul said that we should not count him as an enemy. We must show a cordial and gentle attitude towards him so that we might have an occasion to correct him. We must not withdraw the civility which is due to everyman, nor refuse the offices of humanity. Rudeness is not for Christians.

But we must not maintain a close fellowship with those who walk in unbiblical ways lest we might appear agreeable to his disorderliness or wrong behaviour. We must withdraw from all unnecessary conversation. We are not to make them our bosom friends.

(Part 2 of this article)