Who are those to be avoided?

The following list of people with bad behaviour and sinful practices are mentioned in the Bible as disorderly Christians. If anyone who professes to be a Christian is found behaving as such in the following biblical list, he warrants our withdrawal from him.

➤ Busybody persons (2 Thessalonians 3:11): These are those who meddle with the affairs of others instead of attending to their own duties. They pry into other people’s circumstances and domestic affairs, and tell tales about them by magnifying, minimizing, or misrepresenting. Seeing that some Thessalonians have such a tendency, he has commanded them, in his earlier epistle, to “do their own business” (1 Thessalonians 4:11).

➤ Lazy and irresponsible persons (2 Thessalonians 3:11). This often leads to other sins. As it is in the case of the Thessalonians, idleness is the mother of busybodies. Even today, we see this to be the case. People, who have too much free time, leaving their own household matters to others, go about as busybodies and often become tattlers.

➤ “Fornicator” (1 Corinthians 5:11): This is a man who lives in sexual sins. The word, fornicator, is translated from the Greek word, pornos, from which the English word pornography originates. It is descriptive of a man who lives in sensual immorality.

➤ “Covetous” (1 Corinthians 5:11): This is a materialistic person whose life is driven by greed. Love of money and material glory characterise his life’s passions and pursuits. In his philosophy, wealth pervades truth, mercy and righteousness.

➤ “Idolater” (1 Corinthians 5:11): This is a man who still engages in other religious feasts and festivals, even though he claims to be a Christian.

➤ “Railer” (1 Corinthians 5:11): This is a person who speaks reproachfully of others. He abuses others with coarse, rude, harsh and bitter words. He vilifies other men’s character and wound their feelings. They take pleasure in maligning others, even though they live an honest and upright life.

➤ “Drunkard” (1 Corinthians 5:11): He is also known as a winebibber. This man takes to intoxicating drinks, which corrupts his thinking and behaviour.

➤ “Extortioner” (1 Corinthians 5:11): This is a man who swindles others. In fact, he is also a violent and rapacious person. He robs others of their possessions.

➤ Schismatic persons (Romans 16:17; 1 Timothy 6:5; 2 John 1:10): These men “cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned”. They attempt to cause factions within the church. They usurp the authority of godly leaders and the biblical doctrines that they teach. They who attempt to form parties in the churches are commonly actuated by some evil or ambitious design.

➤ Self-promoting persons (3 John 9-11): These are men who impatiently expel other brethren in order to establish themselves in the leadership. They always promote their own pre-eminence at the expense of others. They seek their own pleasure and prominence than those of others.

Why are we commanded to avoid them?
The biblical admonition to avoid the company of disorderly and disobedient Christians is not, as some might think, an extreme, unreasonable, capricious and unprofitable command. The Bible casts much light on the necessity of this admonition. Consider the following seven biblical reasons for such a command.

Firstly, if we would not withdraw our association with unrepentant ones, this would encourage them to continue in their wrong ways. The Apostle John cautioned, “For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 11). Any friendly gesture other than for the purpose of admonition would only embolden the erring person; and thus we become partaker of his evil deed. Association with those who commit evil will be like rendering support for their evil actions. Hence we must withdraw ourselves from those who walk in sin. Christians should not appear as patrons and friends of the intemperate and the wicked.

Secondly, it is God’s will that a disorderly Christian ought to feel the shame of his evil; and for that purpose we ought to disassociate ourselves from him. 2 Thessalonians 3:14 instructs us, “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.” If we withdraw from a disobedient person, it will make him aware that his actions are unbecoming of a Christian. This is one way of rebuking an erred brother, which God’s Word wants us to practise.

Thirdly, withdrawal from the company of the disobedient one is necessary to protect ourselves from evil influence. As an old saying goes, “There is no plague so catching as sin.” We ourselves are prone to sin because our hearts are naturally corrupt. So we are warned in 1 Corinthians 15:33 that “evil communications corrupt good manners”. The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthians who took glory in keeping fellowship with a fornicator, “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (1 Corinthians 5:6). Those who are unrepentant about their wrong ways will always try to rub their vices on as many as they can. They would like to see that all behave like themselves. We must guard ourselves from their bad influences by disassociating ourselves from them.

Fourthly, our association with them may drag us not only into their guilt but also into their punishment. Ephesians 5:6 warns us, “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (cf. Proverbs 13:20; Revelation 18:4). Enjoying their pleasantries would be like courting God’s wrath against their sins (cf. Numbers 16:26).

Fifthly, even if no punishment comes upon you, yet the association with disobedient persons will be a burden to the conscientious Christian (cf. Psalm 120:5-7; 2 Peter 2:7-8).

Sixthly, our close association with disobedient persons will be a great hindrance to our service for the Lord. They will discourage, distract and deter us from what the Lord is beckoning us to do.

Seventhly, we should not be beholden to those who walk disobediently for fellowship, for God’s command is to have company with the godly. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1). Proverbs 9:6 advises us, “Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.” Delight in the company of the wise and godly, and not in those who are foolish and ungodly. Get your hearts off those things in which the wicked abound. So be as little beholden to them as possible. Let them see your courage and resolution to walk away from that which they embrace.

Conclusion
Let us follow the example of the psalmist who said in Psalm 26:4-5, “I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked.”

When a person shows that he is no longer worthy to be recognized as a Christian, leave him to himself and his God. Peradventure, God may bring him to repentance.

(Part I of This Article)