Beginning of the End: Dangers of Ungodly Associates

 Satan is most successful in drawing Christians into sin by encouraging them to spend time with people who do not love God, and by joining them in their amusements. God requires of His people now as much difference from the world in customs, habits, and principles as He required of Israel in ancient times. The warnings He gives to Christians, forbidding them to follow the spirit and customs of those who do not love God, are just as clear as the warnings He gave the Hebrews against blending in with the heathen. We cannot be too firm in not spending time with people who exert an influence to lead us away from God. While we pray, “Lead us not into temptation,” we are to avoid temptation as much as possible.

When the Israelites were in peace and security they were drawn into sin. Ease and self-indulgence left the fortress of the heart unguarded, and shameful thoughts found a way in. Traitors inside the camp brought down the protection of principle and betrayed Israel into the power of Satan. This is how Satan seeks to ruin people. A long preparation process, unknown to the world, goes on in the heart before the Christian commits open sin. The mind does not come down all at once from purity and holiness to wickedness, corruption, and crime. By giving in to impure thoughts, sin that used to be hated will become pleasant.

Satan is using every method to make crime and degrading immorality popular. We cannot walk the streets of our cities without seeing startling advertisements of crime to be presented in some novel or theater. People’s minds are being educated to become comfortable with sin. The actions of immoral and corrupt people are continually presented for all to see, and everything that can excite passion is brought to them in exciting stories. They hear and read so much of degrading evil that their conscience becomes hardened, and they keep thinking about these things with greedy interest.

Many amusements popular in the world today, even with those who claim to be Christians, lead to the same results as did the heathen amusements. Through drama Satan has worked for ages to excite passion and glorify evil. Satan uses the opera, dance, and the card table to break down barriers and open the door to sensual indulgence. In every gathering for pleasure where pride is encouraged or appetite indulged, where one is led to forget God and eternal interests, Satan is there, binding his chains around that person.