Don't Walk

Come with me for a moment to Psalm 1.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. (Psa 1:1-2)

If you read that in a simple, straightforward way, you might conclude that we should not be spending any time in the company of sinners. Based on that text, that is not an unreasonable conclusion. Some have concluded that very thing. So they've sequestered themselves in monasteries or communes because "Scripture says so." And that would be a mistake.

"Oh, really?" some might say. "I thought you were all about taking Scripture literally." I am. All of it. If we interpret these verses on their own, that might be where we go, but if we interpret them in the light of Scripture, we would come to a different conclusion. Take, for instance, Paul's instructions "not to associate with sexually immoral people" (1 Cor 5:9). "See? There it is again!" Except Paul explicitly says, "not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world" (1 Cor 5:10). So it does not refer to avoiding worldly sinners. Of course, the most obvious proof of that is Christ Himself who spent so much time in the company of tax collectors and prostitutes and the like that His detractors referred to Him as a "friend of sinners" (Luke 7:34). No, that Psalm 1 text does not mean we must not associate with sinners. If we did not, how would we fulfill the command to "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation" (Mark 16:15)?

So it doesn't mean not to associate with sinners. We're not done yet. If not that, what? The three parallel types -- the wicked, the sinners, and the scoffers -- need Christ, so we aren't to avoid them. What, then? We are to avoid walking in their counsel, standing in their way, sitting in their seat. We are not to live that way. We spend time with them, but don't operate by their counsel. We are in their company, but don't live their way. We are comfortable in their presence, but not with their lifestyle. We are to be in the world (John 17:15), but not of it (John 17:16). How about you? Does that describe you? Do you embrace the counsel of the world over Scripture? Is your lifestyle a godly one or a worldly one? Are you more comfortable with the world's view or with God's view? Things to ask yourself.