Am I wrong to associate with someone who steals?
Question:
I have some friends who live in a senior retirement home. I met one of them about a year ago and was introduced to some more of his friends. I also live in the same retirement home. I am the only one who is a member of the church of Christ.
Hearing them talk, I learned that they like to go boosting from time to time. I had no idea what they meant by boosting, but I learned it was a sneaky way of stealing in grocery stores.
One of the guys occasionally invites me out to lunch or comes to my house. Lately, he has been attending worship with me.
My question is, am I in sin for being around the guy?
Answer:
"I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler--not even to eat with such a one" (I Corinthians 5:9-11).
The only way to convert people from the world is to have some level of association with them. You need to ask yourself two questions:
- Does he assume that you think his sin is acceptable because you associate with him? Does he think that his sin is acceptable because he is going to worship?
- Will associating with him draw you into his sin?
I assume that the answers to both questions are in the negative. Encourage him to live righteously before God and to become a Christian. His time on earth is limited and now is not the time to throw away the opportunity to go to heaven.
Response:
Thank you for answering my questions.
