Evil Communications

As if I needed more conviction:

1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

My granny used to say, birds of a feather flock together.  I didn't like it when she said it...it meant I was doing something, or hanging around someone who wasn't quite up to 'snuff'.

Let's 'tear' this apart shall we?

Be not - G3361 - A primary particle of qualified negation (whereas G3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverbially) not, (conjugationally) lest; also (as interrogitive implying a negative answer [whereas G3756 expects an affirmative one]); whether.

Used 750 times - get that - 750 times in 673 verses - that's JUST the New Testament, with only 27 books.  The first usage is in Matthew, where Joseph is a just man and did NOT put Mary aside.

And two recently used verses (are you trying to tell me something God?):

Mat 5:29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Mat 5:30  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Last usage:  Rev 22:10  And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.

Deceived - G4105 - From G4106; to (properly cause to) roam (from safety, truth, or virtue).

• G4106 - Feminine of G4108 (as abstraction); objectively fraudulence; subjectively a straying from orthodoxy or piety.

G4105 Used 39 times in 37 verses.

Evil - G2556 - Apparently a primary word; worthless (intrinsically such; whereas G4190 properly refers to effects), that is, (subjectively) depraved, or (objectively) injurious.

Used 51 times in 46 verses.

Communication - G3657 - From G3658; companionship (“homily”), that is, (by implication) intercourse.

• G3658 - From the base of G3674 and a derivative of the alternate of G138 (meaning a crowd); association together, that is, a multitude.

Used 1 time.  One time! G3657 is used only once!

Corrupt - G5351 - From the base of G3674 and a derivative of the alternate of G138 (meaning a crowd); association together, that is, a multitude.

Used 8 times in 7 verses - besides 1 Cor 15:33, here are a few more:

1Co 3:17  If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

2Co 11:3  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

Good - G5543 - From G5530; employed, that is, (by implication) useful (in manner or morals).

• G5530 - Middle voice of a primary verb (perhaps rather from G5495, to handle); to furnish what is needed; (give an oracle, “graze” [touch slightly], light upon, etc.), that is, (by implication) to employ or (by extension) to act towards one in a given manner.

G5543 used 7 times in 7 verses.

Mat 11:30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Manners - G2239 - A strengthened form of G1485; usage, that is, (plural) moral habits.

Used 1 time in 1 verse.

*sigh*

Did you make it this far?  I've a bit more to share, this is from Gill's commentary on the verse:

Be not deceived,.... By such as deny the doctrine of the resurrection, and by their reasonings about it; or by such libertines who go into the denial of it, and argue from thence in favour of their licentious course of life: 

evil communications corrupt good manners. This is a sentence taken out of Menander, an Heathen poet, showing how dangerous is the conversation of evil men, and what an influence bad principles communicated and imbibed, have on the lives and practices of men. This the apostle cites not out of ostentation, or to show his reading, learning, and acquaintance with such sort of writers; but partly to observe, that this was a truth obvious by the light of nature, and partly because such a testimony might be more regarded by the Corinthians, who might be fond of such authors, and what was said by them; just as when he was at Athens among the philosophers there, he cites a passage out of Aratus, Act_17:28 as he does another out of Epimenides concerning the Cretians, Tit_1:12.

As I'm reflecting on my post, Paying Prostitutes, those who produce movies, shows, books, music which has immoral behavior, or glorifies it, promotes it as 'normal'.  Ever watch a movie with homosexual inuendos or characters and just 'gloss' over it?

Or read a story where the characters are engaging in behavior contrary to what the Word says?

Or listen to music, has a great beat, but the words are not causing you to think of the Lord and glorifies something other than Him or His standards?

It is indeed hard to travel through this world and not partake or be conformed by it.  We need to remember we are warriors, sojourners passing through a land which hates us, despises our Lord and Savior, wants to 'pull us in' to make what they do seem not so bad.  Or at least more palatable.

O' God, gracious and merciful, I have sinned against you.  I have desired to feed my flesh, to be 'entertained' by materials which mock you, if not outright, in subtle shades of rebellion.  I have turned a blind eye to words or actions contained in the world's offerings, excusing the behavior, or my own in condoning by partaking.  Forgive me I ask, forgive all of us, Your people, purchased by the shed blood of Your only son on the cross.

Beaten, mocked, scourged, to pay for our sin, to redeem us from the wickedness of this world.  Help us Lord to be set apart vessels for Your use, to love You with all our heart, mind, soul and body.