Am I the Fool who Corrupts and Destroys?

Ya know, it's not about how many friends I have or what kind of social circle I fit into. It's all about Christ and making much of Him. If a friendship pulls me away from the things of Christ and doesn't encourage me in spirit and truth - the Bible tells me I will be corrupted and destroyed. So we need to be careful about the people we choose to spend time with. I'm learning this the hard way.

Do you ever spend time with a friend that leaves you feeling encouraged and refreshed? I have a friend like that and it's a glorious thing - really.

It's good, though, for me to do a self-check. What kind of friend am I?

Do I encourage my friends? Do they walk away from time with me knowing more about Christ or more about the latest gossip? Do I pray for them? Do I pray with them? Do I rebuke them in the name of Jesus? Do I welcome the wounding of my pride from them? When I ask for advice from a friend, do I listen and apply - or do I discount it for nonsense?

Oh, how I do not want to be guilty of being that fool that corrupts and destroys a friend.

I recently ran across this article.

I like it.

Pardon this lady's English - I don't think her first language is English and some if it is grammatically incorrect. I just liked the bulk of what she had to say....

What Kind of Friend are You?

A true friend is the one who is loving, who helps you find strength in God, who is loyal, concerned, who will not corrupt good morals, who will not bring shame to the family of God, who will not destroy you, who will hate the sin and wicked ways. God has called us to walk godly and keep away from sin. A Godly friend will lead you to God, Church, Godliness, Holiness and truth.


1) We need remove our self from people who constantly sin or ones who encourage us to sin. And espeically those who refuse to repent and whose lifestyle reflect their rebellious ways.


The righteous should CHOOSE HIS FRIENDS CAREFULLY, for the way of the wicked leads them astray." (Proverbs 12:26)


The Bible says that evil company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33).


2) You are known by the company you keep. We can choose Gods ways or the world's way of doing things. Godly ways brings blessing, world ways brings great pain, sorrow and destruction.


Proverbs 13 20 He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.

3). We can not be everyone's friend. God's word says - evil friends, ungodly friends will corrupt you.


Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace" (Isaiah 59:7,8).


"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Proverbs 14:12).

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they do not sleep unless they have done evil; and their sleep is taken away unless they make someone fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble" (Proverbs 4:11-19).


4) You cannot be friends with the world and God. If we have friendship with worldly friends they will encourage us to live in worldly ways and encourage us to sin and these kind of friends will keep us from hearing Gods Word.


James 4: Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

We can identify wrong friends in our life by their fruits. Bad friends are filled with anger and bitterness. Their lifestyle, goals, teachings and morals conflict with Gods word and they offer wrong advice with wrong motives, they gossip, they are available in good times and they laugh at your folly.

5) There is another kind of friend - the hypocrite. This is one who does not live as a true Christian, they pretend or lie to themselves in the putting on of an act. They flatter with their lips and are deceitful at heart and they wait for an opportunity to deceive you. They hide hate behind their flattering words and are very dishonest.

Proverbs 29:5; To flatter friends are to lay a trap for their feet.

Proverbs 26:24-25.A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, But he harbors evil in his heart. When his speech is charming, don't believe him; For there are seven abominations in his heart:

We need to pray for having Godly friends because they bring spiritual accountability to our lives, they are the good example for non believers. A true friend will be there through the good times and bad times and they will take God's side in every situation; even if it disagrees with what we want they to say and they always encourage us to be faithful to God. True friends are unselfish, Godly and are incredible gift from God. They stand by us in adversity, enter into our joy or our grief, intercede for our every need.