How does Proverbs 22:25 connect with 1 Corinthians 15:33 on bad company? The Shared Principle The Spirit, speaking through Solomon and Paul, gives one consistent warning: the people we welcome into our inner circle shape who we become. • Proverbs 22:25 — “or you may learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.” • 1 Corinthians 15:33 — “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” Both passages assert a cause-and-effect connection: 1. Association → 2. Imitation → 3. Consequence (a snare / corrupted character). What Proverbs 22:25 Teaches • The command is proactive: “Do not make friends with an angry man.” • The danger is subtle: anger spreads—“you may learn his ways.” • The outcome is bondage: “entangle yourself in a snare,” a picture of being trapped by learned sin. • Note the certainty: “may” here carries the sense of an inevitable drift, not a mere possibility. Paul Echoes Solomon in 1 Corinthians 15:33 • “Do not be deceived” flags the common self-delusion that we are immune to negative influence. • The quote Paul uses was a familiar Greek saying, yet the Holy Spirit folds it into inspired Scripture, confirming its truth. • “Bad company” (plural) broadens the warning beyond the hot-tempered to any persistent sinful influence. • “Corrupts” pictures slow decay; even solid “good character” rots when partnered with evil. Why Bad Company Is So Dangerous Scripture shows the mechanics of moral transfer: • Proverbs 13:20 — “He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” • Psalm 1:1 — Progression from walking to standing to sitting with the wicked ends in spiritual barrenness. • 2 Corinthians 6:14 — “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” Shared yokes pull both parties together. • Galatians 5:9 — “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Sin spreads like yeast through dough. The cumulative testimony is that character is porous; we absorb what surrounds us. Practical Application 1. Inventory relationships – Who fills your discretionary time? – Which voices dominate your media feed? 2. Identify traits being transferred – Is impatience, cynicism, or impurity growing after certain interactions? 3. Set loving boundaries – Jesus ate with sinners (Luke 5:30-32) yet never let sinners set His agenda. – Limit exposure where influence is one-sided and toxic. 4. Pursue godly company – Hebrews 10:24-25 urges mutual stirring to love and good deeds. – Seek mentors and friends whose lives display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). 5. Be the good company others need – Shine “as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15) so your presence elevates, not erodes, someone else’s walk. Guarding Our Fellowship Solomon names the snare; Paul unmasks the corruption. Together they press us to guard the gateways of friendship and influence. By heeding both verses, we protect the integrity Christ is forming in us and become safe, sanctifying companions for others. |
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