“If your very own
brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend
secretly entices you, saying, "Let us go and worship other gods"… do
not yield to him or listen to him.” Deuteronomy 13:6-8 NIV
How many times have we gotten in trouble by listening to a
friend’s advice? I remember going downtown to have a few beers with my friends
when I was a freshman in college. I had just turned 18, the legal drinking age
at that time. I never drank in my life, but I went along with the crowd to
avoid being left out. In the years to come, many of my so called “friends” went
on to join fraternities, become heavy drinkers and become sexually immoral. I
would have continued to follow their enticements if God had not rescued me from
these other gods. I gave my life to Jesus
Christ at the beginning of my second year. Then I got a new set of real friends
- the kind who walked with God and helped me become a “Faithwalker.”
God pronounced the punishment for those who lead others away
from Him – death! That may seem excessive, especially in our permissive (tolerant)
society. God explains the severe penalty as necessary to eliminate this contagious
sin from spreading to the entire nation. On the other hand, God said that when the
punishment was carried out, it would have a healing effect on all the people of
God. “Then all Israel
will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.”
Deut. 13:11
Our children learned this way too. They watched their siblings
being spanked and wanted to avoid the similar fate. How? Obedience! Don’t you
think they should thank their older brothers and sisters for leading the way? J
Who are your friends? Which ones are dangerous? Which ones
help you be a Faithwalker?
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