Very recently a young sister told me that she is much distressed by the things she hears in her place of employment, and wonders what she should do about them. Now the Word of God will answer every difficulty for the Christian who seeks to please the Lord. It is indeed the “lamp unto my feet” (Psa. 119:105105NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105)) to guide at each step of the way.
The world in which we live is “this present evil world.” It is full of many foul and impure words and deeds. These greatly distress the soul of the Christian who finds himself in the midst of rehearsals of moral depravity. Those of us who have had to rub shoulders with the unsaved in business or school, have heard some of this corruption. Many dear young Christians are deeply concerned as to what their attitude should be under such circumstances. Let us then turn to the unfailing Guide and see what our conduct should be. There are various phases of this important question, and we shall seek to consider them separately.
First
Many who have seen or heard of unlawful deeds which distressed the soul, were themselves out of place. If they had not been of their own choice in the midst of such company, they would not have heard their conversation. We see a remarkable example of this in Lot who dwelt in Sodom. His righteous soul was vexed daily with the things he saw and heard; but he never should have been there. His godly uncle, Abraham, was not there, and so did not hear such things. Lot had deliberately chosen the friendship of the world, and no doubt moved into Sodom because of worldly advantage. May we beware of choosing the companionship of the ungodly, for it will surely pull us down and defile us. We need to remember the first verse in the Psalms:
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
We should avoid the companionship of the “ungodly,” “sinners” and “scornful.” We should seek our own company, which is Christian fellowship. Another verse bearing on this is:
Remember the sad trouble that Peter got into by warming himself at the fire of the ungodly. These scriptures and many others warn us to avoid the company of the ungodly; thus we shall be preserved from much defilement.
Second
At times we may find ourselves in the midst of defiling conversation which we should “reprove.” Our silence in such cases would be a mistake.
This calls to mind an incident a brother told me, of walking into the wash room of a train in the northwest just as one man was telling something vile to another. Without turning to look at either speaker or hearer, this brother said,
The conversation stopped instantly with apologies. We need wisdom from above to know just when we should reprove the works of darkness.
Third
There are times when it is possible to leave a place of “evil communications.” If this should be the case, we should do so at once. In the verse quoted above from Proverbs we are told to “turn from it and pass away.” In such instances we would give silent, but effectual reproof by our act of leaving the scene. This does not require the courage that reproof does, but it preserves us from hearing all of the defiling talk; and it registers our definite disapproval to the speakers.
Fourth
There are certain times when we may not be able to leave the scene, and when circumstances would scarcely permit open reproof. In such cases the word in Eph. 5:1111And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. (Ephesians 5:11) is important:
“Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.”
We should be careful that under no circumstances we have “fellowship” with what is said or done. Fellowship is so easily expressed, that a little smile will suffice. We should be very careful what we laugh at. If we laugh or merely smile at “filthy conversation,” it shows that our righteous souls are not much vexed about it. This is a very definite way of showing fellowship, and increases our defilement. It is also an encouragement to the ungodly in the very thing that is going to bring judgment upon them, for we read:
Fifth
If we have heard a defiling story we should never repeat it to anyone. To do so would defile ourselves, and harm the one to whom we tell it, as well as displease the Lord.
Whatsoever things are pure, lovely, virtuous and of good report are to be the things we think about; and certainly then we would speak of them (See Phil. 4:88Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)).
Sixth
Now it may truthfully be said that when we hear “evil communication,” although we neither have fellowship with nor repeat it, it still defiles us. Yes, we become defiled through unavoidable contact with evil or profane speaking, and need to heed a word found in Numbers nineteen which gives an important principle:
“And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.”
In this chapter many defiling things are mentioned. It is in the wilderness where defilement is contacted. How often our minds are like open vessels! They are standing idle, ready to receive anything that may fall into them. In the presence of evil conversation (supposing that we can neither leave nor reprove it), we should be careful that we do not allow it entrance to our minds. We need to gird up the loins of our minds (see 1 Peter 1:1313Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (1 Peter 1:13)), and be careful what we take into them. The following incident may make this more clear:
One night when preaching the gospel in a certain town, a sister in the Lord brought some children to the meeting. Among them was a child about nine years of age, who had been taught that it was wrong to listen to the truth of the gospel. On the way home after the gospel meeting, this child said to the other children,
“I thought about everything else I could all the time that man was speaking, so that I wouldn't hear a word he said.”
Now, this was not done in a good sense, but it explains how this child sought to keep her mind covered to what was said. Her mind was not open, but covered by a definite effort to think about other things. May we, fellow-Christians, be more careful, when within hearing distance of evil, to close our minds to it.
In closing, I would suggest that you look up these Scriptures referred to, and go over the whole matter carefully. It is of utmost importance that we do not come into unnecessary contact with the ungodly; and it is also important that we should act according to the Word of God if we do.