“Unfriended”

Thursday, July 26, 2012

     Is a person that just got saved supposed to treat friends that she has been around for 10 to 15 years badly?  I mean, is she supposed to stop conversing with unsaved people that she’s been friends with for a long time?

Sincerely,
Out In The Cold

Dear Out In The Cold,

A new Christian might have to put some distance between themselves and certain friends – a lot of it depends on the choices those friends are making.  It is sometimes hard for those outside of Christ to realize it, but becoming a Christian is a completely new life with new priorities and new direction.  Jesus compared it to being born again (Jhn 3:3).  When someone becomes a Christian, they make a commitment to God to repent of their sinful ways (Acts 3:19) and let their life be guided by Christ (Gal 2:20).  Any sort of drastic change in priorities of that magnitude will affect every corner of a person’s life, including their friendships.

1 Cor 15:33 says that bad company can corrupt us.  If someone becomes a Christian and still hangs out at the bar with their cussing drinking buddies, they aren’t likely to live that new life that Christ commanded.  It isn’t enough to say they will change; a new Christian needs to put themselves in an environment that will help them grow.  Sometimes, that means severing unhealthy friendships.

Having said that, becoming a Christian doesn’t mean all relationships have to end or that it is okay to be mean or unkind to people.  But if two people’s lives are going different places, it is natural for them to become distant.

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