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Christians Whom Do You Go For Counsel Or Advise? Series
Contributed by Shaila Touchton on Dec 17, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).
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Ungodly people cannot offer Godly advice. Because the ungodly call good as evil and evil as good, they take pleasure in everything that glorifies evil, ungodly people have strayed into the world's desires and practices. People who are wicked, sinful, and devoid of godliness are referred to as the "ungodly." This is all they do from the outside world. They lack insight into God's perspective. They have listened to human logic and reasoning rather than what God has said in His Word. Lord tells us to avoid following their advice. Their own desires and gods have taken the place of God's will. Any advice or counsel from the wicked must be rejected. Paul, the apostle, advised, "Do not be deceived: Good character is tainted by bad company,'" according to 1 Corinthians 15:33. According to Proverbs 22:24–25, "Do not associate with someone who is easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared." The Lord has blessed godly individuals with His wisdom and ability to distinguish between right and wrong, who aren't afraid, to tell the truth in a loving and clear way. Look for godly advice from godly people. Choose your words carefully in the spirit of love.
Christ's true followers should never seek moral direction from nonbelievers. What good could come from spending time with negative, resentful, and ungodly people? Always consider God's word when evaluating the issue, circumstance, or problem. Because the righteous "fear the Lord and delight in obeying His commands," God blesses their path (Psalm 112:1). God blesses the route of the righteous because they “fear the Lord and delight in obeying His commands” (Psalm 112:1). Rather than taking pleasure in sin and the things of the world, they “live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people” (Philippians 2:15). Godly counsel helps the person heal so that they can interact with God effectively and use their gifts in the body of Christ. A godly counselor gets in tune with the Holy Spirit and is willing to allow the Lord to intervene in their sessions or conversations or discussions through prayer. A true Godly person adheres to the fundamental truths outlined in scripture and he won’t walk both in the biblical counsel and worldly counsel which contradict each other. Always remember we have The "Wonderful Counselor" is Jesus, as Isaiah so beautifully predicted.
Always be sure that what you hear from others is in line with the Word of God. Listen, pray, and ask God to confirm what has been suggested. The Lord will guide you when you seek His wisdom. Be careful who you are friends with because not everyone has your best interests at heart. If Satan is not pestering you, it’s because you are not a threat to him! If this happens, start asking yourself questions about what you believe and get back into the truth of God’s Word! Be careful when it comes to whom you listen to because ungodly counsel can cause you to lose money, time, purpose, and relationships. The person who chooses the righteous way of life avoids thinking like the ungodly, behaving like the wicked, and associating with the godless. Instead, he will “walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm” (Proverbs 13:20). We no longer walk in the counsel of the ungodly. We are not to copy the behavior and customs of this world. Seeking God’s counsel implies that we are depending on God.
While many people are aware of certain things, not many have the wisdom to offer you sound advice. Even if something is suggested, that doesn't mean it's right for you to do it. Do not follow the ungodly’ s advice. It's risky to lend an ear to someone who has no idea what your true destiny is. It takes courage to stand up for what we believe in and to not join in with people when they start gossiping or slandering another person. Yet, look what the psalmist says in Psalm 1:1. What we may not realize is that these “friends” of ours will talk about us behind our backs just as they are talking about others. These people will always want to judge and make fun of others, while not seeing that they are not perfect either. We may have to live with the ungodly, but it does not mean that we have to behave as they do! Remember this one thing to all of those who are sitting on the path where mockers and scorners gather right now and passively standing in the counsel of the ungodly (psalm 1): If someone is speaking negatively about you and character assassinating another person, they will do the same to you! Don't join forces with people who don't believe. What, after all, ties righteousness and wickedness together? Or what kind of connection can light and darkness have?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).