TRUTHS ABOUT PEER PRESSURE
When we hear
about peer pressure the mind tends to wonder about negative influences exerted
over someone by another person or group of people. The truth is there are both
positive and negative influences in life. Each day we are faced with choices to
make about which of these you will allow to influence you. Positive peer pressure that encourages you to
do good is not a problem. It is the
negative peer pressure of ungodly influences in your life which you must learn
to confront and conquer.
Those with whom you associate influence
you. The Bible says
“Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
Proverbs warns: “Do not make
friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or
you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared” (Proverbs 22:24-25).
Substitute any negative influence for the words “hot-tempered” and the
result is the same–if you run with someone who is dishonest, you learn their
ways. If you hang out with a liar, you
will become one too.
You should be an example instead of
following bad examples. Paul told a young believer named
Timothy: “Don’t let anyone look down on
you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in
life, in love, in faith and in purity” (1Timothy
4:12-13). Jesus said you were to follow
His example (John 13:15) and that as
a believer you are His ambassador to the world (1 Corinthians 5:20). Do not
be a clone. Be an example. You are to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). Tasteless salt is worthless (Mark 9:50). As a follower of Christ it is your
responsibility to flavor the world around you so it will be positively impacted
for God.
Doing things because “everyone else
is doing them” is idolatry. The Lord said that Israel
imitated the sinful nations around them, although God had ordered them not to
do so. They followed idolatrous people
and became idolatrous themselves (2
Kings 17:15). When you decide to do
something because “everyone else is doing it”, you are establishing those
unsaved people as an idol in your life–imitating them and adhering to their
standards instead of following God.
DEALING WITH PEER PRESSURE:
Do not blame God when you yield to
peer pressure. The
Bible says: “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God
cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted
when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives
birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James
1:13-15).
Rebuke the fear of man. The Bible says that the fear of man
is a spiritual snare which entraps you in their ways (Proverbs 29:25).
Determine that you will obey God
rather than man. The disciples took their stand against “peer
pressure”, even when facing possible imprisonment and death. Peter and the other apostles declared: “We
must obey God rather than men!” (Acts
5:29).
Renew your mind in the Word of God.
This will enable you to be transformed instead of conforming to the
world (Romans 12:1-2).
Do not be unequally yoked in
relationships. The Bible warns believers: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.
For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can
light have with darkness? What harmony
is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an
unbeliever? What agreement is there
between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be
their God, and they will be my people.”
“Therefore come out from them and be separate,” says the Lord. “Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive
you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Break close relationships with those who
exert pressure for you to look, act, think, or talk in ways that are not in
harmony with God’s Word.
Do not become involved in the
troubles of others. Some people want to involve you in their
messes and even take delight in getting you into trouble. The moment you are
tempted to become involved in another person’s issues, you end up as part of
their troubles. The Bible warns: “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and
go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass
away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is
taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of
wickedness, and drink the wine of violence” (Proverbs 4:14-17, KJV).
Do not
follow the crowd in doing wrong. (Exodus
23:2)
Blessed is
the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of
sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates
day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2)
Away from
me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God! (Psalm
119:115)
My son, if
sinners entice you, do not give in to them.
If they say, “Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood,
let’s waylay some harmless soul; let’s
swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the
pit; we will get all sorts of valuable
things and fill our houses with
plunder; throw in your lot with us, and
we will share a common purse”–my son, do not go along with them, do not set
foot on their paths; for their feet rush
into sin, they are swift to shed blood.
(Proverbs 1:10-16)
Enter not
into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass
not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have
done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. (Proverbs 4:14-17. KJV)
Do not make
friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or
you may learn his ways and get yourself
ensnared. (Proverbs 22:24-25)
Do not join
those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and
gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. (Proverbs
23:20-21)
Fear of man
will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. (Proverbs
29:25)
Peter and
the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29)
Therefore, I
urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do
not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transform. (Romans 12:1-2)
Do not be
yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have
in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and
Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of
God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I
will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will
be my people.” “Therefore come out from
them and be separate,” says the Lord. “Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive
you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters. (2
Corinthians 6:14-18)
Do not be
misled: Bad company corrupts good character.
(1 Corinthians 15:33)
Am I now
trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If
I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)
Don’t let
anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the
believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. (1
Timothy 4:12-13)
When
tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by
evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil
desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when
it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
(James 1:13-15)
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