Powerful Peer Pressure

As in anything there are two sides to the provable coin regarding peer pressure: negative and positive.

First, negative peer pressure is wherein any person or group of persons would influence you to do something God forbad, or not do something God has enjoined. Many examples of negative peer pressure could be given, nevertheless allow these to suffice:

God Forbad:

• Hebrew Midwives (Exo. 1:17)
• Abraham (Gen. 20:9-11)
• Shadrach, Meshach & Abed-nego (Dan. 3:19)
  

God Enjoined:

• Jeremiah (Jer. 36:23; 37:15; 38:28)
• Daniel (Dan. 6:4-9)
• Apostles (Acts 4-5)
  

Second, positive peer pressure is wherein any person or group of persons would influence you to do something God enjoined or not to do something which God forbad. One receives this influence today from friends, television, music, movies, co-workers, classmates, etc.. Again, many examples of positive peer pressure could be given, nevertheless allow these to suffice:

God Forbad:

• Ananais & Sapphire (Acts 5:1-11)
• Apostle Paul (1 Cor. 4:20-21; 9:12, 23)
  

God Enjoined:

• Aquila & Priscilla (Acts 18:24-26)
• Apostle Paul (First & Second Timothy)
  

Third, God's Word addresses the topic of overcoming negative peer pressure. Here are just a few good principles to live by:

• Love not the world (1 Jho. 2:15-17);
• Set your priorities (Col. 3:1-2);
• Be Christ like (2 Pet. 2:21);
• Be involved in the work (Jas. 1:22-25);
• Study the Scripture (Acts 17:11);
• Make Heaven your goal (Phi. 1:21-23);
• Be transformed (Rom. 12:1-2);
• Be steadfast, unmoveable (1 Cor. 15:58);
• Take heed to God's Word (Psa. 119:9);
• Let the Word dwell within (Psa. 119:11);
• Follow after godly role models (more to come later):
  

Fourth, God's Word informs the church how to exert positive peer pressure.

• Personal Transgressors (Mat. 18:15-17)
• False Teachers (Rom. 16:17-18)
• Immoral Individuals (1 Cor. 5:1-13)
• Disorderly Walkers (1 The. 5:14; 2 The. 3:6)
• Heretics (Tit. 3:10-11)
  

"O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;... Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindenss of the Lord" (Psa. 107:1-2, 43). May the redeemed also understand that what God forbids and enjoins is for our benefit.

~rick