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The Beginning of the End
Dangers of Ungodly Associates
Satan is most successful in drawing Christians into sin by encour-
aging them to spend time with people who do not love God, and by
joining them in their amusements. God requires of His people now
as much difference from the world in customs, habits, and principles
as He required of Israel in ancient times. The warnings He gives to
Christians, forbidding them to follow the spirit and customs of those
who do not love God, are just as clear as the warnings He gave the
Hebrews against blending in with the heathen. We cannot be too
firm in not spending time with people who exert an influence to lead
us away from God. While we pray, “Lead us not into temptation,”
we are to avoid temptation as much as possible.
When the Israelites were in peace and security they were drawn
into sin. Ease and self-indulgence left the fortress of the heart
unguarded, and shameful thoughts found a way in. Traitors inside
the camp brought down the protection of principle and betrayed
Israel into the power of Satan. This is how Satan seeks to ruin
people. A long preparation process, unknown to the world, goes on
in the heart before the Christian commits open sin. The mind does
not come down all at once from purity and holiness to wickedness,
corruption, and crime. By giving in to impure thoughts, sin that used
to be hated will become pleasant.
Satan is using every method to make crime and degrading im-
morality popular. We cannot walk the streets of our cities without
seeing startling advertisements of crime to be presented in some
novel or theater. People’s minds are being educated to become com-
fortable with sin. The actions of immoral and corrupt people are
continually presented for all to see, and everything that can excite
passion is brought to them in exciting stories. They hear and read
so much of degrading evil that their conscience becomes hardened,
and they keep thinking about these things with greedy interest.
Many amusements popular in the world today, even with those
who claim to be Christians, lead to the same results as did the heathen
amusements. Through drama Satan has worked for ages to excite
passion and glorify evil. Satan uses the opera, dance, and the card
table to break down barriers and open the door to sensual indulgence.
In every gathering for pleasure where pride is encouraged or appetite