is where you will find a community that loves righteousness and that respects God’s commandments as the first-century Christians did. Here is a community that walks closely in Jesus’ footsteps by keeping separate from the world as he did, by preaching publicly as he did, and by seeking first the kingdom of God as he did. Here is a community that walks with God while living in a corrupt world. This growing, international society consists of the righteous, many of whom will be preserved through the end of the present system of things to inherit the earth. “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.” (Ps. 37:29) With them you will find the right associations that lead to eternal life.

Watch Your Associations in the Time of the End

“Bad associations spoil useful habits.”—1 Cor. 15:33.

1. What do Christians find in this modern world that is hard to deal with?

OUR modern world has reached the climactic period in human history that was foretold long ago to be the end of this worldly system of things. This is the time the apostle Paul spoke about when he said: “Know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here.” (2 Tim. 3:1) What Christians have found to be especially hard to deal with has been the increasingly bad influence that permeates modern society. That which is degraded, degenerate, criminal violent are the things constantly highlighted in popular literature, plays, movies, TV and radio. The general thinking of the people as revealed by their daily conversation and jokes is only bad all the time. The influence of such thinking does not help a Christian walk in the way that has God’s approval.

2. How do people of the world act, and why do Christians appear peculiar to them?

² Ignoring the good principles of the scriptures that teach love for neighbor, the people of this world act like wolves as they fight among themselves to get all they can at the expense of others. Their selfish policy is commonly expressed as “dog eat dog.” Because God’s servants in the New World society do not follow the selfish and immoral practices of the world, they are like sheep among wolves. Their meekness and desire to live by the moral standards of God’s Word make them appear peculiar in the eyes of worldly people. The apostle Peter spoke of this when he said: “Because you do not continue running with them in this course to the same low sink of debauchery, they are puzzled and go on speaking abusively of you.”—1 Pet. 4:4.

3. Why is it imperative to watch your associations today?

³ If you are a dedicated Christian in the New World society, it is imperative that you keep your senses in this time of the end and not imagine that you can have companionship with the wolves of this world without being influenced by their thinking. Unless you watch your associations you may cease to be a sheep by acting like a wolf. The apostle Paul was right when he said: “Bad associations spoil useful habits.” (1 Cor. 15:33) Such associations can mold you like clay into a dishonorable vessel and spoil your usefulness in God’s organization.

4. What is the natural desire when one is with a group of people, and why can this lead to trouble?

⁴ When you seek companionship with any group of people, it is a natural desire to want to be accepted by them as one of the crowd. This pressures you into thinking as they do, acting as they do and, in some cases, even dressing as they do. Young persons are particularly sensitive in this regard, as they dread being different from their companions. The desire to be accepted can lead you into trouble when your companions are persons who do not love Jehovah God and do not respect his standards. Their association is spiritually and morally unhealthy. Through fleshly desires and weaknesses they will tempt you into doing what you know is bad. Notice what the apostle Peter said about this: “They utter swelling expressions of no profit, and by the desires of the flesh and by loose habits they entice those who are just escaping from people who conduct themselves in error.”—2 Pet. 2:18.

5. How should association with worldly people at your place of work be viewed?

⁵ In order to earn a living it is often necessary to spend many hours every day working among people who have no love for righteousness or respect for the high moral standards of God’s Word. While association with these people cannot be avoided during working hours, you do not have to associate with them after working hours. Why voluntarily put yourself in contact with their bad thinking and unclean chatter? This does not mean you should not be friendly and helpful, but being friendly does not involve companionship. You can work among them, being friendly and helpful, without seeking to be accepted into their crowd as one of them.

EFFECT ON THINKING

6, 7. What do bad associations especially affect, and what can they result in?

⁶ It is your thinking that bad associations affect. They can divert it from the high standard of the Scriptures to the low standard of the world. Because of fleshly weaknesses it is easier to influence your thinking by what is bad than by what is good. The wise course is to recognize this fact and avoid bad influences from the beginning. Safeguard your thinking, for if it becomes twisted by worldly reasoning, what protection have you from what is bad? How will you be able to continue walking the narrow way that leads to life? By allowing worldly associations to influence your thinking you may find yourself walking with them along the broad way to death. “Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road