Often we remain with unsaved extended family, using the excuse that we might win them to the Lord when in reality we are fearful of being alone without family.
It is time to pray for discernment, understanding that many family members are not born again, are stubborn and refuse to trust Christ. They are in the camp with those whom God tells us to walk away from.
When we remain while they refuse, it is exercising a lack of faith that God can work on them without us. Often remaining in the lives of unsaved people merely solidifies their comfort with their wicked lifestyle, we are then enablers, and for no other reason except our own fear of being alone, or losing their attentions.
Matthew 10:37-39
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
It is very uncomfortable for us when we begin to realize we are not in agreement with family, that they work against God Whom we serve. We go through loneliness thinking that if they were only with us as we walk with Christ we could be happy. But it isn't true, if they walk with us while we are wanting to walk with Christ, they will undermine our every decision to obey Him, while manipulating and intimidating us to walk their way rather than God's.
There is a tremendous pressure now in the world and extended family members to disobey God to enjoy family. As family continues to walk in rebellion, after their own pleasures and lusts, they keep us in a continual state of turmoil rather than enhancing our walk.
In 2 Timothy 3 God tells us to remove ourselves from those who reject Christ.
Matthew 10:34-37 "“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
1 Corinthians 15:33-34 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame."
We know that evil company corrupts us, all we have to do is watch the way the church has gone in the past 40 years. Many pretenders have come into the church, even unsaved church leaders who bring in worldly doctrine, that have corrupted those who are born again. The weaker believers who are afraid to stand strong for truth, begin to regress in their walk, focused more on being accepted than on a complete commitment to Christ and His principles.
We cannot expect to remain strong while surrounded by ungodly people who have already heard the gospel and reject it.
