Many single men and women often go out with their friends to enjoy themselves, have some conversations, and of course have some fun. This could be done in a myriad of ways. But is it right for a Christian to go out and hang out with friends, whether married or not?
Everything is permissible
Friends, I don't mean to intrude and dictate how you would run your life. I really don't have any right to demand that you do as I say, but I do want to obey the Lord when He said in His Word in James 5:19-20,
"Brothers, if any one of you strays from the truth and someone corrects him, let him know that he who converts the sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."
Now that I made myself clear, let me tell you something. The Bible tells us that we can do pretty much anything, as long as it is not sin. The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:23,
"'All things are lawful for me,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful for me,' but not all things edify.'"
Simply put, as a Christian we aren't prohibited from doing anything except sin. But not all are good, even more helpful or beneficial, for us. Not all things "edify" or build us up in the faith, even if they are surely enjoyable.
Edifying
When Paul said "not all things edify" without specifying what these things were, he practically gave us the opportunity to be wise and think of the things that will help us in our growth as children of God.
We understand that reading our Bible, praying for each other, and being an encouraging friend to one another greatly helps us in our faith. We also understand that there are some things that, although not explicitly sin, aren't helpful or beneficial to our faith.
It does feel good to go play ball with friends, or perhaps watch a movie with them. It also feels good, not to mention filling, to have lunch dates with friends. These, and many more activities, might be good, but they don't necessarily help us grow in faith.
Worse, our testimonies might get stained, hindering us from sharing our testimony so that others would know Christ.
Do everything for Christ
Friends, I won't tell you to stop hanging out with your friends. I will tell you, however, that "whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (Colossians 3:17)
If you think that hanging out will demand that you compromise on your convictions in the Word of God, then just avoid it. God loves you, and wants you to stand up for Him as His child in this generation. Do everything that you can for Christ.
