1 Corinthians 15:33-34 (NIV)
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
This small paragraph in Paul’s letter seems to some to be misplaced. But its overall context is the problem that had arisen in Corinth because of those who were preaching that there is really no resurrection or afterlife, and the disastrous consequences that that false teaching was having on some peoples’ faith.
Nowhere does Paul tell the Corinthians that they need to isolate themselves from pagans and sinners for fear of being corrupted by them, as some interpret the first sentence. Quite the opposite in fact (1 Corinthians 5:9-10). He understood that the mission of the Church is to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). And to do that effectively requires, not retreat from the world, but active engagement with those living in darkness.
The evil Paul is warning against here is people who teach things that damage the faith of others, and that directly contradict the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. Those who take on the calling of teacher will be judged harshly by God for anything false which they teach (James 3:1), because they can either build God’s people up by teaching the truth, or tear them down and destroy their faith by teaching lies, half-truths, and opinions as fact.
In the end, this short paragraph, the end of his argument proving the reality of the resurrection, is a call to abandon the false teachers who have confused them and who have damaged the faith of some, and to return to what they were taught about the resurrection and the life to come at the beginning. It closes this segment of his argument and provides a segue to the next part of this section, which details the specifics of the resurrection.
Father, I am always amazed at Paul’s skill as a teacher, constructing his arguments with so much logic and attention to detail. And, of course, I am reminded of the massive responsibility involved in claiming to be a teacher of Your people. The ramifications of teaching falsehood or opinion as fact and leading Your people astray are clearly outlined in Your word. But we also need to be cautious about “reinterpreting” your word to cater to modern sensibilities and so-called “scientific facts” which are more ephemeral than many scientists would have us believe, changing and shifting with every new discovery. Help me as a teacher, Lord, to not seek for the novel in Your word, or to teach in ways that tickle the ears of those whom I am teaching. Help me instead to teach Your word simply, clearly, and in all its appropriate context, so that Your truth can be clearly seen, believed, and lived out. Amen.