Influence – Who Needs It?
Who needs influence? The truth is, everyone does. Even though the word “influence” is not found in sacred Scripture, the idea of it is found throughout. The definition of influence per the Oxford dictionary is: the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself. The Spirit had the prophet inform: O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.(Jeremiah 10:23). God created man as a free moral agent, which requires all humans to choose. The concept of choice is that something or someone “influences” another to make a selection as to what to do, what to say, or how to act.
Since God has not left it up to man to “self-direct”, man needs a guide, and this is where influence enters. Therein also lies the problem, as man seems to have trouble of seeing where improper influence may take them. Take for instance Eve in the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 3:4-8 we see the full effect of the evil influence of the serpent (Satan) upon Eve, and her influence on Adam. God gave them direction and guidance through His Commandments which is the way He influences man even today. Eve was influenced to make a choice and didn’t think of the ramifications of that choice because she didn’t believe what God said would happen for breaking His Law. Adam, being improperly influenced by his wife, also paid the price.
This didn’t end with the first couple. As man began to multiply on earth, the influence of sin became prevalent. According to Genesis 6:5, God saw the great wickedness of man and even that “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Evil men had influenced their fellow-men to think on and to participate in evil. The ramification of this was God, through the flood, brought about the complete destruction of humanity with the exception of Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives. The reason they didn’t perish in the flood, is because Noah and his family listened to the influence of God and His Word, built the ark, got on it, and were saved.
As we continue into Genesis chapters eleven and twelve, we have a couple of cases where influence came into focus. One, the folks who tried to build the tower of Babel, were influenced by pride and arrogance. The other, Abram, who followed the Word of God and that influence on his life. Notice what happened to each. Those who tried to build the tower of babel were scattered upon the face of all the earth, and they were defeated in what they attempted to accomplish. But Abram, who we also know as Abraham, was told by God to leave his kindred and go to a place God would show him. God also told him the benefit of following God’s Commands and be influenced by Him. In Genesis 12:2, Abraham was told: “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:”
Interestingly, the folks who failed at the building of the tower of Babel have passed into oblivion because of their defiance of God. There is not another mention of them in God’s Word. However, according to James 2:23, we see the great honor of one who allowed the influence of God and the Word of God to guide and direct his life. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. This honor was not ever given to any other in all the earth. God promised Abraham, his son Isaac, and Isaac’s son Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, the Promised Land. Because Abraham was influenced by God and His Word, the promise was given. It was through the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that Christ came to earth.
Moses, in Deuteronomy 30:15 called Israel’s attention to the influence of two extremes. He said: “See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; ”. In verse 19 he told them how important it was to follow the right influence. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: Later, in Joshua 24:15, just before Israel was to go into and possess the land, Joshua warned Israel of the influences that could lead them, and also what he had already chosen. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
All these and many others are prime reasons the Spirit had Paul write in Romans 6:16 to warn the church of Christ in Rome, and all who might read it for generations to come. He wrote: Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? The Spirit had Paul immediately state that God was to be thanked because they had followed the influence of His Word. This influence and the choice they made (obedience) freed them from their past sins and placed them into the church, which made them “servants of righteousness”. Souls are definitely affected by influence.
Why will you not accept the influence of God and His Word, be obedient to it and reject the influence and evil of the world? 1John 2:15-17 warns that the soul that embraces the influence of the world will perish along with the world. At the same time, it also tells of the benefit of being influenced by God. Let’s make certain that the influence we follow is the right one which leads us to eternity with God.
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
