As a youth leader over 16 year olds and younger, I have to answer the question concerning ungodly behavior by their unsaved friends and whether they have a right to point it out since (these unsaved friends) are only acting like their unsaved nature says it ok to. How should teens respond to the behavior of unsaved friends?

For more information on this topic,
check out Bob Yandian’s teaching series,
“The Problem with Promiscuity.”

What a great question. Teenagers today probably have it harder than any previous generation when it comes to the area of immorality in their friends. There is probably more opportunity for sin in today’s society than there ever has been in history. Drugs are available at almost any school campus. Sex is thrust in the faces of teens on nearly every movie and TV channel. Pornography is found on more websites than not. In addition, cultural leaders and role models are telling young people that sin is okay. So how does a Bible-believing Christian teen stand up to this pressure?

I think we can get our answer from the life and teachings of Jesus. Jesus said we are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). He also stated that a city on a hill cannot be hid. In the previous verse Jesus said we are the salt of the earth. Something interesting about light and salt is they don’t have to try hard to be what they are—they just are what they are. Light doesn’t have to strain and grunt to shine. It just shines. Salt doesn’t have to strain to season or preserve. It does those things because it is salt. In verse 16, Jesus says to let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father, who is in heaven. We shouldn’t have to grunt and strain to be a light in a dark world. We just need to let, or allow, our light to shine. In other words, for a Christian it should only take work to keep our light from shining.

What’s the point? For teenagers and adults alike, the most effective thing we can do to point out sin in those around us is simply to live the life we are instructed to live in the Word of God. Others will see our light, which will expose their sin. Then there are two possible end results. Either they will run away from the light and try to surround themselves with darkness and ignore their sin, or they will repent from their sin, receive Jesus, and, as the passage indicates, glorify our Father in heaven.

However, there does come a time in any Christian’s life when we need to speak up and be heard. But when is that point? Very simply, when the person's sin is influencing others around them to enter into the same sins. Does this apply in today's society? Oh yeah! Everywhere you go, everywhere you look, "cool" people are telling teens to get into sex, drugs, and many other sins. So, what is our response to be? Again, let us look to the example of Jesus. The same Jesus who told us to turn the other cheek also called certain groups of people "broods of vipers,” "hypocrites,” and "whitewashed tombstones.” Why did He do this? To answer that question, we must first ask, to whom did He say this? Jesus was addressing the Pharisees, who were held in very high regard by the Jews of Jesus' time. They were the experts in the Law. Therefore, for most Jews, if the Pharisees said it, it was true. So when the Pharisees said, for example, that it was by the power of Beelzebub that He drove out demons, many who were listening probably believed them just because of who was saying it. When it comes down to it, there's nothing worse you can do than to influence someone to reject Jesus as Lord and Savior. Therefore, Jesus took action, calling the Pharisees what they were: hypocrites, vipers, and whitewashed tombstones.

So, if we take this example, it is our responsibility to confront those whose sin influences others to sin. And how do we do that? Just like Jesus did: He didn't mince words or beat around the bush. He called sin "sin.” He pointed out that sin leads to death, and that for those who cause others to sin, it would be better for them to have a millstone tied around their neck and be cast into the sea.

Robb Yandian
Youth Director