Influence
Summary
The power to affect others for good or evil, a responsibility Scripture places on all who bear witness to divine truth.
☩Positive Influence
Believers are called to exert godly influence in the world as salt and light. The righteous person influences others toward good by example, teaching, and intercession. Parents, leaders, and teachers bear special responsibility for the influence they wield over those in their care.
☩Negative Influence
Bad company corrupts good morals, and Scripture warns repeatedly against the influence of the wicked. Eli's failure to restrain his sons, Jeroboam's leading Israel into sin, and the leaven of the Pharisees all illustrate harmful influence. Even one person can lead many astray.
☩Accountability
Those who cause others to sin face serious judgment—better a millstone around the neck than to cause one of Christ's little ones to stumble. Influence carries accountability. The faithful servant multiplies his master's investment; the unfaithful one hides and wastes it.
Related Verses51 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Influence," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).