"Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful." (Psalm 1:1)
It is not enough not to be a scoffer or a blasphemer; we must not occupy the place of such. The Christian must not even silently occupy a position among ungodly and scornful men, which might lead others to suppose him to belong to those classes.
There are two obvious reasons for this. One is on account of the influence upon others, and the other is the influence on one's self. One cannot sit in the seat of the scornful without being influenced by what he hears. "Be not deceived: evil company corrupts good manners [or, better rendered, "good morals"]." (1 Corinthians 15:33)
It is not enough not to be passively wicked; for that is to be positively wicked. What the Lord desires is positive goodness.--Present Truth, November 25, 1897--Psalm 1:1.