Answer
In this article on whether a Christian should join fraternities / sororities, we are giving possible issues. We are not saying that all fraternities / sororities fit all of the items we mention. As with anything else, always closely examine a group before you make any commitment to it. Research what fraternity / sorority life involves and requires.
The first question that needs to be asked is why a person would want to join a fraternity / sorority. Motives in God’s eyes are important (1 Samuel 16:7). Depending on the motivating reasons, different issues come to the forefront. If one wants to join a fraternity / sorority because they have the best parties, the Bible says that such a life should belong in one’s unsaved past, not in the present life of a believer (1 Peter 4:3).
If one wants to join a fraternity / sorority because of membership being a status symbol, it may be an issue of pride. The Bible repeatedly encourages humility both in life and in the choice of one’s companions (Romans 12:16; 1 Peter 5:5-7), exhorting us to live even as Christ lived. The Bible mentions pride as sin and something God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19; 8:13; 11:2; 16:18; Daniel 4:37; 1 Peter 5:5; 1 John 2:15-17).
Another problem with joining a fraternity or sorority is the exclusivity that such a group embodies. Some pledges or oaths bind members to unreasonable levels of devotion, restricting them from helping members of other groups academically or in other ways. It is hard to see how a Christian can obey the Lord’s command to help “the least of these” while pledging allegiance to a group that distances itself from others or sees itself as above them.
A Christian’s closest relationships should be with fellow Christians and not based on external ties such as belonging to the same fraternity / sorority, having gone to the same school, coming from the same race or social class, etc. (Galatians 3:28; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; 12:24-26; Galatians 6:10; John 13:34-35). Most colleges have branches of Christian organizations such as InterVarsity, Campus Crusade, and Navigators as well as good local churches who have college ministries to help young people come to know Christ and grow as His disciples. These groups and fellow Christians should be sought after as the core group of friends while one is away at college.
Whom one has as his closest companions is a major issue in Scripture whether they are fraternity brothers, roommates in a dorm, or classmates. Here are a few of Scripture’s admonitions concerning this issue: "Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’" (1 Corinthians 15:33). “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm" (Proverbs 13:20). "I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts" (Psalm 119:63). In the end, the question of whether to join a fraternity or sorority is a matter for prayer and following God’s leading in our hearts.
