Beware Compromise
We’ve learned a lot this week about the temptations of those who are faithful Christians. And lastly I want to bring some balance to all of this by reminding us to beware compromise.
Beware of Compromise
Because sometimes when we talk about these things, we start to imply that it’s okay to compromise in our faith. We get so scared of self-righteousness that we think – it’s ok to sin, so that we don’t seem holier-than-thou. And we get so scared of looking down on others, that we start to affirm sin, so that we don’t offend anybody. And we get so scared of legalism that we start to sin and say “God loves me anyway, he’ll forgive me anyway”.
So we compromise and stop focusing on holiness. And this is a grave mistake indeed.
Warren Wiersbe, who wrote a wonderful series of commentaries, wrote this: “One of Satan’s most successful devices is compromise. If he can delude God’s people into abandoning their privileged position of separation from sin and communion with God, then he can corrupt them and lead them into sin. He did this to Israel in the land of Moab and also after they had conquered the land of Canaan. The prophets warned the Jewish people not to compromise with the idolatrous worship of the pagans around them, but their warnings weren’t heeded, and the nation experienced shameful defeat at the hands of their enemies.”
Embrace Holiness
Beware compromise. Beware self-righteousness, but embrace holiness from God! Beware looking down on others, but don’t affirm sin! Beware legalism, but don’t dishonor God! When we start to compromise, we put ourselves in danger of losing that closeness with God.
And God takes this seriously. A few hundred years before Christ, the people of God had lost their way completely. They were so morally out of whack that God had to intervene and send them into exile to get them back on track. Look at these words he said through the prophet Isaiah: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20 NIV)
Compromise! They were calling evil things good, and good things evil. They were pretending that deeds of darkness were deeds of light.
Stay Faithful
Sound familiar? Sound a bit like the world we live in, in 2024?
It’s tempting for churches to compromise in order to reach others. To start embracing darkness to try to get more people in the doors.
But friends, let’s be very careful to remain committed to goodness and holiness.
Let’s stay faithful in all of our ways, with our hearts lost in love for God, and our minds soaked in His precious Word, and our hands joined in unity.
Let’s just be humble about it, not full of ourselves like the Pharisees.
And so take this word to the faithful with you into your weekend, and walk closely with God in all humility. May His blessing be upon you.
