Pressure to compromise comes from all sides. Are You Able to Resist?
We live in days of apathy, apostasy, and compromise. Alarming numbers of professing Christians are turning from the proven paths of faithful church attendance, belief in the Word of God, and Biblical principles of life. Instead, these wayward souls embrace modern philosophy, pragmatic hedonism, and worldly living. Shockingly, some so-called believers even turn from their previous professions of faith, saying they no longer believe in God or the Saviour!
The spiritual temperature is dropping in the pulpit.
To make matters worse, far too many preachers and pastors called to lead God’s people through the treacherous pitfalls of life are AWOL in their spiritual duties. Rather than fulfilling their duties as watchmen on the wall warning of danger, they have become apologists for casual Christianity and worldly living.
“Progressive” pastors lead once faithful churches away from the well- worn paths of strong Bible preaching, confrontational evangelism, and personal holiness into the dangerous quicksands of unproven trends, personal preferences, and lukewarm living.
These unfaithful shepherds exchange Bible-based Gospel songs and hymns for the weak theology and devilish rhythms of worldly counterfeits. They refuse to take a firm stand on God’s Word, taking a disastrous “use what version you are comfortable with” approach. Their own families become compromised with worldliness rather than trying to save sinners from it. Their churches become social clubs that share the Gospel instead of Christ’s churches which preach the whole counsel of God. Encouraging “talks” and self- help seminars have replaced Spirit- filled Bible preaching.
“… ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”
JUDE 4
The spiritual temperature is dropping in the pew as well.
While strong Christians encourage the pastor to preach the Word and “tell it like it is,” a growing number of churchgoers cry for their “rights” like petulant children, complaining when God’s Word convicts their double heart. Far too many believers visit God for an hour on Sunday morning rather than making Christ the center of their lives.
Oh yes, my friend, we live in days of apathy and apostasy!
How did this happen? It all begins with one word – compromise.
Consider this definition of compromise from a previous article entitled “The Anatomy of Compromise,” which can be read in its entirety at PaulEChapman.com.
“Every generation must fight its own battles over compromise. If we are to successfully steward the Truth and pass it on to the next generation, we have no choice but to understand compromise, recognize it, and reject it.
What is compromise? The word has two main definitions.
The first definition of compromise is “to come to agreement by mutual concession.” This form of compromise is beneficial and necessary in every relationship of life. No one gets their way all the time.
The second definition of compromise is “to make a dishonorable or shameful concession.” This form of compromise is always wrong, especially concerning the things of God. The Almighty should always get His way.
Christian compromise is making shameful concessions to God’s Word and Will. It is departing from the Truth. A compromiser is one who leaves the doctrines and principles of God’s Word to reconcile a competing philosophy or way of life.”
Many good men have compromised. Not one of them woke up one day and said, “I’m going to compromise the principles of God’s Word upon which I’ve built my life and ministry.”
Nevertheless, it happens. Compromise is a slow process. It is a thousand small concessions in the heart and mind that eventually wear away the Truth.
It breaks my heart when good people compromise the Truth. I don’t sit in judgment as a ruler over the brethren. We all have one Master to Whom we will give an account.
Romans 14:4
“Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”
Rather, I feel the sadness of a soldier still in the battle who sees a fellow soldier surrender to the enemy. I don’t spend much time on social media because it hurts me so deeply when I see people who once stood for the Truth brag about their compromises. My heart aches over this cancer among the brethren.
Christian ministry is the greatest privilege in this life, yet one of its most difficult callings. Spiritual warfare is real. The pressures are mind-boggling. The burdens are almost unbearable. Truly, it is only through the grace of God that any of us will remain faithful in this life. Nevertheless, staying faithful to God’s Word without compromise for a lifetime is possible.
I want to be faithful to the Saviour. I believe you do too. We must understand how compromise infiltrates lives and ministries to realize that goal.
We will investigate three Avenues of Compromise in this article.
Let’s identify them to protect ourselves from the slow creep of compromise that seeks to destroy us.
1. Pride
1 Corinthians 5:1–2
“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.”
The Corinthians were proud that they were accepting of sin in the church.
They bragged about the fact that they were “inclusive.” They were pleased that they focused on their corrupted idea of “grace” rather than make a fuss over “secondary issues” like a man committing fornication with his stepmom.
Do you see how tragic it is when wonderful doctrines such as grace, mercy, and acceptance are perverted to excuse sin?
How did compromise infiltrate this church? Through pride.
The phrase “puffed up” is used five times in the book of First Corinthians.
Chapters one and three reveal that this church had a pride problem. There were schisms, divisions, and strife among the church.
1 Corinthians 1:10–13
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?”
Paul points the church’s attention to Christ, the Gospel, and the power of God in chapter two.
Yet, the problems were so severe that he corrected their carnal divisions again in chapter three!
1 Corinthians 3:1–4
“And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”
Pride says “I am right. I know best. I am the judge.” Pride makes one believe that they have wisdom and discernment that no one else does. Pride opens the door to compromise.
The Pride of Naive Youth.
The pride of youth dismisses the proven principles of timeless truth and Biblical tradition. Every child goes through a phase where they think they know more than their parents.
Every new believer begins with a sincere desire for the milk of the Word. They love God’s Word and are grateful for the preachers and teachers God sends in their lives to guide them. However, the pride of youth always thinks it knows more than it actually does. Proud naivete is an open door for Satan to exploit.
The Pride of Arrogant Adolescence.
The pride of adolescence rebels against proven wisdom to demonstrate its independence.
Beware of the adolescence of ministry. Every preacher goes through a phase of rebellion in ministry. Like a teenager, seeking to distance himself from his parents in order to become a man, the door is open for a preacher in this phase to reject everything he has been taught – often condemning the very people that helped him along the way.
The pride that believes it is always right is the same pride that says everyone else is wrong.
Beware of the teenage years of the Christian life, where you will be tempted to push away your spiritual leaders because you know better or found someone online that tells you what you want to hear.
The Pride of False Compassion.
Like the church in First Corinthians, some churches take pride in their acceptance of sin.
They view any condemnation of sin as self-righteous legalism, personal judgment, or unchristian hatred. They seem to forget all the parts of the Bible, where Christ condemns sin, and God pronounces judgment on iniquity.
Excusing sin or removing truth from God’s Word is not compassion. It is compromise.
The Pride of Singular Sincerity.
Committed Christians are serious about serving the Lord. Sometimes Satan uses sincerity to compromise believers.
How can this happen? As in the Garden of Eden, Satan introduces questions and confusion into the heart. After this confusion takes hold, the Evil One introduces a plausible lie in the form of false doctrine. If the sincere Christian is convinced the lie is true, he may quickly change his beliefs without consulting others.
He so desperately wants to please the Lord that his unbridled sincerity becomes an avenue for compromise to enter. Pride mixed with exploited sincerity, tells him he has the truth now. Everyone else is wrong. Those who disagree with this confused souls are simply not as open or sincere as he is. It is a sad thing to watch a once-committed Christian be corrupted through a sincere desire to please the Lord.
Don’t make quick or drastic changes. Confusion is a part of life. Consult with trusted mentors when you are courted by false doctrine or sincerely confused.
The Pride Of Phony Growth.
Satan packages compromise in the wrapping of phony growth. Most people who compromise explain their defection from the Truth as “growth.” They have “evolved” over time. They used to believe like people who still don’t know better, but now they are more learned than the average fundamental Christian. They know things that you don’t. These Christians believe that they are a better student of God’s Word than those who maintain the position they once held. Tragically, Satan can manipulate counterfeit growth into an avenue of compromise.
Compromise is not growth – it is regression. It is not moving forward – it is backsliding.
Pride opens the door to compromise. The only way to protect ourselves from pride is through humility.
1 Peter 5:5–6
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”
Either we choose to humble ourselves voluntarily or God will humble us. The former is certainly more pleasant than the latter.
Pride is dangerous and destructive. Humble yourself to close this door to compromise.
2. Pals
The churches in the region of Galatia had compromised God’s Truth. False teachers corrupted these churches to the point where some accepted a false Gospel!
Galatians 1:6–8
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
How sad!
Through the inspiration of the Spirit, the Apostle Paul revealed the problem. How did compromise infiltrate these churches?
The answer is not a “what” but a “who.”
Galatians 5:7
“Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?”
While Christ commanded us to love every born-again brother in Christ, we are not instructed to partner with those who have gone astray. In fact, we are commanded to separate from them.
…
“Soul winning is reminding people who are dead in their sins that there is a God to Whom they must
give an account. ”
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Committed Christians must separate from those who are compromised. Christians in the beginning stages of compromise are even more dangerous than those who have already let their compromised positions be known.
If you spend time with compromisers, they will affect you. The powerful influence of the people you spend time with cannot be overstated. Your friends will make you or break you.
Proverbs 13:20
“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: But a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”
Reading books, listening to preaching, and attending conferences of compromising people will only lead to your own compromise. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you are strong enough or intelligent enough to resist the gravitational pull of compromise. If you pass too close to a black hole, you will get sucked in.
Friends who are slipping from the Truth are an avenue of compromise.
Worldliness will not destroy your church or family on its own, but the people who get you to accept it will.
False doctrine will not destroy your church or family on its own, but the people you allow to teach it to you will.
Sin will not destroy your church or family on its own, but the people who convince you it’s a “preference,” “secondary issue,” or “not a big deal” will.
King Solomons’s relationships with heathen wives of political convenience were his undoing. In his old age, they convinced this champion of wisdom to become a fool. The one who built God’s glorious temple was so compromised that he constructed places of worship for false gods. No one is safe from compromise if they choose the wrong influences.
1 Kings 11:1–11
“But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded. Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.”
Many believers seem to forget that “friendship” with the world is extremely offensive to God. Why? The influence of the world will always lead you away from God. You can’t be a friend of the world and the friend of God. You must choose between God or the world.
James 4:4
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
Who are you allowing to influence you? Which direction are your friends heading? Pals can open the door to compromise.
Choose your friends wisely. Sometimes you must let people you love go when they choose to walk in a different direction.
After all, how can two walk together unless they agree in the most critical areas of life or theology?
Amos 3:3
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
Carefully select those you choose to influence you through books, videos, conferences, sermons, lessons, and relationships. For good or bad, they are affecting you more than you think.
3. Problems
Problems can make us question what we once believed to be true. John the Baptist was the promised forerunner of the Messiah. He was the one who boldly announced that Jesus Christ was the Lamb of God. He had a front-row seat when the spirit of God descended like a dove upon Christ at His baptism.
However, things did not turn out as John the Baptist thought. John found himself in prison in danger of death. He lost his ministry and his freedom. His circumstances became the doorway for doubt to creep in. John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if He was truly the Messiah or if they got it wrong and should look for someone else.
Luke 7:19
“And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?”
Don’t be too hard on John. Severe trials have caused many good men to compromise their morals, principles, and faith.
The response of Jesus is instructive for us all.
Luke 7:22–23
“Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”
A blessed man is not offended by the will of God. We must continue in faith when God does things in a way we do not expect. There will come a time in your life when God allows everything you are leaning on to be knocked out from under you. At that moment, you will either turn away from God in bitterness or run to Him in desperation. Run to Him, my friend!
Problems can be an avenue for compromise to enter your life. When do recovering drunkards fall off the wagon? When do recovering addicts relapse? When do we lose our tempers? When do we make bad decisions? When do good people excuse bad deeds? When do once faithful believers turn their backs on God? When troubles come, and problems arise! We must learn to stand in God’s strength during the dark days of temptation and affliction.
God will allow problems into your life. If you trust Him through the trials, He will use them to grow your faith and strengthen your commitment.
1 Peter 5:10
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
The wrong response to problems is an avenue to compromise. We can protect ourselves in the midst of our suffering by standing with Job when he made this declaration of resolve.
Job 13:15
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: But I will maintain mine own ways before him.”
Run to Christ in suffering. Lean on God’s Word when doubts arise. Get wise counsel from trusted sources when you don’t know what to do.
Don’t make drastic decisions when the pressure builds. When the going gets tough, beg God for strength to stand in the evil day. He will protect you from compromise.
We live in days of compromise and apostasy. No one accepts Christ or surrenders to the ministry, hoping that one day they will compromise their convictions and the eternal principles of God’s Word. Nevertheless, many well- intentioned people have succumbed to the devilish deceitfulness of compromise, turning their backs on the Truth.
May God protect us from compromise! Let’s resolve to be faithful to God and His Word as He strengthens us. Determine to recognize and reject compromise so we can serve God faithfully today and pass on the unvarnished truth of God to the next generation.