25/05/2024
COMPROMISE
A righteous man is a well of life and a blessing in the land, but if he compromises with the wicked, he becomes like a defiled water fountain. He has muddied the water of life. The word “compromise” has a variety of meanings. In a good sense, this word refers to making a settlement of differences in which each side makes concessions or a difference being settled by a mutual agreement or arrangement. In a bad sense, this word refers to conceding to something detrimental that can expose you to danger or bring you into disrepute.
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, “How can Christ and Belial, the devil, have any agreement? What can a believer have together with a nonbeliever? The temple of God cannot have any agreement with idols, and we are the temple of the living.
In Genesis 12:10-20, Abram went down to Egypt. He compromised by saying that his wife was his sister. Pharaoh believed him and brought her into his house. God “plagued” Pharaoh’s house (i.e., nothing was going right) and let him know that Abram lied about his wife. What a degradation it was to Abraham to be rebuked by a UNBELIEVER king.
Abram’s first trip into Egypt was not a very good testimony. Many Christians lie and compromise before the unredeemed, and then wonder why things go wrong with their lives.
In 1 Kings 11:1-14, King Solomon compromised with the wicked. He married strange women, built idols of foreign gods, did evil in the sight of the Lord, and by his acts, corrupted successive generations.
The compromises of this man were like a bag of poison cast into a spring of water from which the entire nation drank.
In Matthew 26:69-75, Peter knowingly denied Jesus before a few people. He corrupted himself by compromise and by cringing before the ungodly. He muddied the water. He jeopardized his testimony.
Today our nation is full of compromising believers. They lie, they cheat, they deny Jesus, they are full of greed, and they live like the unredeemed. They have poisoned the springs of water. They have muddied the waters.
Ezra and Nehemiah, the Jews began to rebuild the temple Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed. In Ezra 4, the Bible records, "Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity [were building] the temple ... they ... said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him." But the Jews knew these neighbouring nations mixed the worship of the true God with Assyrian pagan gods.
How did Israel respond? They "said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD." They made the right choice, refusing to let an unconverted pagan help build the Lord's holy temple. But then catch this: "Then the people of the land," that is those who offered to help, "troubled them in building." Suddenly, the Jews' peace-offering neighbours showed their true colours and became their harassing enemies.
Likewise, when you stand up for what's right and do not get involved in apostate alliances, you'll be persecuted for it. First, the devil's approach will be, "Let's just work together. Let's all love each other and be united. Unity is so important!" If you don't fall for that trap and take a stand for truth, they will become your worst enemy, which tells you where their hearts really were in the first place.
This is an important lesson as we head into the last days.
Moses told the children of Israel before his death, "You shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you ... that it may be well with you" (Deuteronomy 5:32, 33 ). This is advice that we need to heed today and advice that Christ took to heart.
