As W.

Graham Scroggie said, Light and darkness, right and wrong, good and evil,
truth and error are incompatibles when they compromise it is the light, the right,
the good, and the truth that are damaged. (became GRAY)
The biggest danger to the evangelical church is not false religion or atheism, but
compromise; it always has been a tool of the enemy. When compromise occurs, we
can have church growth but no depth; numbers, but no character; enormous
buildings, but small hearts. We play Christian, but have the tendency to
compromise everything for which Christ stood. We have riches, wealth, and
prosperity, but neglect the weightier matters: love, mercy, and forgiveness. When
compromise reigns, we easily can become insensitive, indifferent, ineffective,
unforgiving, unloving, unmoved, and self-righteous. Where does Christianity
destroy itself in a given generation? It destroys itself by not living in the light, by
professing a truth it does not obey (Tozer). (See Revelation 2; Revelation 3.)
Taking a Stand
The ancient Greek storyteller Aesop provided a colorful fable explaining how bats
came to live in the dark. There was a war between the beasts of the field and the
birds, and when the birds were winning the war, the bat would fly around and say,
Im a bird. Look at me fly! Im a bird. But later, the beasts began to win, so the bat
dropped to the ground and said, Im a beast. See me crawl! Im a beast. Pretty
soon, both the birds and the beasts got disgusted with the bat trying to play both
sides of the war. Together they banished his kind to live in caves and only come out
in the dark. In wanting to make everybody happy, he ultimately made nobody
happy.
Even in a short book like this, it is tempting to launch a moral Blitzkrieg targeting
multiple areas where the church is compromising. I could parade a list of Christian
standards that have been sacrificed on the altar of compromise to gain acceptance
with the world. I could write about the dangerous inroads of worldly music and
contemporary worship styles, unchecked materialism and the
subsequent debt, the Babylonian diet and health practices, absurd and
suggestive dress and adornment, and the blizzard of popular
entertainment that is spiritually numbing the minds of professed believers. I could
even take on the most dangerous of all conformity: the watered-down, generic
theology in which believers are never called to deny self and take up their crosses.
Each one of these compromises have neutralized peace in the hearts of believers,
diluted the potency of the gospel, and strangled church growth.
Compromise in christian circles today can take this form; in music gospel hip
hop,christian makossa, praisco-disco as seen in some churches today. When
the dressing of a christian sister/brother is patterned after that of a popular
celebrity. when you prefer watching football than going to church. May God cleanse
His church and keep His children holy.

Compromisingwiththedevilisdeadlytothespiritandalwaysfailsinbringinganylasting
satisfaction.OurLordclearlytolduswecannotplaythemiddle.Hethatisnotwithmeis
againstme(Matthew12:30).AndastheChinesesay,Youcannotcrosstheriverwithyourfeet
indifferentboats.Inreality,itisimpossibletotrulycompromisewiththedevil,becauseany
attempttocompromisewithSatanwillultimatelybecometotalcapitulation.Onlybyconstant
dependenceonGodandpersonalvigilancecanwehackoffthetentaclesofthismonster.

Nowcompromiseisnotadirtyword.Manytimesitisawonderfulprinciplethathelpsprovide
andmaintainpeaceandunitywithinrelationships.Compromiseinamarriageencourages
domestictranquility.Onfrigiddaysinthewinter,Ilikesettingthethermostatto75degrees,but
mywifeKarenprefersamoreeconomical68degrees.Sowecompromiseat72degreesandget
alongwell.Thiskindofcompromiseonnonessentialissuesshowsameekandhumblespirit.
ButwhenChristiansbegintocompromiseelementsoftruth,sacrificingbiblicalmoral
principles,forthesakeofachievingpeace,itcanbeeternallyfatal.InthewordsofMartin
Luther;Peaceifpossible,truthatallcost.

OneSizeFitsAll
Irecentlyboughtabaseballcapatanairportconveniencestore.Itsnotthecheapestplaceto
doyourshopping,butIforgottopackmine.(Abaseballcapisanecessityformybaldheadon
airplanes!)Allthebaseballcapshangingontheracksaid,onesizefitsall.Iwasdoubtfulthis
genericsizingsystemwouldaccommodatemylargenoggin.Buttomyastonishment,itfit!It
wasdesignedtoconformtoanybodyshead.
IhavediscoveredthatmostChristianswantatheologythatwillcomfortablyaccommodatethe
sinsintheirlife.ButafallenmanssinfullifeisnotaonesizefitsallrelationshipwithGod.Is
GodtoconformHiswilltosuitourdesires,oristhegospelsupposedtotransformourlivestofit
Godswill?Paulgivesustheanswer;Donotbeconformedtothisworld,butbetransformedby
therenewingofyourmind,thatyoumayprovewhatisthatgoodandacceptableandperfectwill
ofGod(Romans12:1,2).Weshouldnotbeconformedbuttransformed.
DontCompromiseWithSin
ThestoryofJosephprovidesaninspiringexampleofhowwecansuccessfullyavoid
compromisingourconvictions.WhiletheEgyptiancaptainPotipharwasawayonbusiness,his
twotimingwifeattemptedtoseduceJoseph,hismosttrustedservant.Josephwasprobably
temptedtoconsiderthebenefitsofthatforbiddenrelationshipperhapshecouldhaveearned
higherwageswithlessworkandenjoyedmoreprestigeinhishouseholdwithamanipulating
loveronhisside.Intheleast,itseemshewouldhaveavoidedjailtimeforspurningher
advances.
Thusitmusthavebeenapowerfultemptationforasingle,healthyyoungmantocompromise
hisprinciplesforpowerandpleasure.Yetevenwithallthewhisperingsofthedevil,Joseph
knewitwaswrongandrefusedtoevenconsidertheevildeed.
Soitwas,asshespoketoJosephdaybyday,thathedidnotheedher,toliewithherorto
bewithher(Genesis39:10NKJV).Ifyoudidntnotice,notonlydidJosephrefusetocommit
adultery,healsostayedawayfromthetemptation.

Whenajetaircraftstartsitsenginesatthegate,thegroundcrewknowstostayfarawayfrom
theintakeofthatpowerfulturbine.Afewcuriousbutcarelessworkerslingeringnearthemawof
oneoftheselargeengineshavebeenliterallyvacuumedofftheasphaltandvaporized.Itisalso
truethatifyoucompromisenearforbiddenboundaries,thedeadlyvortexofsinwillsuckyouin
likeacategoryfivetornado.
Whenyouarebeingtemptedbysomeoneorsomethingtocompromiseyourconvictions,steer
asfarawayasyoucanfromtheedgeoftheevil.Dontletsinworkonyou,whittlingdownyour
resolve.EvewanderedtooclosetotheforbiddentreeandthenwaitedtohearSatans
rationalizations.AssoonasshesawthattreeandheardtheserpentquestionGodstruth,she
shouldhaverunforcover.TheWordofGodcommandsustofleefromtemptation(1Timothy
6:11).
JustaLittle
Itsnotverypopulartodaytospeakoutagainstsin,especiallythosethathavebeengenerally
acceptedbythechurch.Thosewhodospeakoutcancountonbeingcalleduncompromisingand
legalistic.Iknow,becauseithashappenedtomemanytimes.Asjustasmallexample,Ionce
attendedaChristianweddingreceptionwheresomeonepouredchampagneintheglassatmy
seateventhoughIdidntaskforit.Alittlesurprised,Ipolitelyprotested,saying,Nothankyou.
Idontdrink.
Thehostassuredme,Thischampagneisonlyeightpercentalcohol.Itwontgetyoudrunk.
ButIdontdrinkanyalcohol,Iaffirmed.Obviouslyannoyed,thehostanswered,Were
justcelebratingaweddingtradition.Dontyouwanttoofferyourbestwishesandtoastthebride
andgroom?HeevensuggestedthatIputtheglasstomylipsandpretendtodrink.Itwasasif
thedevilhimselfwassaying,Afterall,everyoneelseisdoingit.
Dontyoucareaboutthem?Justdoitthisonce.Dontbeafanatic.Thesefamiliar
rationalizationsoftenprecedeacompromise.Butwehavetosayno.Makenotprovisionforthe
flesh,tofulfiltheluststhereof(Romans13:14).Wantingtoavoideventheappearanceofevil,I
refusedtoevenholdaglassofalcoholinmyhand(1Thessalonians5:22).
Anotherfamiliarmantraofthosewhoendorseworldlycompromiseisbalance.Icantcount
howmanytimesIhavebeenapproachedandtoldIneedmorebalance.Butwhenitiscarefully
evaluated,theirdefinitionofbalanceisusuallytoconformourChristianstandardstoworldly
values.Itsoundssomethinglikethis:Itsokaytotakethefamilytothefootballgameon
Sabbathonceinawhile.Youneedtohavebalance.Inotherwords,theyarerecommendingthat
webalanceourholinesswithalittlesin.Itappearsthattothem,beingChristlikeisbeingoutof
balance.
CompromiseorCombat

InthetimeofEzraandNehemiah,theJewsbegantorebuildthetemplethathadbeen
destroyedbyNebuchadnezzar.InEzra4,theBiblerecords,NowwhentheadversariesofJudah
andBenjaminheardthatthechildrenofthecaptivitybuildedthetempletheysaiduntothem,
Letusbuildwithyou:forweseekyourGod,asyedo;andwedosacrificeuntohim.Butthe
JewsknewtheseneighboringnationscommingledtheworshipofthetrueGodwithAssyrian
pagangods.
HowdidIsraelrespond?Theysaiduntothem,Yehavenothingtodowithustobuildan
houseuntoourGod;butweourselvestogetherwillbuilduntotheLord.Theymadetheright
choice,refusingtoletanunconvertedpaganinfluencetodefineinanywayhowtheybuiltthe
Lordsholytemple.Butthencatchthis:Thenthepeopleoftheland,thatisthosewhojust
offeredtohelp,troubledtheminbuilding.Suddenly,theirpeaceofferingneighborsshowed
theirtruecolorsandbecametheirharassingenemies.
Dontmissthisimportantreality.Ifyoustandupforwhatsrightanddonotgetinvolvedin
apostatealliances,youllbepersecutedforit.Firstthedevilsapproachwillbe,Letsjustwork
together.Letsallloveeachother.Compromisealittleonyourconvictions;wellcompromisea
littleonours,andthenwellbeunited.Afterall,unityissoimportant!Ifyoudontfallforthat
trapandtakeastandfortruth,theywillbecomeyourworstenemy,whichreallytellsyouwhere
theirheartswereinthefirstplace.
Thisisavitallyimportantlessonasweheadintothelastdays,becauseeventuallyallthe
worldsreligionswillmakeconcessionstoformaunitedreligiousfrontthatwillultimately
promotetheworshipofthebeastpower.Ifwearedevelopingapatternnowofsacrificingour
convictionsfortheillusionofpeace,wearepavingthewayinpreparationtoworshipthebeast.
Thosewhohaveyieldedstepbysteptoworldlydemands,andconformedtoworldlycustoms,
willthenyieldtothepowersthatbe,ratherthansubjectthemselvestoderision,insult,threatened
imprisonment,anddeath(ProphetsandKings,p.188).
AFearofOffending
Haveyoueverheardaboutthepastorwhodidnotwanttooffendhiswealthycongregation?
Hesaid,Dearbrethren,unlessyouconsiderrepenting,inameasure,andbeabitconverted,asit
were,youwillpossibly,Iregrettosay,bedamnedtosomeextent.
Inrealityagreatpercentageofcompromiseandconformitywormsitswayintoourlivesand
thechurchbecausenobodywantstooffendanybody.Wearetrainedfromourearliestyearstobe
politeandconsideratetocomplywithpeoplesrequestsandnotdoanythingthatmightupset
somebody.ButJesustaughtthatitisnotpossibletopreachthegospelwithoutcausingsome
offense(Galatians5:11).
Supposeyoushoulddevelopasmallspotofmalignantskincancer,butthedermatologist,not
wantingtoupsetyou,toldyouitwaspoisonivy.Wouldheorshebeyourfriend?Byitsvery

nature,theconvictingessenceofthegospelturnsablazinglightonourheartstopeelbackour
layersofhypocrisyandexposeourselfishmotivesandimpurethoughts.
JohnWesleywasapparentlyridingalongaroadonedaywhenitdawnedonhimthatinthe
pastthreedays,hehadnotsufferedtheslightestpersecution.Notasinglebrick,egg,orverbal
insulthadbeenthrownathimforthreeentiredays.Alarmed,hestoppedhishorseand
exclaimed,CanitbethatIhavesinnedandambackslidden?
Slippingfromhishorse,WesleywentdownonhiskneesandbeganpleadingwithGodto
showhimwhere,ifany,therehadbeenafaulthecommitted.Atthatexactmoment,arough
fellowontheothersideofthehedge,hearingtheprayer,lookedacrossandrecognizedthe
unconventionalpastor.Illfixthatpreacher,hesaid,pickingupabrickandtossingitoverthe
hedge.AlthoughthebrickmisseditsmarkandfellharmlesslybesideWesley,thethrilled
preacherleapttohisfeetjoyfullyexclaiming,ThankGod,alliswell.IstillhaveHispresence.
Theapostleswereallslainorimprisonedfortheirfaithbecausetheirmessageoffended
somebody.AllthatwilllivegodlyinChristJesusshallsufferpersecution(2Timothy3:12).I
believeonereasonwedonotseemoreseverepersecutionofChristiansinNorthAmericatoday
isbecausewehavecompromisedsomuchwiththeworldthattheoffenseofthegospelhasbeen
greatlydiluted.
AStraightPath
CacheRiverisamongthemostserpentinestreamsintheworld.Itisuselessfornavigation
becauseitwinds180mileswhileonlycoveringadistanceof35miles,basicallywasting140
milesinbendsandturns.Thereasonariverbecomescrookedisbecauseitfollowsthepathof
leastresistance,thesamereasonthatChristiansbecomecrooked.ButthepathoftheChristian
shouldbemorelikeatightropethanameanderingtrail.
MosestoldthechildrenofIsraeljustbeforehisdeath,Thereforeyoushallbecarefultodoas
theLORDyourGodhascommandedyou;youshallnotturnasidetotherighthandortotheleft.
YoushallwalkinallthewayswhichtheLORDyourGodhascommandedyou,thatyoumay
liveandthatitmaybewellwithyou(Deuteronomy5:32,33).
Luke4recordsthedevilschillingattempttogetChristtocompromise.Andthedevil,taking
himupintoanhighmountain,sheweduntohimallthekingdomsoftheworldinamomentof
time.AllthispowerwillIgivethee,andthegloryofthem.Ifthouthereforewiltworship
me,allshallbethine(vs.57).Thedevilwantedtomakeadeal.HewantedChristtoconsider
theoption,tonegotiateatreatytoendthegreatcontroversybetweengoodandevil.Satan
impliedJesuscouldavoidthecrossandruletheworldifHewouldonlygiveSatanworship.
Everybodycouldlivehappilyeverafter.
ButwhatdidJesussay?Gettheebehindme,Satan:foritiswritten,Thoushaltworshipthe
LordthyGod,andhimonlyshaltthouserve(vs.8).Jesuswouldnotevenconsiderit.Thiswas
thesameanswerChristgavePeterwhenthedisciplesuggestedJesusshouldntgotothecross.

Sometimesthedevilevenworksthroughthoseclosesttous,butwhenweretemptedto
compromiseChristianprinciplesandconvictions,weneedtolearnhowtosay,Gettheebehind
me,Satan.Iamnotgoingtodoit.
BeCourageous!
WhenIattendedaNewYorkmilitaryacademy,thestudentswouldrecitetheCadetsPrayer
inchapel:Makeustochoosetheharderrightinsteadoftheeasierwrong,andnevertobe
contentwithahalftruthwhenthewholetruthcanbewon.Endowuswithcouragethatisbornof
loyaltytoallthatisnobleandworthy,thatscornstocompromisewithviceandinjusticeand
knowsnofearwhentruthandrightareinjeopardy.Thatkindofnobleresolveissomethingyou
scarcelyhearaboutanymore.Itsbelievedbymanytobevirtuoustocompromisetruthinthe
nameofunity,butnotaccordingtotheBible.
Refusingtobuckletothepressureofcompromiserequiresdivinecourage.TheLordtold
Joshua,Onlybethoustrongandverycourageous,thatthoumayestobservetodoaccordingto
allthelaw,whichMosesmyservantcommandedthee:turnnotfromittotherighthandortothe
left,thatthoumayestprosperwithersoeverthougoest(Joshua1:7).
WedontneedtoworrythatGodwontforgiveusifwesincerelyrepentofourcompromise
andturntheotherway.Butwhenwesin,whenwestumbleintoerror,wetrainourselvestogo
downthatroadagain.Godcangiveyouanewheart,butdontthinkyoucancontinueto
compromiseandnotreaptheconsequences.Continuedcompromisecannumbyourconscience,
untilitisthefruitofconformitywiththeworld.
CloseYourMindtoConformity
WhenitcomestocompromisingtheWordofGod,donthaveanopenmind.Youregoingto
becalledaconservativeextremistfornotacceptingthestandardsofworld.Butdontbe
intimidatedwhenyouareaccusedofbeingcloseminded.Itisgoodtobeclosedminded
regardingthecommandmentsofGod.IhaveawifewithwhomIhavecovenantedIamnot
openmindedaboutanythingelsethatwoulddestroythatpromise.
Thedevilissettingupthechurchinthelastdaysbypreachingamessageofunitythrough
compromise.Littlebylittle,hessofteningupourresolve,encouragingustomakelittle
concessionsandcompromisessothatwhenthatbigtestcomes,hehasuswherehewantsus.
ReadDaniel3andbearwithmylooseparaphrase.NebuchadnezzarsaidtoShadrach,Meshach,
andAbednego,Soyoudidntbowdown?Illtellyouwhat:Idontwanttoloseyou;youre
goodworkers.Illgiveyouanotherchanceandhavethebandplaythemusiconemoretime.
Perhapsyoujustwantalittledifferentsong?Butwhenyouhearthesound,youneedtobow
down.

ButthethreeyoungHebrewsresolutelytoldthekingheneednotwastehistimeonthem.O
Nebuchadnezzar,wearenotcarefultoanswertheeinthismatter.Ifitbeso,ourGodwhomwe
serveisabletodeliverusfromtheburningfieryfurnace,andhewilldeliverusoutofthinehand,
Oking.Butifnot,beitknownuntothee,Oking,thatwewillnotservethygods,norworship
thegoldenimagewhichthouhastsetup(Daniel3:1618).Theydidntnegotiate,evenwhen
thedeviltriedtoengagethem.Thedevilwouldratherhaveyoudieafteryouvedisobeyed
thandieamartyrandbeavictoriousexample.ButifyoudieinthisworldupholdingtheWord,
youwillliveinthenext.Sotodayweneedtobefaithfulinthatwhichisleast.Wemaynotthink
thelittletestswefacenowareamatteroflifeanddeath,butifwecantlearnarithmeticwith
pennies,wewillneverunderstanditwithdollars.Ifwecompromiseandconformnowinthe
littlethingswithnodeaththreathangingoverourheads,whatarewelikelytodowhenweare
threatenedwithimprisonmentordeath?
Stand!
WhenthechildrenofIsraelreachedthebordersoftheRedSeaandtheirEgyptianmasters
wereridinghardontheirheelstocaptureandreenslavethem,thesituationlookedbleak.But
Mosestoldthepeople,Donotbeafraid.Standstill,andseethesalvationoftheLORD,which
Hewillaccomplishforyoutoday(Exodus14:13).
OnceweknowthatsomethingisrightaccordingtoGodsWord,ourresponsibilityistotake
ourstand.GodwilldogreatthingsforthosewhostandupforHim.Heislookingfor
representativeswhowilltrustHim.FortheeyesoftheLORDruntoandfrothroughoutthe
wholeearth,toshowHimselfstrongonbehalfofthosewhoseheartisloyaltoHim(2
Chronicles16:9).
Whenyoustandfirmfortruth,yourlifewillbeasavingwitnesstoyourfamily,yourfriends,
yourneighbors,andeventheheavenlyagencies.Godwilllookdownfromheavenandsay,
HaveyouconsideredMyservant,thatthereisnonelikethatontheearth,onewhofearsmeand
shunsevil?(SeeJob1:8.)
ButChristhasnotleftustodothisalone.HehasprovidedHisownarmortoprotectus.Put
onthewholearmorofGod,thatyoumaybeabletostandagainstthewilesofthedevil.
ThereforetakeupthewholearmorofGod,thatyoumaybeabletowithstandintheevilday,and
havingdoneall,tostand(Ephesians6:11,13).Justrememberthatthecorrectpostureforthose
wearingthearmorofGodistostand!
WilliamJenningsBryansaid,Neverbeafraidtostandwithaminoritythatisright,forthe
minoritywhichisrightwillsomedaybethemajority.Alwaysbeafraidtostandwiththemajority
thatiswrong,forthemajoritythatiswrongwillsomedaybetheminority.EllenWhite,oneof
myfavoriteChristianauthors,saiditlikethis:Thegreatestwantoftheworldisthewantofmen
menwhowillnotbeboughtorsold;menwhointheirinmostsoulsaretrueandhonest;men
whodonotfeartocallsinbyitsrightname;menwhoseconscienceisastruetodutyasthe
needletothepole;menwhowillstandfortherightthoughtheheavensfall(Education,p.57).

WithGodallthingsarepossible,includinglivingalifewithoutworldlyconformityand
compromise.ResolvenowbyHisgracetostandontheRockandresistthewavesofcompromise
thataresweepingGodschildrenfromtheshoresofsalvation.Andalwaysrememberthatwhen
youtakeyourstand,youdonotstandalone.Jesusstandswithyou.