We are in the midst of a study of the subject of compromise. As we look at the condition of the Lord’s church in many places we see a weakening of their stand for the truth. In some cases it is overall weakness and in other cases it involves a particular subject. Either way, it is the truth that we are supposed to support that suffers.
As we study the subject of compromise we realize that the word has many different shades of meaning. As we address compromise as a sin, it is defined as, to settle for less than one’s convictions or to surrender to that which is wrong for personal gain or advantage (e.g. – material gain, peace [at any cost], etc.). Last week we noted 5 reasons why people compromise the truth. Some compromise 1)for some material gain, 2)family and friendly ties, 3)fear, 4)the desire to avoid confrontation and 5)a lack of faith. This week we want to look in the Bible as some examples of compromise and note some lessons we can learn from them.
I. Adam and Eve
A. Genesis 3:6 – Eve gave into temptation and partook of the forbidden fruit. We are also told that she gave to Adam and he ate. Later, when God confronted them, Adam proceeded to blame God and Eve (12) while Eve blamed Satan (13).
B. Have you ever wondered what might have happened had Adam refused to partake of the fruit after Eve? It is obviously a moot point but it is something to think about. I personally believe that God would have provided another option to take care of his needs.
C. While Eve’s sin was pure disobedience giving in to her temptations, I believe it can be argued (or at least be presented as a possibility) that Adam compromised. He was faced with having to choose between serving God and the woman whom he loved so he surrendered (compromised) to what he knew was wrong for the sake of physical gratification. Whether it was actual compromise or not, we KNOW that his decision involved:
1. Material gain – he did not want the change in his physical life.
2. Family – He cared more for his wife than God.
3. A willingness to disobey God for these things.
II. Reuben in Sparing Joseph’s Life
A. Genesis 37 tells of Joseph being hated by his brothers because of Jacob’s favoritism (another lesson) and Joseph’s dreams of superiority (37:1-11). One day while Joseph was sent to see how his brothers were doing, his brothers who hated him wanted to kill him (18). Reuben heard it and saved Joseph’s life warning them against killing him (21). He offered them a compromise (22). “Cast him into this pit” instead. Reuben’s plan was to return later and retrieve Joseph and return him to his father. But his plan backfired. 23-28 – Joseph’s other brothers decided instead to sell him to a company of Ishmaelites. When Reuben returns, Joseph is gone and he mourns (29).
B. What made Reuben’s act a compromise?
1. He was willing to settle for less than what was right. He should have rebuked them for even thinking about what they were thinking and immediately returned Joseph to his father.
2. Instead, he reasoned to himself to allow something less harmful with the intent of correcting it later.
3. In his compromise we find Reuben desired to avoid confrontation & family ties (on both sides)
4. The problem is when he returned to retrieve Joseph the situation was now out of his control. He could do nothing about it.
C. Today, many want to compromise for NOW with the intent of making it right later. The goal is peace for right now with the hopes of making corrections later.
1. This was the attitude of McGarvey that we read last week – His hope was that with time he could bring around those who were practicing that which was wrong. Instead, he saw it grow worse and worse until it reached a point that he could do nothing about it.
2. Sometimes a church wants to put up with a little immodesty for a while with the hopes that teaching will change the ones involved. This is a dangerous thing that can lead not only the one involved in sin further away from God, but also take others with him, especially those who are not grounded in the faith.
III. Pharaoh and Moses
A. Exodus 8-10, as Moses confronted Pharaoh demanding a release of the Lord’s people. At first, Pharaoh absolutely refused but as the plagues began to take their effect, 3 times he called Moses and offered him compromises:
1. Exodus 8:25-27 – After the 4th plague of flies -Go sacrifice to God in the land. Moses says no because their worship would be an abomination to the people. Moses demanded a 3 days journey.
2. Exodus 8:28-29 – Pharaoh said he would let them go, but don’t go very far.
3. 10:8-9 – Take your men with you. The idea being to leave behind their possessions and families. Moses said NO, we will all go, etc.
4. Pharaoh’s compromise definitely involved material gain & a desire to avoid conflict (he didn’t know what would happen next if he didn’t settle things with Moses).
B. Many today, like Pharaoh see one who refuses to be swayed from the truth and offers a compromise.
1. Many have no problem with you worshipping God while using the innovations of man.
2. Some want to let you serve God just a little bit. The boss who says, “I’ll let you go Sunday morning, but that’s it.”
3. Don’t completely let go of the world. Worship God on Sunday and be with us the rest of the week.
IV. Israel and The Gibeonites
A. Joshua 9 - Under the leadership of Joshua, the land of Canaan is falling into Israel’s hands. The Lord had given specific instructions to not make alliances with those of the land (exodus 23:32; Deuteronomy 7:2). But through deceit the Gibeonites acted as a nation from a long distance away wanting to seek peace. The Israelites were deceived. WHY? Joshua 9:14, they did not ask counsel from the Lord. The result is they made a covenant with Gibeon and had to defend them. While God tolerated this because of their ignorance, they still failed to do the will of God.
B. What was the benefit for Israel? An ally – physical. Also, they were to serve Israel.
C. Sometimes in ignorance we compromise.
1. That is we settle for less than the truth. One thing we must clearly understand is that sin is sin. Even when we are ignorant to the truth, if we are doing that which is contrary to God’s commands, it is still sin. We may be in the company of those who are compromising God’s word and partaking in their sins.
2. The question is, what happens when we find out the truth? Do we continue in sin, compromising the truth, or do we repent and go the direction we ought to go?
3. Often people are in these situations because, like Israel, they fail to ask counsel of the Lord. But that doesn’t change the fact that we still are not doing what God says and His word IS being compromised in our lives.
V. Solomon Compromised His Faith
A. Saul is known for his great wisdom, endued from God. He is also known for the prosperity he brought to Israel. 1 Kings 11:1-3 tells us that he loved women. He married 700 wives and had another 300 concubines.
1. Vs. 4 tells us that his wives turned his heart away from the Lord. His heart was not loyal to the Lord.
2. Vs. 6 – He did evil and did not FULLY follow the Lord.
3. Vs. 7-8 – He built altars for his wives
4. Vs. 9 – The Lord became angry and tore away the kingdom, except for Judah (11).
5. Truly, Solomon’s leaving was a result of both moral and doctrinal compromise. He loved women and desired to please them. But what they wanted was not compatible with God’s will.
6. His compromise involved physical gain, family, and possibly a desire to avoid confrontation, & a lack of faith
B. Many today, like Solomon because of their love for things physical will compromise what they know is the truth for temporary satisfaction.
1. I think again of the MDR controversy and those who are willing to change their convictions because their circumstances have changed.
2. They will PARTIALLY follow the Lord, which is not acceptable to Him. Consider James 2:10.
VI. Jeroboam and His Golden Calves
A. 1 Kings 12:25-32 – After receiving the Northern Kingdom, Jeroboam is fearful that if the people go to Jerusalem to worship God that they will want to return and then his dynasty is in danger. So as a compromise for the true religion, he builds golden caves in the cities of Dan and Bethel and tells the people that to God to Jerusalem is too far for them. Vs. 30 says this thing became a sin to them. IN fact it became THE sin of Israel until they were carried away into Assyrian captivity.
Note that his physical gain, fear and lack of faith in God were all involved in his compromise.B. Many today want a religion of convenience and they are willing to compromise the truth to achieve it.
1. Like Jeroboam, they will take on a FORM of the truth, but it is filled with man made innovations. And too many, rather than investigating and ensuring that what they have is the truth (whether laziness, indifference or material gain), will follow these innovations.
2. For far too many, their man made religions become their gods and eventual downfall.
VII. Nehemiah is Called Upon To Compromise
A. Nehemiah has inspired Israel to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. But there were enemies who tried everything to resist and stop the work.
1. Nehemiah 6:2 records two of these enemies (Sanballat and Geshem) send to meet with Nehemiah. The message was a desire to find a compromise. In fact that was just the lure because what they actually wanted was to get rid of him. But Nehemiah refused stating that he was doing a good work and he reasoned why should I leave it to come down to you (3). He was not willing to let ANYTHING stop him from accomplishing the work he knew God wanted him to do.
2. Even later in this chapter, there is another attempt to get him to stop working by drawing him into the temple and away from his fellow workers who needed him. Nehemiah didn’t fall for that one either.
3. In this example we see they physical gain that the enemies offered and had Nehemiah accepted, he might have gained physically (stopping the persecutions, etc. – how many politicians become popular because they find some type of compromise that pleases everyone?) and he would have avoided confrontation.
We ALSO learn some ways how to AVOID compromise:a. Know your priorities and have God’s will FIRST
b. Keep busy doing what is right and you will have far less time to even consider compromise
B. Here is an example of one too busy to compromise.
1. More often than not, if we are busy doing what we ought to be doing, there will be little time for us to meet with those who want us to compromise with them. There are some that we KNOW are wrong who want to meet with us, not because they really want to discuss the truth, but they want to reach some sort of compromise.
2. Galatians 2:4-5 – Paul did not give in to false brethren even for an hour
3. This is not to say that we should not be willing to study God’s word or think that we are infallible. Rather, we must make some judgments and not cast our pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6)
VIII. Satan Encourages Jesus to Compromise
A. We are familiar with the attempt of Jesus to tempt Jesus as He began His ministry.
1. Matthew 4:1-11 – 3 temptations.
2. Vs. 8-9 - Satan offers to Jesus the kingdoms of the world (which were already His) if He will fall down and worship him. Jesus obviously refuses and quotes Deuteronomy 6:13, “You shall have no other gods before Me.”
3. The appeal to Jesus would physically benefit Him and avoid confrontation with Satan (though it would bring about confrontation with the Father). For Satan, it was of physical benefit.
B. Let us learn from this example the passage Jesus quoted.
1. How many today when they are presented with offers “too good to refuse” will compromise their standings before God?
2. If we keep the answer of Jesus in our minds continually, it can keep us from even considering a compromise of the truth.
IX. Peter in Galatians 2:11-13
A. Galatians 2:11-13 – Paul has to rebuke Peter because “he was to be blamed”. Peter’s sin on this occasion was hypocrisy. He would eat with the Gentiles until his Jewish brethren came around at which time he would shun his Gentile brethren. Paul called him on the carpet. Among the problems was the fact that even Barnabas was carried away by his sin.
1. When Peter turned his back on his Gentile brethren, he both settled for less than his personal convictions AND he surrendered to that which he knew was wrong for personal gain.
2. In this act, Peter gained something physically (prestige, etc.), it dealt with his brethren (family), and it very easily could have involved fear (of the Jews), a desire to avoid conflict (after all there was enough already among the Jews) and a lack of faith (in God to deliver him if problems arose.
B. There are many who change their conduct depending on who they are around. They may act one away around a particular group, but when they are around another group they act the opposite way.
1. In this there is compromise with at least one group and maybe with both.
2. We also need to remember that often our influence spills onto others as well and they too are led away by our failure to take a firm stand for that which is right.
X – The Church at Pergamos
A. Revelation 2:12-17 – At Pergamos they had some who held to false doctrines in their midst. These were doctrines that involved morality and loyalty to God. They were warned to repent.
Their compromise gave them physical gain (numbers and whatever finances were involved) and avoided confrontation.B. Here we find a church that is compromising with the truth.
1. It’s not just individuals that need to be concerned, it’s also churches.
2. There are some who are weak in certain matters that we tolerate WHILE teaching (cf. Romans 14)
3. But there are some doctrines that we cannot allow into our midst at all because of the leavening influence. Among these are moral issues (if we tolerate SOME immorality, it will spread to others) and doctrinal issues (the proper purpose of baptism, the use of the Lord’s money, etc. – because such CHANGES the entire structure of the Lord’s church).
4. This has become a source of great contention among brethren in the past few years. There are some who teach that as long as one is sincere, regardless of what he teaches (in given areas) he can be accepted as long as he doesn’t dwell on the topic, or even bring it up in a meeting.
5. 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 – a little leaven leavens the whole lump
XI – The Church at Thyatira
A. Revelation 2:18-23 – At Thyatira the church allowed false teaching to be TAUGHT. This is a definite compromise concerning the message of the church
Their compromise was the same as that of Pergamos – Physical gain and avoiding confrontation.B. When we allow false doctrine to be taught without it being examined immediately we become guilty of compromise that will eventually lead to a change in the church itself.
The answer to the problem was to repent before it was too late.
Thus we can see in God’s word numerous examples of compromise. In these examples we have seen why people compromise, the consequences involved and noted some things that will help us avoid sinful compromise in our lives. Like Nehemiah, let us make ourselves TOO BUSY doing what is good to have time to consider compromise and like Jesus, let us realize WHO it is that we serve. In our next lesson, we will study the importance of respecting God’s word.