Jim Miller
Gray, Maine
We have heard it said many times we must compromise in order to get along and move forward. This is a dangerous attitude that has led to much error in the church. I have never read anywhere in the scriptures where one must compromise the word for unity. It is inconsistent to compromise the doctrine given us in the Bible. Our God gave every word He wanted the Apostles to utter in a consistent manner and there were no contradictions in any of their teachings. God through the Holy Spirit made known to man all that He expected of us that we could be found faithful children.
2Pe-1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
2Ti-4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Compromise allows error to slowly creep into our churches and it becomes like leaven, Gal_5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. It then eats like a cancer till finally it destroys from within.
Preachers of the Gospel have long fought against compromise, they understand the danger that awaits those who add to the word or take away from it. It has been a spiritual fight all along and we were warned about it long ago. Eph_6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
For too long we have sat in our pews afraid to open our mouths against the errors that others push upon us. We do not want to be ridiculed for our stand for the truth, we do not want to make waves or be known as boat rockers. We seek to get along at all cost and I am here to tell you this has to end and end now. It is our duty to God to stand on His word and not give an inch, because in doing so we condemn ourselves to the same fate as the denominations. Will we continue to compromise ourselves right into hell?
How many times have you heard someone say I don't know, let me ask my preacher? When what they should be saying is lets look at the word and see what God says about it. For too long we have forsaken study on our own choosing to be told by someone else what it says. That in itself is compromise because we are admonished to study to make sure what is taught is the truth, 2Ti_2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
For to long we have allowed little things to creep in and instead of “confrontation” we have chosen the path of “negotiation” in Matthew chapter fifteen, the disciples of Christ wanted to compromise with the Pharisees. Notice Jesus’ answer: Mat 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
By “let them alone,” Christ here is saying do not negotiate or compromise!
When we let our preachers and teachers water down Gods word so as not to offend or when we allow game nights and movie nights to take the place of the study of Gods word or many other things that have crept in among us we are compromising that very word. When we allow our preachers and teachers to teach a Jesus only doctrine and ignore the rest of the word we are in compromise and in serious danger of losing our very souls.
We must stop compromising and being afraid to step on someones toes. Recently in conversation with friends I made the point that for the Christian the Bible is supposed to be our guide to living a righteous life. When we come together and assemble as the church that same bible is to be the guide also.
It breaks my heart that there are those who think that just because God didn't say "thou shalt not" that we can do things “we” deem good rather than what the scriptures plainly teach us. I believe God knew what he wanted from his children and that he gave us everything that we need in order to please Him without compromise. God through His Son and the Apostles gave us His word as our guide. and in the over 2000 years since we "man" have drifted farther and farther away from it adding to it taking away that which we do not like and twisting that word so far out of proportion that it is a wonder there are any true churches left.
Yet, there are still true churches left. But, they are far and few between today. They are looked down upon because they still believe that you must do bible things in bible ways and still only speak where God has spoken. It is not enough for most people to worship God in the manner he set forth so they concoct doctrines and twist scripture to try and make it justify their wants rather than bringing their lives into subjection to what God wants. We were warned about this in 2Ti_4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
It is the duty of every Christian to make sure that what goes on in our assemblies is scriptural. That the funds are used properly, that the lessons being taught are not some watered down feel good hogwash. It is every Christians duty to stand firmly upon the word and when some error tries to creep in stand up and oppose it no matter what. It is not until we decide that we are going to follow the Bible and ONLY the Bible that we are going to grow.
We must respect the authority of the scriptures. "Thy word is truth" (Jn. 17:17). "Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Col. 3:17). "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God" (1 Pet. 4:11). Let no man be honored "above that which is written" (1 Cor. 4:6). We must also respect the silence of God. Where God did not speak, we have no authority to speak.
We are to handle aright the word of truth.
The word of God must be studied in context. We have preached this over and over to the denominational world for years, and rightly so. But the instruction of 2 Timothy 2:15 falls with equal weight upon us too. We must consider all that the Bible says on a subject. If more than one passage deals with a matter, then honest study requires that we regard the sum total of all God said about it before reaching a conclusion.
We must get back to the simplicity of Gods word we must stop the compromise. We must put away from us the errors that have crept in among us. We must go back to doing things as God has commanded.
I implore all reading this to please get back to Gods way, put away from you all this man made mockery and heresy and stop compromising the word. The instructions are clear and simple just open your bible and read it. 2Ti_2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.
