Evil associations lead to compromise. The Bible tells us in a variety of ways that we are to avoid associating with evil people. God's word states things like, a little leaven (sin) leavens the entire batch, avoid people who look godly but deny its power (2Ti 3:5), these people draw near with their mouths to honor God, but their hearts are far from Him (Isa 29:13). It only takes a few agitators or rebels of the faith to take a person off their righteous path.
"Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Mat 23:28 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 2Co 6:15
Wolves in sheep clothing have existed for centuries, but once we discover such people, we need to get away from them. Compromise is all around us today. The truth is twisted, and many live in a perpetual state of confusion regarding their identity. This world will always offer something that appears to be good but, in the end, will lead to death (Proverbs 14:12).
I cannot tell you how often I hear people say that someone is a good person or has a good heart. The outward appearance and even good deeds of an individual may cause us to think they are good, but Jesus said only God is good. The heart is a wicked and deceived part of our humanness, and if we are not born again, it will remain even if the outward acts show us something different. Jesus said that a person must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven.
How can we tell if something is wrong if it is not immediately evident? Without the word of God active in our hearts, we can be fooled into believing something is harmless when it may have an opening to the demonic realm or may lead to error.
The Apostle Paul said, 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? 23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. - 1Co 10:21-23 NKJV
When we intermingle with people who walk with the world, especially those who say they are Christian, we open ourselves up to their influence. If we can stand our ground and not submit to the culture, we can be a change agent, but if we still have doors open to the carnality of the flesh, we may backslide.
Jesus promised that those who overcome would be given hidden manna.
Compromise will not feed you long term, but the word of God will sustain you for life.
Jesus said, quoting from the prophet Moses, man does live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Deut 8:3; Mat 4:4
Compromise will get you to the other side of your desire but will not see you through to your destiny.
1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite." 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant." - 2Sa 11:1-5 NIV
David's first mistake was not going to war when the kings went off to war. During this time, the enemy planted a beautiful woman on a rooftop that David would often see. Satan awoke David and led him from his slumber to the roof, where it just so happened that Bathsheba was taking a bath.
Compromise will give you a moment's pleasure but will not sustain you spiritually, physically, or emotionally.
I believe this was Jesus' message when He said 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. - Mat 5:29-30 NIV
Compromise always leads to another compromise and eventually death. Solomon took many wives, which eventually led to his losing his kingdom. God said, 16 "But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, 'You shall not return that way again.' 17 "Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself. - Deu 17:16-17 NKJV
Solomon not only did what God forbid, marry many wives, but he married foreign wives and allowed them to worship their gods then he joined in! Solomon's sin became the nation's sin. It is no different today; the President of the United States can cause an entire nation to be judged. However, even when God judges the wicked, He knows how to keep the righteous.
On one side, Solomon humbly prayed to the Lord for help in leading His people, and on the other hand, he married the Pharaoh's daughter. Another king, Ahab, married a Phoenician Princess, and that alignment wiped out many of God's prophets. The compromise with Ahab and Jezebel was political and a power grab.
Solomon lusted for foreign women, and since he was so wealthy, he could afford the desires of his life. However, God did not want the kings to acquire too much wealth so that they would not become corrupted by it, nor would they enter idolatry. Solomon had an idol issue. With thousands of horses, limitless gold, and silver, he was known as the richest man on earth at one time and the wisest. Unfortunately, his wisdom may not have been rooted in the fear of the Lord or he would have kept the commands of God.
Today, those who say they are Christian barely act anything like Christ. They use the things of this world as if it belongs to them, instead of separating themselves and being the holy people God called them to be. Jesus came to fulfill the law with love and not do away with the law or the prophets.
Sugarcoating the truth is compromise. Making the truth seasoned with the flavor of the world is a compromise that makes it error. Jesus said that the tradition of man makes the word of God of no effect. Just because something has a religious truth to it does not make it profitable. God's word is performed by His power and not man's ability to manipulate it.
Let's pray,
Heavenly Father, I repent for the sin of compromise. Whether I have known it or not, I have made decisions that have impacted my life, family, church, and business. I ask for forgiveness for any time I have not allowed Your righteousness to lead me. I thank You, Lord, that Holy Spirit will lead me into all truths if I will simply seek Your will in all things. I choose honesty and integrity to lead me into eternity. In Jesus name, Amen
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