Spirit of Compromise
COMPROMISE. "A settlement by
arbitration or by mutual consent reached by concessions on
both sides; a reciprocal abatement of extreme demands or
rights, resulting in an agreement."—Webster.
To compromise the truth of God's
Word means to arbitrate with the devil and concede that he
is partly in the right; to abate the extreme demands of
full salvation, Bible unity, divine healing, etc., and
agree with the adversaries of truth. This world is filled
with the abominable spirit of compromise. Men who should
live and die by the right are abating the extreme demands
of eternal truth and agreeing with the world, and Babylon,
and the devil. Why should any man or woman stoop so low as
to compromise with the enemy of all good, and lower the
standard of eternal truth for filthy lucre or worldly
applause? God help us to be true and stand for the whole
truth, which saves from sin and makes God's people one. I
would sooner face the dark legions infernal till the last
drop of blood had flowed from my veins, and die a victor
for King Jesus, than to compromise one inch with the
world, the flesh, or the devil and be monarch of earth.
God wants men and women who will wade through fire and
blood before they will shrink or falter.
Nothing will blind the eyes of a
man or woman quicker than a touch of compromise. The old
life of sin does not look so bad when viewed through the
goggles of compromise; the plain dress, conversation, and
deportment, required by the Bible does not seem so
necessary; Babylon with her stilted lords and steepled
halls seems to be "not so bad after all"; and,
in fact, many things of the devil seem to be much better
than when viewed through the telescope of truth. Oh, who
will be faithful unto death and never yield to the foe?
MANIFESTATIONS OF
COMPROMISE.—Those who are affected with a spirit of
compromise are always overcareful about offending people
by telling them the truth when such precaution is uncalled
for. When a minister comes to preach the Word of life they
will be heard to say, "Now, brother, you will have to
be careful about preaching too strong, or the people will
not attend the meetings." The manifestations of
compromise in a minister are about the same as in other
people. He will "prophesy smooth things,"
scarcely ever mention Babylon, unity, feetwashing, or
divine healing, except in a very mild and compromising
way. You no longer hear his bold denunciations of the sin
of division, and his preaching lacks zeal and anointing.
God has no use for compromising preachers. The only kind
He can use are those filled with fire and judgment mixed
with love and wisdom. A preacher who is on the compromise
line will often preach on fanaticism, and make more
allowance for conscience than God allows. He will chose
subjects that "tickle the ears" rather than
"prick the heart." He will preach much about
love and almost construe the Bible to teach that we can
love the world with its pride and fashion.
Along with the spirit of compromise
goes the spirit of worldliness. Parents who are too
conscientious at first to dress gay themselves will array
their children in worldly attire and foster the seed of
pride in their young and tender hearts. I know of nothing
that will cause people to let down the standard of truth
quicker than a spirit of compromise and devastation
quickly follows, spoiling God's vineyard and binding souls
for eternal night. The approach of compromise is so
stealthy that sometimes an honest soul is, for a short
time, almost stifled and overcome by it. Nothing will
blind one's spiritual eyes and pervert the vision, turning
light into darkness, and darkness into light, much quicker
than a spirit of compromise.
CAUSES OF COMPROMISE.—The causes
of compromise are many. Some people will sacrifice the
right to heaven and compromise with the world for what men
call honor. But the honor of this world comes to naught.
Others compromise with the world and the devil for
"filthy lucre." God says, "Thou shalt not
wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither
take a gift; for a gift cloth blind the eyes of the wise,
and pervert the words of the righteous." Deut. 16:19.
Paul says, "The love of money is the root of all
evil." 1 Tim. 6:10. The love of money is most
certainly the root of compromise. Some men will preach
almost anything for money and popularity. Compromise is
always the effect of a lack in the soul. No man who does
not enjoy full salvation himself can preach the truth as
it should be preached; consequently the only way to do is
to either raise the experience to the Bible standard or
compromise. To do the former often means to repent as a
sinner, and through pride of heart the latter alternative
is often chosen.
EFFECTS OF COMPROMISE.—The
effects of compromise are appalling. When compromise
rules, the effects are directly opposite to the effects of
faithfulness. "When the judgments of the Lord are in
the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn
righteousness." Isa. 26:9. But "let favor be
showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness;
in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will
not behold the majesty of the Lord." Isa. 26:10. When
compromise comes in the strong judgments of God's Word are
laid aside and consequently the people of the world do not
Learn righteousness. If every man who professes to be an
ambassador for Christ would preach the whole truth,
unmixed with compromise, ungodliness, and hypocrisy,
professors of Christianity would soon be diminished to a
great extent. But most preachers have ungodliness too near
home to preach the truth as it is. "Therefore the law
is slacked, and judgment cloth never go forth: for the
wicked cloth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong
(margin, wrested) judgment proceedeth." Hab. 1:4. The
prophet Hosea says, "Thy judgments are as the light
that goeth forth." Hosea 6:5. This being the case
when the judgments of God are withheld by the spirit of
compromise, spiritual darkness ensues, and souls who could
once see God's true way and their own duties as clear as
the noonday sun are struck with total blindness.
The spirit of compromise is the
identical spirit which de. filed the people of God in the
morning of the gospel day and caused the great apostasy.
In fact, the spirit of compromise is a real apostate
spirit, and apostasy lies in its train wherever it goes.
DOOM OF COMPROMISERS. "Woe
unto them . . . which justify the wicked for reward, and
take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame
consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness,
and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have
cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the
word of the Holy One of Israel." Isa. 5:22-24.
"Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord
deceitfully and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword
from blood." Jer. 48:10.
The compromising professor of
religion, like a soldier who is afraid to use his sword,
soon falls a prey to the enemy and is only a disgrace and
a detriment to the cause he has espoused. Many would go to
heaven if it could be reached by the compromise route, for
by lowering the gospel standard we could get many
followers. But, oh, what is numbers compared to purity!
