The Clarity of Compromise
How clearly do we see what is actually happening all around us?
We may think that our modern civilization is collapsing in terms of moral clarity — knowing the difference between right and wrong. That is how it may look to us as we sadly shake our heads. But is that really so?
In reality, the scale tipped a long while ago. Whenever God’s truth ceases to be the standard that one aspires to – whenever God’s truth begins to be marginalized and pushed aside – when compromise becomes comfortable, the scale tips. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Professing to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22). Compromise leads to foolishness and that foolishness leads to God‘s judgment. “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting” (Romans 1:28). God steps back and lets that foolishness, born of compromise, come to its natural conclusion.
Without a return to God, the handwriting is on the wall for our modern culture. The tendency for those called of God and living in this environment can be sorrow over such a sad condition, and indeed it should be.
There must, however, also be moral clarity in what is actually happening in our own lives. Compromise with the godly standard – God’s truth – is born of the same spirit, whether in or out of God’s Church. If we allow compromise to become comfortable because, after all, we are under grace, we will find ourselves slowly but surely under the sway of the wrong spirit.
We could find, in reality, as the five foolish virgins did, that Christ would not even recognize us and open the door to us at His return.
Christ’s admonition to each of us? “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (Matthew 25:13). The onus is on each of us to have personal clarity of compromise.
Marshall Stiver
