What is compromise to you?  When you hear this word, what does it make you think of?  Does it make you think of ways to get things done?  Does it make you think of ways that marriages and friendships work?  We hear this word thrown around a lot.  In the business world, in politics especially, in our communities and people around us, and even in our churches.  Compromise is something so easy to do and something that so many people are willing to take part in.  When I look at compromise, however, I see a lot of red flags.  I see the onset of evil that tries to creep into a situation.  I see people who are so willing to not stand on any kind of moral or spiritual foundation and in the spirit of getting things done, give up a part of themselves.

In its purest sense, compromise is evil.  A dictionary definition of compromise is: “a settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached by adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles,etc., by reciprocal modification of demands.”  Now some of you may think, what’s wrong with mutual concessions if an agreement can be reached.  Look at the second part of the definition, “adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles.”  That’s where the evil comes in.  The road to compromise leads one to give up on certain principles they may hold, this includes principles and convictions in their faith in order to come to agreements.

I’ll use the government as one example.  We always see republicans and democrats going back and forth with disagreements on one thing or another.  They run campaigns on promises to stand on principle, or the Constitution.  Then when they get into office, in order to pass laws, there is always a concession of principles.  Campaign promises are broken and politicians give in and put aside their own convictions.  It happens all the time and they call it progress where as all we see is a bunch of corrupt politicians on all sides.

The same things happens in the church.  With pressures from the outside world on issues such as gay marriage, some churches have set aside what the Word of God says and the Truth that is spelled out in an institution that God, Himself, created, not man, from the very beginning and allow people to openly walk in this sin.  It would be the same thing as allowing someone to openly declare they are addicted to drugs or addicted to pornography or any of many of other sins that we are all called to repent from.  Yes God loves every single one of us, and we are commanded to love each other, but if we are truly to walk as His sons and daughters in Christ, we are also called to turn away from our old self.  You can’t compromise allowing one sin to be okay, but not others.   This is how the evil creeps in, when the Word is compromised to pressures from the post-modern era.

Psalm 119:2-3 says,“Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in the paths” (NLT).  In Peterson’s translation, The Message, God says in 2 Corinthians 6:17, “So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good.” We are not to compromise our convictions and our faith for the sake of this world or what this world says we should do.

Ayn Rand shares a very strong quote about compromise in ‘Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal.’  It states, “In any compromise between food and poison, it is only death that can win. In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit.”  

When the world calls on you to compromise your faith and beliefs, you are called to stand strong on your faith and not give in.  This is how the fall came.  Adam capitulated, became passive, and failed to stand strong before the devil and his temptation.  The enemy is constantly trying to get us to compromise ourselves for things that in the moment may feel good, be enjoyable, or just because it’s what others are doing, even though they know better from God’s Word.

It’s a spiritual battle we have to face everyday.  To stand on the conviction and Truth that is set out before us, or to compromise our faith for things of this world.  That is how the enemy wants to creep into our hearts and take us out.  If we can compromise our faith, it becomes easier for Him to setup shop and continue pecking away.  This is where it becomes important to stand strong, pray the armor of God over your body, soul, and spirit every day.  This is a primary focus of how I start my day.  Look at Ephesian 6:10-17.  Learn to pray the full armor God.  This is not just for compromise, for any evil the enemy tries to throw at you.  Each day is a battlefield and you have to prepare yourself or you can get taken out.