Compromise

How often do people feel tempted to compromise in order to live in peace? Sometimes, when disagreements arise, everyone involved agrees to give a little in order to reach the ultimate goal—or sometimes just to break even. Regrettably, when we compromise moral principles to this end, the result is often frustration and failure in the long term. Do we see this happening in our lives today? Are there principles worth preserving as though they were carved into a solid stone slab?

We find in the Holy Bible, that God never changes: “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6). The phrase “never changes” needs to be firmly understood. We are not talking about repentance, which is a reversal of your former beliefs and habits, but about compromising or letting down on true belief and lawfulness.

God Almighty gave the Ten Commandments to the human race on Mount Sinai. They are words of value to live by. They truly were “written in stone,” and were to be treated as permanent fixtures—the underpinnings of society. They were written to stand forever. If we compared the Ten Commandments to our modern laws and statutes, what differences would we see in our current system? The changes have been so subtle that they are hardly noticeable and have become accepted as part of our lives—and where again have we compromised in our personal day-to-day thoughts and actions?

Let us look at an example of how compromise has changed one Commandment. In Exodus 20:7 we read, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” The meaning of this Commandment is that man should not use God’s name for his personal displeasure aimed at some object or person. Cussing or swearing, using vulgar and angry words, is rife in today’s vernacular. So where does compromise come in? We have a neat way of disguising our words by using euphemisms. These are substitute words that are accepted in society, such as “heck,” “gosh,” “golly” and so forth. Sadly, if you go back to the source of the word it is in violation of God’s law and is a compromise.

Now most readers would wonder what the big uproar is over a small thing, but this is just one small example, and if you dare take a big look you can imagine how far compromise has taken us from the intended path. Indeed, from the use of euphemisms we see a society that has long since traversed the line into full blown insensitivity to the foulest of language. Compromise truly is a slippery slope.

The basic laws of our country are written on a few pieces of paper but the changes, amendments, and explanations take volumes and much space to store. In the same way, people have taken the straightforward “pure and undefiled” (James 1:27) teachings of the Bible and created their own systems to fit their lifestyles. Different Holy Days and Sabbaths are observed for the sake of convenience or human traditions—when they are kept at all. There has been a departure from the “simplicity” of true belief (2 Corinthians 11:3). Therefore we have division, confusion, and many denominations of “Christianity” and other religions—and that confusion has gone a long way aiding in the general deterioration of religious sentiment and reverence towards God altogether.

How badly we need to heed an old expression and go “back to the drawing board!” What kind of revival would it be if we could undo some of our compromises and get back to exactly what God said?

Trying to correct something that has been compromised is not easy, but there is a source of true hope. There is a coming time, and a coming Messiah and King of Kings who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). His Laws and the peace they bring will never change or end.

If you would like to know more, order our free booklets What Is a True Christian? and The Ten Commandments, and be sure to watch the inspiring telecast “The Real Jesus?” today.