NO COMPROMISE!
The word comes on the back of two portions of scripture both of which have also been ‘pestering’ my soul for quite some time.
The first is from Ephesians 4:17-32
"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbour, for we are all members of one body. "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”The second is from 1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”The phrase ‘No Compromise’ was also the name of a Keith Green album which featured the following lyrics:
“Make my life a prayer to you
I wanna do what you want me to
No empty words and no white lies
No token prayers no compromise.”
It was also used as the title of Keith Green’s biography (well worth reading! – you can get it here.)
Everyone is talking about revival, incarnational living, effective ministry and holiness yet I have been reminded once more that we can have none of this while there is compromise in our lives – we must in true Salvationist tradition surrender everything - including what is ‘sinful’ and what is ‘doubtful’ and then 'continue' in 'obedient faith’. We must have a holiness that doesn't just treat the symptoms of sin but one that removes the desire to sin completely.
I sense that even in the lives of the great warriors among us there is some compromise. The evidence and consequence of compromise is pride, lust, greed, complacency, arrogance, self-reliance, worldliness, selfish ambition and mission failure - if these things are in our lives then we must fast, repent and consecrate ourselves afresh – anything else is compromise.
As a wise old man once said to me – we can’t bind up the demons that control the geographical areas where we live until we bind up the ones that control us. The devil doesn’t feast on big portions all he needs is a few crumbs of compromise, all he needs is a foothold, just a little tiny sin is all it takes to numb Christ within us, stifle hope and make us ineffective.
Compromise leads to hell – ‘no compromise’ leads to heaven.
Yours under Christ and irrepressibly over the devil!
Andrew
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