Compromise

Compromise

1) Introduction

a) The word compromise does not appear in in the Holy Scriptures, though it is a common word in our Evangelical vocabulary today.

Compromise is a common word in political, labor, marital, and parental disputes.

Can we use this principle in religion? In our relationships with God? The world? Sin? etc.

Compromise involves conceding, concessions, sacrifice of principles, etc.

As Christians may we do this?

NO!!! Ten Thousand Times, NO!!!

Compromise involves partial surrender of one’s position in concession to another party.

In our case the enemy is Satan and his cohorts.

b) Biblical Illustrations of Compromise...

1) God told Joshua to destroy the inhabitants of Canaan (Joshua 9:24), but the Gibeonites tricked Joshua and got a compromise. They became his servants.

2) God told Saul to utterly destroy Amelek and all his possessions (1Samuel 15:3), but Saul compromised and saved some to sacrifice (15:15). For this compromise he was severely reprimanded and the kingdom was taken from him.

c) Illustrations of Compromise Today...

1. Evangelicals compromising with modernists,

2. Christians compromising with sin,

3. The Church compromising with the world, etc.

2) First compromise offered by Pharoah...

a) Stay In The Land...

Exo 8:25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.

b) God’s command=Exo 5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

Exo 7:16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.

c) God’s command are specific. God intended it to be obeyed to the full extent, in every detail.

Pharoah’s compromise was but a partial fulfillment of the will of God.

God’s command specifically required that Israel be separated from Egypt by a three day journey.

Why three days? Likely, it was to be a picture of living on resurrection ground, separated from the world by three days as Christ was.

Today God is issuing the same order of separation.

(Luk 5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.)

Go as far from the world and place of sin as possible!

Beware of compromise! Launch out into the deep of divine strength! Launch out into the deep of God’s infinite love! Into the deep of His faithfulness! The deep of His blessings!

For Israel to have sacrificed in Egypt would have been an abomination to the Egyptians, and would have resulted in riots and the stoning of Israel.

To sacrifice sheep and goats before the Egyptians would have meant anathema (excommunication) because these were sacred animals to the Egyptians.

Not to mention what God would say to this type of disobedience.

Moses would not accept any compromise. God demanded 100 percent obedience.

True worship requires separation, Separation from that which is wicked, profane, and ungodly.

Politically the Israelites were slaves to Egypt, but religiously they needed to be free, completely free.

If they would have been given the freedom of religion in Egypt it would not have made a difference.

The average person today feels that all religion is good as long as one is sincere.

It is only by an uncompromising faith that we can prove otherwise.

People today prefer a compromise. A little bit of religion, a little bit of the world and sin.

The devil also wants a comprimised, watered-down religion.

Launch into the deep and away from a comprimising, watered-down religion!!!

Away from mediocre Christianity!!!

Into the true church, true worship which requires true dedication, an uncompromising faith, and seperation from sin!!!

3) The Second Compromise of Pharoah...

a) Don’t Go Far...

Exo 8:28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: entreat for me.

Instead of three days into the wilderness, go just over the border. Just a mile or so over the border.

It sounds good! Separation, no Egyptians, but did Moses accept this? NO!!! Why? Because that’s not what God commanded of him.

See, Pharoah was afraid that once outside the land that they might try to escape to Canaan, and he wanted to keep a close eye on them so he could bring them back if necessary.

Moses rejects it because:

1) It’s not what God commanded,

2) The line of separation was too close, to near Egypt (the world)

3) Too limited, too near the leeks and flesh pots.