Definition of Compromise
Compromise is when two parties that have different agendas needs or wants each give up a part agendas, agendas, needs or wants so that they can meet in the middle in the middle and find common ground. This is awesome when you are teaching kids to share their toys. But it is a huge deal for students faced with compromising their faith, spirituality, or morals.
Here's why for the believer in Christ compromise is a hug deal; because when a believer compromises, he's giving away something that is not his. He's giving away, exchanging and compromising the truth of God. Let's diagram this so it makes more sense. We'll show the two parties that are at issue here and actually what the believer is giving away.
The World ---(Compromise to meet in the middle)- --Believer in Jesus
Giving Away God's Truth
What we have to compromise to meet in the middle is at the heart of the issue. We have to give away the truth that we verbalize and live out, that Jesus is the one true God in flesh and that he is it for us. And that truth of God is not ours to give away as a bargaining chip.
Do you see what compromise in the life of a believer in Jesus really means?
Romans One
Everybody pounces on Romans one as a condemnation of homosexuality. It's really about compromise. It's just of this particular group of people, when they compromised the truth of God, it lead to homosexuality. Check out these verses below and the use of the word "exchanged". You could just as easily throw "compromise" in these verses in place of "exchanged".
Verses 18-21 describes a group of people that were opposed to God. I'm not going to get into particulars about these folks, Let's check out the next few verses though to see their real issue.
22 "Although they claimed to be wise they became fools 23 and exchanged (compromised) the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man..." ...25 "They exchanged (compromised) the truth of God for a lie..." And then again in verse 26 we see the word exchanged. Three times we see that this group of people exchanged or compromised the truth for a lie.
Let's check out the process of compromise that probably happened with these guys and definitely happens with us today.
The Process or Progression of Compromise
Remember that compromise is giving away something that doesn't belong to us; the truth of God in Jesus. And that doesn't happen all at once. It's a process or progression. It usually happens in three steps.
Compromised Relationships: In the lives of student's I've always see it start with who they hang with. I've said it till I'm blue in the face; who you hang with, is who you'll look like.
Compromised Behaviors:Behaviors are born out of relationships. That's why you can take a kid that grew up in church, get the cool kids to invite him to a drinking party, and even though he doesn't drink and believes it's wrong, he's going to be trashed by the end of the night.
Compromised Beliefs: In spite of what would seem logical this really is the last step. Over time the kid that keeps getting invited to the drinking party is going to have to deal with the conflict between his behaviors and beliefs. Psychologists call this adaptation. There's a vs. (verses but versus) situation between that kids behaviors and beliefs that's got to be rectified.
The further you get in the progression the harder it is to back out of the progression. By the time you get the compromised beliefs, it takes some major divine intervention to reverse the progression.
Then to end the message (for those that are interested) we talked about my friend stuck in the doorway halfway through the progression. Put yourself in the doorway and be aware of where you are in the progression.
I hope this little tool helps our Community Group Leaders and some of our parent's as you guys do some home devotionals.
Dennis
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