A really influential mentor in my life has these power quotes, one of them going something to the affect that "there is always a promise in compromise." And its not a good promise. The ground of compromise is sinking sand. It can be hard when seemingly everyone around us is caving in and truth is being replaced in the name of relevancy. I am reading in Jeremiah and it has been astounding to read of the uncompromising resilience for the truth this prophet held on to.
I read in chapter 37 today and if you read the story you will see there were false prophets saying judgment would not come against Israel but Jeremiah did not compromise the Word of God and told the people to turn from their sin and judgment would not come. This persisted for a long time and low and behold, the truth of God's Word was all that stood and the lies of the false prophets were revealed. When the Babylonians were coming against the cities Zedekiah, who listened to the false prophets brought Jeremiah before him and Jeremiah responded: "Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, 'The king of Babylon will not come against you and against this land'?" (Jer. 37:19) Jeremiah did not compromise the Word of God that came to him. He resiliently spoke the truth. Even just after this he was thrown into an empty well and at Jeremiah sank in the mud at the bottom! Nonetheless he spoke the truth and never compromised the Word of God!
This is the type of reliance for God's Word that I want to have. In right teaching and in right living I don't want to compromise like Jeremiah. I have myself thought about the worldviews that are militant against Jesus Christ and the Bible and think to myself: "Wow we truly have to stand firm to the Word of God and the truth of Scripture now more than ever!" Yeah, that's true, but even if not more importantly I can't compromise the way I live either. I can say all I want, defend and speak the truth of God to my lips bleed. But, if I compromise the way I live and don't hold myself to the standard of holiness and look to the Spirit to grow more into the image of God, then my life can be a massive testimony against truth also. So that is what I am praying for myself and my church today: A resilience for the truth of Scripture and uncompromising moral character. So in word and in deed we raise high the banner of Jesus and His gospel.
Sincerely, jlock
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