We live in a time in which "political correctness," "tolerance:" (so-called!),and "ecumenism: (A movement seeking to achieve worldwide unity among religions through greater co-operation and improved understanding" AHD), have become "watch" words; and those who do not espouse in either actions or words the beliefs behind these terms are labeled as "legalists," "intolerant," "homophobics," and other such terms. How utterly inconsistent some are! While demanding freedom and tolerance, they themselves are" intolerant of those who would stand to proclaim the Truth! Such is the scenario a follower of Christ and His teachings find themselves!
Contrary to what many proclaim and believe, Christianity is an uncompromising religion! "Not granting concessions; inflexible; rigid" (AHD). And it is not because of man, but because of God: who He is; His righteousness; His love; what He commands; what He has done & what He will do!
"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because He hath appointed a Day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead" (Acts 17:30-31).
There is only One salvation! There is only One Saviour! There is only One church! There is only One Truth/Faith! "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:4-6) A book written by Dr. Walter Martin, "Essential Christianity," contains the following quote by a Colonel Robert Ingersoll, whom Martin describes as "the famous agnostic:" "Christianity cannot live in peace with any other form of faith. If that religion be true, there is but one Savior, one inspired book and but one little narrow...path that leads to Heaven. Such a religion is necessarily uncompromising." (pg.35) This non-believer understood that which many so-called Christians today deny!
"... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6) How many "Christians" want to "hold hands" with Islam? How many of them belong to denominations: "churches" which Jesus neither founded nor died for? How many of these denominations deny the inspiration of scriptures: many now endorse homosexuality; adulterous marriages; "ecumenism!?" And all of this under the guise of "tolerance" and compromise!
Jesus didn't compromise the Truth when He confronted religious hyprocrites! "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone" (Matthew 23:23) Also read vs. 1-39!
Jesus didn't compromise the Truth when He told precious souls to go and sin no more! "... Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."(John 8:10,11; read vs. 1-11!).
Jesus didn't compromise Truth when He confronted false teachers and their teachings! "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouth, and honoureth Me with their lips; but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:7-9; read vs. 1-20!).
Jesus didn't compromise the Cross for "religious freedom!" "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. ... He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only be gotten Son of God" (John 3:14-15,18; read vs. 1-21: understanding that "belief" is obedient belief! cf. James 2:19-24!).
No! Jesus didn't compromise, but there are many who are compromising the "religion" that Jesus died for! One person wrote: "If it does not matter what we believe, then it does not matter IF we believe!" While many would deny the last part, they nevertheless endorse the first! It matters to God! It matters to Jesus! But does it truly matter to you?! Jesus declared, "... If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed; and ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32) There is no room for compromise in these verses: you are either a true disciple of Jesus, abiding in His Word, or you are not! "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father & the Son." (2 John 9)
Yet, as it is written, "For the time will come (it is here Now!) when they will not endure Sound Doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; & they shall turn away their ears from the Truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3-4) However, the true Christian is to "... earnestly contend for the faith which was once delievered unto the saints." (Jude 3) Truly, Christianity is an uncompromising religion!
The "storm" of "political correctness," "tolerance," "ecumenism," and compromise will only grow stronger as the days lengthen! Only the Christian will be able to weather it, and be saved in the end! Are you a Christian?
"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matthew 7:13,14)
"... Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in Heaven. ... Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: and the rain descended, and& the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. ..." (Matthew 7:,21,24-25)
We live in an ever changing world. The religious world seeks to compromise in order to expand its base and compete with the Mega churches. Sadly, some of those who once stood on the platform of truth are now building on "shifting sands." God is seeking those who will stay on course and committed to His cause and not man's. In a nutshell-the cost is much too high to be on the side of compromise! What say ye?