COMPROMISE

culled from D O Teasley's "HOLY SPIRIT AND OTHER SPIRITS"

COMPROMISE. "A settlement by arbitration or by mutual consent reached by concessions on both sides; a reciprocal abatement of extreme demands or rights, resulting in an agreement."—Webster.

  To compromise the truth of God's Word means to arbitrate with the devil and concede that he is partly in the right; to abate the extreme demands of full salvation, Bible unity, divine healing, etc., and agree with the adversaries of truth. This world is filled with the abominable spirit of compromise. Men who should live and die by the right are abating the extreme demands of eternal truth and agreeing with the world, and Babylon, and the devil. Why should any man or woman stoop so low as to compromise with the enemy of all good, and lower the standard of eternal truth for filthy lucre or worldly applause? God help us to be true and stand for the whole truth, which saves from sin and makes God's people one. I would sooner face the dark legions infernal till the last drop of blood had flowed from my veins, and die a victor for King Jesus, than to compromise one inch with the world, the flesh, or the devil and be monarch of earth. God wants men and women who will wade through fire and blood before they will shrink or falter.

  Nothing will blind the eyes of a man or woman quicker than a touch of compromise. The old life of sin does not look so bad when viewed through the goggles of compromise; the plain dress, conversation, and deportment, required by the Bible does not seem so necessary; Babylon with her stilted lords and steepled halls seems to be "not so bad after all"; and, in fact, many things of the devil seem to be much better than when viewed through the telescope of truth. Oh, who will be faithful unto death and never yield to the foe?

  MANIFESTATIONS OF COMPROMISE.—Those who are affected with a spirit of compromise are always overcareful about offending people by telling them the truth when such precaution is uncalled for. When a minister comes to preach the Word of life they will be heard to say, "Now, brother, you will have to be careful about preaching too strong, or the people will not [177] attend the meetings." The manifestations of compromise in a minister are about the same as in other people. He will "prophesy smooth things," scarcely ever mention Babylon, unity, feet washing, or divine healing, except in a very mild and compromising way. You no longer hear his bold denunciations of the sin of division, and his preaching lacks zeal and anointing. God has no use for compromising preachers. The only kind He can use are those filled with fire and judgment mixed with love and wisdom. A preacher who is on the compromise line will often preach on fanaticism, and make more allowance for conscience than God allows. He will chose subjects that "tickle the ears" rather than "prick the heart." He will preach much about love and almost construe the Bible to teach that we can love the world with its pride and fashion.

  Along with the spirit of compromise goes the spirit of worldliness. Parents who are too conscientious at first to dress gay themselves will array their children in worldly attire and foster the seed of pride in their young and tender hearts. I know of nothing that will cause people to let down the standard of truth quicker than a spirit of compromise and devastation quickly follows, spoiling God's vineyard and binding souls for eternal night. The approach of compromise is so stealthy that sometimes an honest soul is, for a short time, almost stifled and overcome by it. Nothing will blind one's spiritual eyes and pervert the vision, turning light into darkness, and darkness into light, much quicker than a spirit of compromise.

  CAUSES OF COMPROMISE.—The causes of compromise are many. Some people will sacrifice the right to heaven and compromise with the world for what men call honor. But the honor of this world comes to naught. Others compromise with the world and the devil for "filthy lucre." God says, "Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift; for a gift cloth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous." Deut. 16:19. Paul says, "The love of money is the root of all evil." 1 Tim. 6:10. The love of money is most certainly the root of compromise. Some men will preach almost anything for money and popularity. Compromise is always the effect of a lack in the soul. No man who does not enjoy full salvation himself can preach the truth as it should be preached; consequently the only way to do is to either raise the experience to the Bible standard or compromise. To do the former often means to repent as a sinner, and through pride of heart the latter alternative is often chosen. [178]

  EFFECTS OF COMPROMISE.—The effects of compromise are appalling. When compromise rules, the effects are directly opposite to the effects of faithfulness. "When the judgments of the Lord are in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." Isa. 26:9. But "let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord." Isa. 26:10. When compromise comes in the strong judgments of God's Word are laid aside and consequently the people of the world do not Learn righteousness. If every man who professes to be an ambassador for Christ would preach the whole truth, unmixed with compromise, ungodliness, and hypocrisy, professors of Christianity would soon be diminished to a great extent. But most preachers have ungodliness too near home to preach the truth as it is. "Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment cloth never go forth: for the wicked cloth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong (margin, wrested) judgment proceedeth." Hab. 1:4. The prophet Hosea says, "Thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth." Hosea 6:5. This being the case when the judgments of God are withheld by the spirit of compromise, spiritual darkness ensues, and souls who could once see God's true way and their own duties as clear as the noonday sun are struck with total blindness.

  The spirit of compromise is the identical spirit which de. filed the people of God in the morning of the gospel day and caused the great apostasy. In fact, the spirit of compromise is a real apostate spirit, and apostasy lies in its train wherever it goes.

  DOOM OF COMPROMISERS. "Woe unto them . . . which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." Isa. 5:22 24. "Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood." Jer. 48:10.

  The compromising professor of religion, like a soldier who is afraid to use his sword, soon falls a prey to the enemy and is only a disgrace and a detriment to the cause he has espoused. Many would go to heaven if it could be reached by the compromise route, for by lowering the gospel standard we could get many followers. But, oh, what is numbers compared to purity!